DRAKOPOULOS

We are happy to share that DRAKOPOULOS has once again been ranked in the top tier of the 2025 edition of World Trademark Review. As a leading legal directory, WTR 1000 highlights our firm's strong presence and excellence, stating that "with an outstanding track record in both criminal and civil matters, Drakopoulos is a top choice in the field of #intellectual #property. Home to an exceptional team of practitioners, the firm prioritizes responsiveness and effective communication, ensuring that clients are well informed at every stage". Special recognition was given to the firm's IP lawyers for their excellence in trademark law. Managing Partner Panagiotis Drakopoulos, who has risen to the 'Gold Individuals' rank, was praised for "his #strategic #approach to protecting intellectual property and his commitment to staying current with industry trends and best delivering optimal outcomes". Partner Michalis Kosmopoulos, who heads the department, has again been ranked as a "Gold Individual" being "an enticing choice for a broad spectrum of #brand #protection matters such as opposition and infringement" and recognized for "his attention to detail and thoroughness in handling trademark applications and disputes, giving clients the peace of mind that their #trademarks are well protected". Similarly, partner Adrian Roseti was acknowledged as "a tenacious litigator sought after for his deft handling of #infringement #disputes and #anti-#counterfeiting matters, particularly in the consumer goods and entertainment sectors". Notably, partner Sophia Ampoulidou has been ranked this year in the Bronze tier for the first time, reflecting her exceptional impact in the industry. We greatly appreciate this recognition, which highlights the hard work, expertise and dedication of our team. A heartfelt thank you to our clients and peers for their trust and support. We remain committed to delivering high-quality legal services that exceed expectations.

DRAKOPOULOS Of Counsel Ioannis Giannakakis was the keynote speaker at the "Securing the C-Suite: NIS 2 Essentials for CEOs" event hosted by CEO Clubs Greece on 24 January 2025. The event brought together business leaders, all interested in exploring the impact of the NIS 2 Directive, set to come into force on 18 October 2024, on #corporate #governance and #cybersecurity. In his presentation, Ioannis provided a comprehensive overview of the NIS 2 Directive, highlighting its critical importance for CEOs and executive teams. He shared actionable insights on how executives can strengthen organisational resilience, align with regulatory requirements and adopt proactive strategies to mitigate cybersecurity risks. The NIS 2 Directive outlines a series of cybersecurity measures that focus on #risk #management, requiring organisations to perform regular risk assessments, implement technical and organisational security measures - such as firewalls and access controls - and establish procedures for detecting, reporting and responding to security incidents. The need for cybersecurity is clear, impacting organizations of all sizes and sectors, as #cyber #attacks pose severe risks to personal data and the smooth operation of businesses.   Drakopoulos' Data & Digital Department is committed to staying ahead of market trends and enabling businesses to succeed in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

DRAKOPOULOS Of Counsel Ioannis Giannakakis was the keynote speaker at the "Securing the C-Suite: NIS 2 Essentials for CEOs" event hosted by CEO Clubs Greece on 24 January 2025. The event brought together business leaders, all interested in exploring the impact of the NIS 2 Directive, set to come into force on 18 October 2024, on #corporate #governance and #cybersecurity. In his presentation, Ioannis provided a comprehensive overview of the NIS 2 Directive, highlighting its critical importance for CEOs and executive teams. He shared actionable insights on how executives can strengthen organisational resilience, align with regulatory requirements and adopt proactive strategies to mitigate cybersecurity risks. The NIS 2 Directive outlines a series of cybersecurity measures that focus on #risk #management, requiring organisations to perform regular risk assessments, implement technical and organisational security measures - such as firewalls and access controls - and establish procedures for detecting, reporting and responding to security incidents. The need for cybersecurity is clear, impacting organizations of all sizes and sectors, as #cyber #attacks pose severe risks to personal data and the smooth operation of businesses.   Drakopoulos' Data & Digital Department is committed to staying ahead of market trends and enabling businesses to succeed in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

DRAKOPOULOS is happy to announce that its Managing Partner, Panagiotis Drakopoulos, has been appointed Co-Chair of the European Regional Forum (ERF) of the International Bar Association (IBA). This appointment recognises Panagiotis' leadership, commitment to the legal profession and his long-standing contribution to the regional and global legal community. The #IBA #ERF serves as an important platform for lawyers and law firms operating across Europe to share knowledge, exchange ideas and discuss pressing legal issues. As Co-Chair, Panagiotis Drakopoulos, together with Co-Chair Anna Dąbrowska, will spearhead efforts to enhance cross-border legal cooperation and address the evolving legal challenges facing the European legal landscape. Drakopoulos looks forward to supporting Panagiotis in his new role and continuing his commitment to promoting #legal #excellence, #collaboration and #innovation across the global legal community.

DRAKOPOULOS advised Guy Carpenter, a leading global risk and reinsurance specialist and part of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), on the acquisition of the remaining 51.5% stake in Carpenter Turner, a regional reinsurance broker and consultancy firm based in Athens. By fully integrating Carpenter Turner into its operations, Guy Carpenter aims to strengthen its presence in Greece, Cyprus, the Balkans and Turkey, in line with its overall growth strategy in the region. The expanded operations also aim to leverage Guy Carpenter's global capabilities with Carpenter Turner's local expertise and regional knowledge. Marsh McLennan, headquartered in New York City, is a leading global professional services firm with businesses in insurance brokerage, risk management, reinsurance services, talent management, investment advisory and management consulting. Drakopoulos’ team, led by Panagiotis Drakopoulos, Managing Partner, and Mika Lalaouni, Partner, assisted by Georgia Konstantinidou, Partner, Sofia Angelakou, Senior Associate, and Eirini Galanou, Senior Associate, advised the buyer on all aspects of this major deal in the insurance sector.

We are proud to announce the outstanding results for our Anti-Counterfeiting Practice in 2024, reflecting our unwavering #commitment to #protecting #brands and #intellectual #property in an increasingly challenging global landscape. Throughout the year, our dedicated team successfully implemented impactful strategies and enforcement actions, achieving measurable results in #combating #counterfeiting and protecting the rights of our clients. These achievements underscore our leadership in anti-counterfeiting and our ability to adapt to evolving threats with precision and resilience. We would like to thank the Greek law enforcement authorities, namely ΑΑΔΕ - IAPR (Customs and the Customs Offices Control Service - ELYT), DI.M.E.A. - Interagency for Market Control Unit, the General Directorate for Financial and Economic Crimes (SDOE), the Hellenic Police, the Municipal Police of Athens, Thessaloniki and Piraeus, and the Hellenic Coast Guard, as well as the Cyprus Customs for their continued commitment and excellent cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting. As a proud partner of React we benefited from their invaluable expertise and know-how, which played a key role in fostering strong and effective collaboration with brand owners. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to our outstanding team of professionals whose expertise, hard work and dedication made this achievement possible. Their tireless efforts have been instrumental in delivering positive results for our clients across all industries. As we look to the future, we remain committed to setting the standard for excellence in anti-counterfeiting enforcement and prevention, ensuring that brands and innovation are protected from illegal activities worldwide.

Season's Greetings from all of us at Drakopoulos!

DRAKOPOULOS Senior Associate Elena Vrakatseli attended the IAPP - International Association of Privacy Professionals - Europe Data Protection Congress 2024, held in Brussels on 20-21 November. During the two-day intensive conference, participants discussed and analysed the latest developments in the #data #protection landscape, including the intersection of #Artificial #Intelligence (AI) and #privacy, the governance of digital sovereignty and #cybersecurity readiness, as well as NIS 2 and DORA compliance and adtech privacy. With AI as a central theme, the conference provided some thought-provoking insights into the evolving landscape of technology governance, such as highlighting the interconnectedness of AI, cybersecurity, data governance and data ethics, the challenges of divergent approaches to AI governance that complicate cross-border cooperation, and the role of "guardrails" in responsible AI development, without which the risks of compromising democracy and human rights would escalate dramatically. Drakopoulos' recently launched new Data and Digital practice, dedicated to providing comprehensive legal solutions to clients navigating the increasingly complex landscape of data protection, #digital #transformation, AI, cybersecurity and emerging technologies, keeps abreast of the latest developments and trends in the sector, ensuring that its clients always receive reliable and up-to-date advice.

DRAKOPOULOS participated in the “Biodiversity” roundtable event held in Athens, on 31 October, organized by SOFTONE GLOBAL SUSTAIN, a market leader in services related to sustainability, responsible investing and the green economy. Mr Michael Spanos, CEO of Global Sustain, opened the event by emphasizing the significance of environmental, social and governance (#ESG) criteria in improving business standards and the critical role of #biodiversity #preservation as a business philosophy and objective. During the event, public authorities, sustainability experts and business leaders from various sectors discussed the importance of biodiversity for the proper functioning of ecosystems and highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in protecting biodiversity. Discussions also addressed the economic benefits of biodiversity preservation, underlining that preserving natural ecosystems not only protects the environment, but also supports #sustainable #development and long-term economic stability. Key takeaways included the need to create frameworks for joint action, increase investment in nature-friendly projects and raise awareness of the vital role of biodiversity in health, agriculture and climate adaptation. Drakopoulos recognizes that #responsible #business is a true investment and views ESG initiatives as fundamental to creating value and ensuring long-term #sustainability.

DRAKOPOULOS reaffirmed its strong commitment to promoting D&I initiatives by once again participating in the 6th Diversity in Business Conference 2024, organised by Diversity Charter Greece, held in Athens, on October 10. This year’s conference aimed to highlight the best applied practices for fostering healthy #inclusion in the business environment, address the challenges present in the Greek reality and creatively examine the pillars of diversity that are prioritized on both the European and Greek agendas. We firmly believe that businesses should generate and deliver social value alongside financial success by actively implementing inclusion policies that enhance #equality, #diversity and #visibility in the workplace, and by working hard to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.