Dispute Resolution & ADR

The firm’s dispute resolution team undertakes all types of dispute resolutions: representation before courts and tribunals dealing with commercial matters, ICC and other types of international arbitration, and all forms of extra-judicial settlement of disputes and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures, such as mediation, mini-trials and adjudication. Our partners in the dispute resolution team are registered arbitrators and experienced mediators and have dealt with high-profile mediations in Greece and abroad.

The firm has built considerable expertise in the field of commercial arbitration (both domestic and international). Arbitrations under the most well-known arbitration rules are constantly conducted, including those of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the American Arbitration Association (AAA), European Court of Arbitration (ECA), Vienna Rules, Zurich Rules, Stockholm Rules and other, but also ad hoc arbitrations esp. under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. The firm has acted in a variety of arbitral seats, including London, Paris, Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, Stockholm, Brussels, Frankfurt-am-Main, Athens, Helsinki, Bucharest etc. Our in-depth expertise and experience cover, not only general arbitration rules but also specialised areas, including maritime (LMAA, SMA, PAMA), commodities (LME), intellectual property (WIPO), construction (FIDIC, including pre-arbitral DABs), investment and energy.

Dr. Antonios Tsavdaridis, who heads the firm’s arbitration practice, is the Secretary-General of the European Court of Arbitration and President of its Greek Section, Vice-President of the Greek Arbitration Association and the Piraeus Association for Maritime Arbitration, while he has drafted the Arbitration Rules of the Piraeus Association for Maritime Arbitration.

In view of the confidential nature of arbitral references, we indicatively mention two instances of major importance, among many others, which demonstrate our in-depth expertise in the field:

• In one instance, following a tender procedure, Rokas Law Firm was selected by the Republic of Montenegro to represent it in high-profile investment and M&A arbitration proceedings regarding an approx. € 500 mio claim made against it by a major conglomerate [among the top 2 largest worldwide commercial and industrial conglomerates] in relation to an aluminium smelter industry investment, with a positive result for our client. This has been the first known case where a foreign Government selected a SE European law firm to defend and secure its vital interests in international arbitration proceedings.
• In another instance, Rokas Law Firm represented various national Guarantee Funds in the first two arbitrations conducted under the ad hoc arbitration procedure provided for in the 1995 Convention on recourse between Guarantee Funds on the Insolvency of a motor liability insurer operating in the Single Market, which involved claims exceeding € 100 mio and complex issues arising out of the high profile insolvencies of two EU insurance undertakings with cross-border implications.

Litigation has been a principal area of practice since the very early years of the firm’s establishment and still continues to form a significant part of the firm’s expertise. Rokas undertakes litigation in all areas of commercial law, as well as in civil, criminal and administrative law disputes before Greek courts and special tribunals of all instances, from urgent applications for interim measures to complex and lengthy disputes before the Supreme Court and has contributed to the creation of numerous case law precedents, including the Court of Justice of the European Union. In addition, members of the Firm appear before the High Courts of common law jurisdiction countries and provide expert opinions on Greek law matters.