Lawyer's Blogs

When a Cypriot counterparty fails to perform a contract — fails to pay for goods or services, misses deadlines, refuses to fulfill obligations, or terminates the agreement prematurely — the question arises as to where and how you can protect your rights. For such a dispute, it is not enough to simply establish that the defendant is registered in Cyprus. It is necessary to review the contract terms, jurisdictional rules, governing law, nature of the breach, evidence, and the prospects of debt recovery. Can You File a Lawsuit in Cyprus? In many cases, yes. The defendant’s location is one of the primary grounds for establishing jurisdiction. However, this is not the only rule. In contractual disputes, jurisdiction can also be determined by the place of performance of the obligation. Under Brussels I bis, for contracts involving the sale of goods, the relevant location is where the goods were delivered or should have been delivered; for service contracts, it is where the services were provided or should have been provided. Therefore, before filing a lawsuit, it is necessary to identify all potential grounds for jurisdiction and verify whether the parties agreed...

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...

Jersey offers an adaptable framework for corporate distributions under the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991. Unlike jurisdiction rules that restrict dividends strictly to accumulated net profits, Jersey allows companies to distribute cash or assets from a much broader range of financial accounts, provided specific statutory safeguards are met.What Qualifies as a Distribution?Under Jersey law, a distribution includes any transfer of cash or company assets to shareholders in their capacity as shareholders. It excludes:Bonus share issuesShare redemptions or buybacksReductions of capitalFinal distribution of assets during a winding-up processTransfers made at full market value or upstream guarantees that do not create a recognized accounting liability generally sit outside these rules. However, non-commercial loans, interest-free credit, or sales at an undervalue to shareholders can be treated as distributions and require formal authorization.Core Conditions for PaymentTo execute a distribution legally, a Jersey company must fulfill two main criteria:Solvency Statement: Authorizing directors must formally confirm that the company can pay its debts as they fall due immediately after the...

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...