We provide compliance services to the personnel of private and public legal entities safeguarding their conformity with all national and EU rules as well as best practices. Depending on the exact type of business and the needs of client, we provide and apply successfully, tailor-made compliance programs in all required legal fields. Indicatively:

Corporate governance

Our corporate governance compliance practice ranges from representing large, medium and small-sized corporations in-court and/or out-of-court to assisting entrepreneurs in setting up companies in Greece and observing the on-going obligations, depending on the type of company.

Highlights of our corporate compliance practice include:

• Advising the largest cheese supplier in Greece on its compliance with various corporate governance issues.
• Assisting clients in establishing business entities on every type/size.
• Advising large, medium and small-sized companies of any type on raising more than EUR 500.000 capital through offering of securities or by selling assets.
• Representing large, medium and small-sized companies of any type in litigation proceedings before national courts.
• Advising and drafting AoAs, stock option & shareholder agreements for a UK based on-line trading platform on digital assets to prepare its initial IPO.

In recent months, we have been advising various companies and public bodies on their legal compliance on environmental, economic and social matters. Specifically, by implementing the prescribed legal good practices on Environmental Social & Governance (ESG), we assist our clients to prepare and fully comply with the ESG metrics.

Data protection, privacy & confidentiality

Our law firm’s data protection practice provides holistic, personalized, client-friendly and legally sound legal and compliance advisory services to a wide range of clients, ranging from private companies to public bodies, in all aspects and levels of protection and lawful processing of personal data and respect for confidentiality and privacy. What differentiates us from the market is that, when ensuring our clients’ compliance, we use user-friendly web-based software, with the highest security standards, and we collaborate with security technicians and IT, process organization and digital transformation specialists in data and information security issues. In fact, from mid-2024 until today, we have taken the initiative to update our clients’ GDPR compliance program by implementing the impact of use of new technologies (e.g. Big/Open Data, AI/ChatGPT, Cloud, Blockchain, IoT) in processing personal data and safeguarding their protection. Indicatively, regarding new technologies, for each of them, we examine: (a) How and to what extent has the personal data sector been affected? (b) Whether and to what extent should the processing of personal data, through the use of new technologies, must be accompanied by Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA)? (c) The risks associated with the application of new technologies for the processing of personal data? (d) Suggestions for the optimal application of new technologies in the processing of personal data while also ensuring confidentiality. All of this, after we have put it in a study, we will implement them into practice, as part of our compliance process and how we monitor the compliance with the legislation on personal data of natural persons of our clients. Finally, through our education and training team, we constantly monitor all current and upcoming developments in the field of personal data protection and information security (e.g. new legislative and regulatory provisions, important court decisions and decisions of supervisory authorities, new technologies, etc.).

Our services to our clients regarding the protection and processing of personal data, the protection of privacy and confidentiality include:

• Drafting and implementing policies, procedures, guidelines, measures and other frameworks for the processing of personal data.
• Assisting in mapping the actual needs, procedures and gaps in the processing of personal data while proposing further/new measures and providing support in implementing them.
• Using special (web-based) software and supported by security technicians, IT specialists, process organization and digital transformation specialists, specialising in personal data and the lawful use of information, preparing of risk assessment reports and impact assessments (DPIA).
• Data Protection Officer (DPO) services and/or legal and advisory support to the Data Protection Officer (DPO) appointed by the client, to ensure our clients’ ongoing compliance with personal data legislation and all current development.
• Drafting and preparing data processing agreements in conformity with Article 28 of GDPR.
• Management and/or support in processing data subjects’ requests and in the notification of breach events to the competent authorities, assisting our clients to minimize the risks that such events pose to the client.
• Training seminars to our clients’ personnel with particular emphasis on practical examples of the application of personal data legislation.

Some of the most recent highlights of our data privacy practice include:

• Successfully undertaking numerous compliance programs and ensuring ongoing compliance, by assuming the duties of Data Protection Officer (DPO) of large national and international companies (publishing, IT, defense and commercial in general) as well as numerous public bodies (e.g. local governments, managing authorities).
• Provision of over 100 hours of educational/training seminars for the training and certification of managers and employees in general in the private and public sector bodies.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

Our world is steadily moving towards a more digitalised, cyber-secure financial system. Meanwhile, the international regulatory systems are pursuing a more transparent, safe, crime free market. In light of the successive international financial crises, the ongoing warzones and the rapidly changing technology, the need for more effective tools against money laundering and the financing of criminal activities has led to the imposition of detailed and strict regulatory measures, that cover almost all types of businesses.

Sarakinos Law provides detailed legal advice on all aspects of compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations for various responsible legal entities. Using its profound academic and practical knowledge of AML’s local, EU, and international regulations, Sarakinos Law supports all types of responsible businesses with user-friendly, secure and robust tools. We also ensure that their personnel is well-trained to target and address high-risk activity accurately and promptly.

Over the years, we have advised and conducted presentations/training seminars on the intricate and often overlapping legal and regulatory AML landscape. We focus on everything from the implementation of strong compliance measures to robust responses to red flags or regulators, having already trained more than 50 key employees having conducted more than 100 hours of open and or in-house training seminars.

Our AML team along with our financial regulation team are currently working on a proposal targeted on tracing of cryptocurrencies transactions related to criminal purposes. The expected outcomes of this proposal are: (a) to provide recommendations for better regulation of the cryptocurrencies market as well as for better regulation of the exchange of transnational information on funds transfers, harmonizing and promoting standards to enhance the tracing of money flows in the context of criminal investigations; and (b) to provide modern training curricula for competent authorities as well as judicial actors on tracing, seizing and handling cryptocurrencies in the course of investigation.

Whistleblowing

Since the relevant whistleblowing laws came into force in the Greek legal system (back in November 2022 under Law 4990/2022), our whistleblowing practice has had a very promising start, as we are pioneers in this area, one of the first legal practices in Greece to provide legal consultation and guidance for the compliance of businesses and public bodies with this, very recent, legislation. Although the relevant provisions in Greece are relatively recent, we have gained significant exposure in ensuring the compliance of public and private entities with whistleblowing provisions.

In collaboration with a user-friendly, secure and accredited whistleblowing platform, we equip businesses and public bodies with robust tools (policies, guidance) and train their personnel to handle reports of suspicious transactions accurately and promptly through our unique, tailor-made reporting system.

One of the many highlights of our whistleblowing practice include serving as keynote speakers on educational seminars for over 20 hours on all aspects of whistleblowing for private and public sector employees. In addition, in recognition of our know-how and expertise in the area of whistleblowing, since mid-2024, we have been entrusted by numerous public bodies to undertake their full compliance with the relevant laws, providing holistic services to them and supporting the appointed by them responsible to handle relevant reports person within their organisation. Indicatively we are currently providing relevant compliance services to the Ministry of Defence, the Municipality of Saronikos, the e-Government Center for Social Security, the Public Employment Service, over 3 Regional Health Authorities οf the Ministry of Health.

Competition

We have consistently provided high-level and reliable competition and antitrust advice to major corporations, both during disputes arising from antitrust violations and in out-of-court proceedings. Our advice considers national and EU competition laws, state aid, and the introduction of special provisions for various sectors. Our primary objective is to protect our clients effectively from future antitrust risk, consequently reducing management time and costs.

Sarakinos Law has the resources and expertise needed to advise on the complex and often novel issues arising in this sector.

Our standard competition and antitrust services include:

• Preparation of antitrust guidelines.
• Provision of employee training.
• Performance of due diligence.
• Conduct of mock dawn raids both in Greece and abroad.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Our exposure to and practical experience in all intellectual property legal issues is dynamic. We act on behalf of companies and individuals, both in-court and out-of-court, to register their trademarks and innovations and protect their rights. Moreover, we are delivering a significant number of presentations and training seminars to academics and business employees.

Highlights of our intellectual property practice include:

• Representing the largest cheese supplier in Greece over trademark infringement cases against other cheese suppliers.
• Registering trademarks at national, EU, and international level on behalf of national companies operating in the various service sectors.
• Detailing the process for registering innovations in Greece and internationally for academics and professionals in diverse fields.
• Serving as key speakers and trainers for over 100 hours on various topics of intellectual property rights during in-house training seminars at various universities in Greece.

In conclusion, our compliance team recognizes the importance of continuing professional development and education and has created a network of experts made up of legal, IT, security, and financial advisors, as well as national and foreign law firms and economists. This network allows us to offer a comprehensive suite of world-class services in each compliance area.

All of the above have been the reason that, throughout the years, and more so over the last 3 years, our compliance team has been entrusted with providing compliance with all applicable laws and regulations services to a number of businesses and public bodies in outsourced basis. Our clientele on ranges from companies active in the defense sector to IT and general commercial companies, whether listed and not-listed in the stock exchange, and public bodies.

Mr. Ioannis Sarakinos, a key researcher and a key speaker on corporate and public bodies’ compliance, with over 50 hours of lecturing in training seminars on compliance to key private and public sector employees, heads our compliance practice of our office.