Panayotis Yannakas

About the LawyerPanayotis Yannakas brings a unique combination of entrepreneurial skills and legal proficiency to Cyprus' litigation scene. Before his calling to the Cyprus Bar in 2020, Mr. Yannakas co-founded and served as General Director of a boutique digital marketing firm, where he managed complex international transactions, navigated cross-border VAT implications, and developed business solutions & software. This practical business experience, along with his academic accomplishments featuring published works on “Open Texture of International Tax Law” and “Restricting the Autonomy of Digital Creators: Contemporary Issues of Possible Market Distortion by App Stores” in the ENTHA Law Journal, give him a perspective perspective on the intersection of business operations and legal compliance. His technical proficiency extends beyond traditional legal practice, having developed automated payroll systems and managed digital transformation projects, skills that enable him to provide innovative solutions to complex commercial disputes and corporate restructuring matters.Since establishing his independent practice in 2023, Mr. Yannakas stands out himself by handling litigation cases ranging from criminal defence to employment law, tort claims, and administrative disputes.His notable cases include defending against terrorism accusations through innovative evidence challenges involving cache file analysis (digital forensics), successfully navigating the Acta Jure Imperii principle in disputes against foreign embassies, and resolving complex employment transfers under EU Directive 2001/23/EC. His expertise includes specialised corporate services, such as establishing NGO entity in Cyprus' buffer zone while ensuring full AML compliance, managing beneficial ownership reporting for portfolios of over 30 entities, and successfully reviving abandoned trademark applications while defending against patent trolls at the EUIPO. This approach to legal practice, enhanced by his service as a legal researcher for the Central Bank of Cyprus and his ongoing role as a GDPR reporter for noyb, positions Mr. Yannakas as a litigation lawyer who delivers strategic counsel that transcends traditional legal frameworks, particularly in matters involving international law, taxation, and the evolving digital economy.Drawing on five years of professional experience within the Cyprus legal system, Panayotis Yannakas focuses his practice on complex litigation, offering strategic representation before the Cypriot courts in disputes with cross‑border, regulatory, or technology‑driven dimensions. His work is anchored in a thorough understanding of procedural and substantive Cyprus law, combined with a strong grasp of EU law and international legal principles, which he applies to contentious matters involving state entities, foreign missions, and multinational corporate structures.Based in Nicosia at the Law Office of Panayotis Yannakas, he advises and represents clients ranging from individual defendants to companies and non‑profit organisations. His litigation practice is characterised by careful evidence analysis, including the use of digital forensics, and by an ability to align courtroom strategy with broader business and compliance considerations in sectors such as finance, digital services, and intellectual property.ExperienceBefore entering the legal profession, Panayotis Yannakas studied Business Administration and co‑founded a boutique digital marketing company, where he served as General Director. In this role he managed international commercial transactions, addressed cross‑border VAT and tax issues, and oversaw software and business solution development, gaining hands‑on exposure to the commercial realities and regulatory obligations faced by modern businesses.After being called to the Cyprus Bar in 2020, he began practicing as a litigation lawyer and has accumulated approximately five years of experience navigating the Cyprus legal regime. During this period he has managed complex court cases, drafted pleadings and contracts, and provided advisory services on contentious matters with financial, regulatory, and technological components. His practice has involved representation in criminal courts, labour tribunals, civil courts, and administrative proceedings.In 2023 he founded the Law Office of Panayotis Yannakas in Nicosia, establishing an independent litigation practice. Through this office he handles a broad spectrum of disputes, from high‑stakes criminal defence to multifaceted employment and tort claims, as well as judicial review and other administrative law challenges. His casework includes matters requiring the interpretation and application of EU directives and international public law doctrines, such as the Acta Jure Imperii principle in disputes involving foreign embassies.Beyond his courtroom appearances, Mr. Yannakas has served as a legal researcher for the Central Bank of Cyprus, contributing to analytical work on regulatory and compliance questions that inform litigation positions and policy‑related disputes. He also acts as a GDPR case reporter for noyb, maintaining close familiarity with emerging data protection jurisprudence, which he integrates into litigation strategies in privacy‑related and technology‑driven cases.His experience extends to complex corporate‑related litigation, including disputes arising from corporate restructuring, transfer of undertakings under EU Directive 2001/23/EC, and conflicts over intellectual property rights. He has been involved in reviving abandoned trademark applications and defending against aggressive enforcement tactics by so‑called patent trolls before European fora, experience that reinforces his ability to handle contentious IP and commercial matters.SpecialtyPanayotis Yannakas is a licensed litigation lawyer whose work centres on contentious proceedings across several key areas of Cyprus law, with a consistent focus on how disputes interact with international, EU, and digital‑economy frameworks.His criminal litigation work includes defence in serious and complex cases, notably proceedings involving allegations of terrorism. In such matters he employs advanced evidence‑assessment techniques, including cache file analysis and other digital forensic tools, to challenge the validity, admissibility, and interpretation of electronic evidence.In the field of employment litigation, he represents clients in disputes arising from employment transfers, restructurings, and terminations, particularly those governed by EU Directive 2001/23/EC on the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of transfers of undertakings. His approach balances statutory and contractual rights with the practical realities of business continuity and workforce management.His civil litigation practice covers tort claims and commercial disputes, including cases touching on corporate restructuring, contractual liability, and professional negligence. He brings to these matters his prior business and technical experience, enabling him to understand complex transactional structures and to articulate their legal implications effectively before the courts.In administrative and public‑law litigation, Mr. Yannakas acts in disputes involving public authorities and foreign missions, such as cases where the Acta Jure Imperii principle—immunity for sovereign acts of states—is at issue. His familiarity with public international law allows him to navigate questions of jurisdiction, state immunity, and the interaction between domestic courts and foreign state entities.He also handles litigation connected to corporate and regulatory compliance, including matters arising out of beneficial ownership reporting obligations, AML frameworks, and the establishment and operation of entities in sensitive areas such as Cyprus’ buffer zone. These cases require integrating corporate governance, regulatory standards, and procedural litigation tactics.Additionally, his litigation practice encompasses intellectual property and technology‑related disputes, particularly those involving trademarks, digital platforms, and market‑distortion concerns. His academic work on international tax law and app‑store market dynamics informs his strategy in disputes where taxation, competition, and digital‑platform regulation intersect with the rights and obligations being litigated.Across these specialties, Mr. Yannakas is distinguished by his ability to link doctrinal legal analysis with practical business insight and technical understanding, providing litigation strategies that address both the immediate dispute and the broader regulatory and commercial environment in which his clients operate.EducationPanayotis Yannakas initially pursued studies in Business Administration, obtaining a foundation in accounting, finance, management, and marketing that now supports his work in business‑related litigation and disputes involving complex corporate structures.He later completed his legal education at the European University Cyprus Law School, where he undertook research projects in international tax law, digital markets, and regulatory frameworks. His academic work culminated in publications in the ENTHA Law Journal on topics such as the open texture of international tax law and the potential market distortion arising from app‑store control over digital creators.Following his law degree, he satisfied the requirements for admission to the Cyprus Bar, being called in 2020. His ongoing roles as legal researcher and GDPR reporter reflect a continuing engagement with legal scholarship and case law development, which he integrates into his litigation practice.Achievements and Recognition

• Awards
  • Named a GOLD lawyer by Global Law Experts for the practice area of Litigation
  • Received a Dean's List – Third Honors award from the School of Law in September 2018 for academic excellence during the Spring 2018 semester
• Industry Rankings
  • Listed as a leading lawyer in Cyprus on Top Lawyers Registry, specializing in Banking & Finance, White Collar Crime, Private Client Practice, and Company Setup
  • Recognized as a Litigation expert in Cyprus on Global Advisory Experts, featured in their Q&A series
• Leadership Roles
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• Major Case Successes
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• Contributions to Award-Winning Projects
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