Lawyer's Blogs

On 21 May 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered two important rulings (Cases C-483/23, C-428/24 and C-476/24) that may significantly affect the application of EU sanctions law. The Court confirmed that the use of trust structures does not, in itself, prevent assets from being frozen where a sanctioned person retains the ability to exercise control over those assets or derive an economic benefit from them. The Cases and the Applicants’ Arguments The cases concerned assets held through trust structures: The first case: It concerned four Italian companies whose ultimate owner was a Bermuda company held in an irrevocable trust. The settlor of the trust was included on the EU sanctions list, although he had formally been removed from the class of beneficiaries shortly beforehand. The other two cases: The disputes concerned the assets of an Italian company and a superyacht worth approximately EUR 530 million, which were also held in trusts. The trust deeds contained specific provisions prohibiting the trustee from making any payments to a person subject to sanctions. The applicants argued that, under these circumstances, the sanctioned person...

Wall Street is currently staging a masterclass in market momentum, driving equity valuations to historic peaks. However, beneath the soaring ticker symbols, top financial analysts are identifying classic indicators of an overheating market—drawing striking parallels to the dot-com era of the late 1990s.Market Valuation Metric: S&P 500 Price-to-Sales Ratio Current Level: >3.3x (Historical Record High) Analyst Assessment: "Euphoria Territory" (Barclays Indicator) Key Highlights of the Market RallyTrillion-Dollar Milestones: Tech powerhouses continue to anchor market optimism. Nvidia recently broke records by becoming the first public company to achieve a $4 trillion market capitalization, driven by relentless demand for AI infrastructure.The Return of Meme-Stock Velocity: Retail trading enthusiasm has re-ignited, generating explosive upside for legacy retail picks like GoPro and Krispy Kreme.High-Yield & Crypto Acceleration: Crypto assets have reached unprecedented adoption levels, with Bitcoin crossing $120,000 for the first time. Simultaneously, enterprise players like Palantir (+140% since April lows) and Coinbase (+180%) are riding strong government contracting...

The Irish Government is rapidly advancing the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026. This legislation formally establishes the national framework required to supervise, monitor, and enforce the European Union's landmark AI Act within the state. Published on June 17, 2026, the Bill has cleared all stages in the Dáil Éireann and is progressing through the Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate). The government aims to have the entire infrastructure operational by August 2, 2026, coinciding with the implementation deadline for the majority of the EU Act's provisions.1. The AI Office of Ireland (Oifig IS na hÉireann)The cornerstone of the Bill is the creation of the AI Office of Ireland as an independent statutory body, scheduled to be established no later than August 2, 2026.Structure: The office will be led by a Chief Executive Officer and a seven-member board, all appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.Core Functions: It will serve as Ireland's single point of contact for the European Commission and the EU AI Office. While its initial role focuses on cross-sector coordination, public AI literacy, and supporting joint investigations, the Minister...

Hello everyone! Today we are diving into a topic that many international entrepreneurs completely overlook when setting up a business in Cyprus.When clients come to us to register a company, they spend days choosing directors, distributing shares, and mapping out ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs). But when it comes to appointing a Company Secretary, they often treat it as a mere bureaucratic formality. From our practice, this is a massive mistake that can lead to serious compliance pitfalls, delays, and corporate governance issues down the road.Let us break down exactly what a corporate secretary does under Cyprus law and why this role is the backbone of your business administration.Is a Secretary Legally Mandatory?The short answer is: yes, absolutely. Under the Cyprus Companies Law, Cap. 113, every single incorporated entity must have a company secretary from day one.Here are the basic rules:The secretary must be at least 18 years old.It can be either an individual or a corporate entity, which is why many clients choose our team to act as their corporate secretary to ensure professional oversight.Generally, the roles of director and secretary are separate. There is only one...

Protecting intellectual property is one of the primary indicators of a mature business. However, the public transparency of trademark registries, designed to simplify life for entrepreneurs, is increasingly being weaponized by cybercriminals. Recent trends in the legal scam market indicate that malicious actors have mastered the art of exploiting an entrepreneur's greatest fear: losing their own brand identity.Here we’ll deconstruct the anatomy of modern intellectual property fraud and outline actionable steps to secure your brand from corporate predators. The anatomy of the trap: Three common scenariosScammers rarely rely on sophisticated hacking tools. Instead, they leverage social engineering tactics, manipulating open-source data extracted from official government databases worldwide.Scenario A: The urgent "imminent theft" noticeAn urgent email arrives from a seemingly legitimate law firm or a "patent attorney." The message typically strikes a dramatic tone: "Another applicant filed paperwork 24 hours ago to register a trademark identical to your brand name. Since your brand is not yet federally protected, you will lose your rights unless you pay an expedited priority...

A decade or two ago, choosing a jurisdiction to incorporate a company, fund, or holding structure often came down to rather pragmatic criteria: tax burden, administration costs, and the speed of legal entity creation. In professional circles, people often spoke of the "most efficient" or "most tax-neutral" jurisdiction, viewing it primarily as a technical tool to implement a business model.Today, this approach is rapidly losing its relevance.Recent years have demonstrated how quickly regulatory regimes, geopolitical conditions, and international trade rules can shift. OECD initiatives against base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), the Automatic Exchange of Information (CRS), tightening economic substance requirements, sanction regimes, and skyrocketing compliance demands have fundamentally changed the very philosophy of international structuring.Under these conditions, a jurisdiction is no longer just a place of incorporation. It has increasingly transformed into a tool for managing legal, tax, and reputational risks. Today, the quality of the legal system, regulatory stability, international reputation, and access to financial infrastructure matter just as much as the tax rate...

Cyprus has introduced sweeping updates to its fiscal framework targeting foreign entrepreneurs, corporate structures, and high-net-worth individuals. Effective January 1, 2026, this major tax reform recalibrates local operating compliance while preserving the jurisdiction's core European Union advantages. Legal experts at A. Danos & Associates LLC have analyzed the legislative shifts and their practical operational implications for cross-border businesses.Key Legislative AdjustmentsCorporate Tax Increase: The standard corporate income tax rate has been raised from 12.5% to 15%. Despite the increase, Cyprus maintains its status as one of the most competitive low-tax jurisdictions in the EU for holding structures and IT hubs.Personal Income Tax (PIT): Progressive personal tax bands have been restructured, raising the tax-free threshold to 22,000 euros.Streamlined 60-Day Rule: The statutory criteria for acquiring individual tax residency have been amended. As of January 1, 2026, the previous requirement stating that an applicant must not hold tax residency in any other state has been repealed. Fundamental benchmarks remain mandatory, including spending at least 60 days on the...

Spain attracts expats not only with its lifestyle but also with powerful tax optimization tools. The premier mechanism for this is the Beckham Law, officially known as the Special Tax Regime for Inbound Taxpayers (Régimen Especial para Trabajadores Impatriados).This regime allows qualified foreign professionals relocating to Spain to be treated as tax non-residents, substantially lowering their tax burden during their initial years in the country.1. Core Tax BenefitsNormally, a Spanish tax resident is taxed on their worldwide income under a progressive scale (reaching up to 45–47%). The Beckham Law locks in special rules for the year of relocation plus the following 5 years (6 tax years in total):Flat 24% tax rate on employment income earned in Spain (up to €600,000 per year). Any income exceeding this threshold is taxed at 47%.0% tax on foreign-source income. Dividends, capital gains, and rental income generated outside of Spain are entirely exempt from Spanish taxation.Wealth Tax mitigation. Wealth tax applies exclusively to assets physically located within the territory of Spain.2. Eligibility CriteriaTo qualify for the regime, applicants must satisfy strict statutory...

When it comes to buying, selling, or exhibiting artwork, art holdings, galleries, and collectors face a web of legal complexities. Based on French intellectual property law, which sets the standard for the European art market, here are the essential rules every industry player should know.Automatic Protection: No Registration NeededAn artist gains full copyright protection the exact moment they create a piece of work (under Article L111-1 of the Intellectual Property Code). No filings, formal registrations, or stamps are required.This copyright is split into two categories:Economic Rights. These generate income from the work and last for the artist's lifetime plus 70 years after their death, after which the work enters the public domain.Moral Rights. These are perpetual, inalienable, and cannot be waived or sold. They include the right to paternity (attribution) and the right to integrity (opposing any modification of the work).Owning the Artwork vs. Owning the RightsThis is the biggest pitfall for art buyers. Buying a physical painting or sculpture only makes you the owner of the physical object, not the intellectual property (Article L111-3).This triggers strict rules:Public...