Team Two

Nicos Makrides is an accomplished lawyer with extensive experience in high-profile legal cases and corporate law. He holds both a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Commercial and Business Law from the University of East Anglia. Nicos began his legal career in 2004 as a trainee lawyer at Alecos Markides Law Firm. In 2005, he was admitted to the Cyprus Bar as a qualified lawyer. In 2011, he became a Partner at Markides, Markides & Co in 2011. As of 2020, he serves as the Managing Partner of the firm. Throughout his career, Nicos has handled complex and high-profile cases, particularly in areas such as fraud, constructive trust matters, fiduciary disputes, and both domestic and international commercial disputes. He frequently appears before First Instance and Appelate Courts in civil cases related to corporate matters. Nicos is experienced in representing clients before international and domestic arbitration tribunals, both as part of the expert witness team on Cyprus Law and as a member of the legal team of litigants. Nicos is also recognized for his expertise in guiding challenging commercial transactions and managing compliance issues. Between 2013 and 2015, he actively participated in a team of lawyers and international financial institutions during two recapitalization processes for one of Cyprus' leading banking institutions. From 2017 to 2020, he successfully co-handled a high-profile criminal case involving another major Cypriot banking institution. From 2012 to 2023, Nicos was an appointed lecturer and examiner for the Cyprus Legal Council on Civil Procedure Rules. He also served as a non-executive member of the Board of Directors of the Natural Gas Public Company Limited between 2014 and 2015. In 2013, Nicos was appointed by the President of the Republic of Cyprus as a member of the working group on territorial issues for the negotiation team tasked with resolving the Cyprus Problem. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of a charitable fund and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Glafkos Clerides Institute. He is fluent in both Greek and English.

Barbara Gilson holds a law degree from the Law School of Dijon University, France, and a postgraduate degree (Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées) in Geopolitics from Marne-la-Vallée Paris University, France. In 2006, she joined Markides, Markides & Co LLC as a trainee advocate, and in 2008, she was admitted to the Cyprus Bar as a qualified lawyer. Barbara became a partner in 2011 and is currently serving as the head of the Intellectual Property Department. In her role, Barbara manages a wide range of tasks related to the handling of intellectual property rights portfolios for some of the world’s most renowned companies in the pharmaceutical, chemical, beverage, automotive, luxury goods, textile, and technology sectors. Her expertise includes IP clearance, prosecution, and litigation, where she provides strategic counsel to clients on trademark, patent, copyright, and design matters. She is also experienced in representing clients in both contentious and non-contentious IP issues, helping them enforce their rights and resolve disputes. Barbara is an active member of several prominent intellectual property associations, including the International Trademark Association (INTA), the European Communities Trademark Association (ECTA), the Pharmaceutical Trademarks Group (PTMG), and MARQUES. She speaks French, Greek, and English fluently.

Konstantinos Damianos has considerable expertise in both commercial and criminal litigation. He graduated from King’s College London, School of Law, and furthered his legal education with a Master of Laws (LL.M) in European Law from King’s College London, University of London. Following his work as a stagiaire at the European Parliament, Konstantinos joined Alecos Markides Law Firm as a trainee lawyer. In 2011, he was admitted to the Cyprus Bar as a qualified lawyer. In 2018, he became a Partner at Markides, Markides & Co LLC. Konstantinos specializes in advising and representing clients across a diverse range of commercial and criminal litigation areas, including construction, insurance, banking, contract and tort claims, and white-collar crimes. His work primarily involves representing clients in negotiations, litigation proceedings at both First Instance and Appellate Courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings. He also has significant expertise in handling urgent injunctive relief cases. Beyond his litigation practice, Konstantinos provides strategic advice on matters including insolvency, hereditary issues, and contractual disputes. He is fluent in Greek, English, and French.

Katerina Patsalidou is a skilled lawyer with a solid background in commercial and corporate law. She holds a law degree from the Law School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Commercial Law from Queen Mary University of London. Katerina began her legal career in 2015 when she joined Markides, Markides & Co LLC as a trainee lawyer. In 2016, she was admitted to the Cyprus Bar as a qualified lawyer, having passed the Bar examination with “Excellence.” Katerina specializes in advising both domestic and international clients on a wide range of commercial and corporate matters, including restructuring, reorganization, redomiciliation, and compliance issues. Her expertise extends to handling cases before First Instance and Appelate Courts, with a particular focus on domestic and cross-border commercial disputes. She has considerable experience in managing interlocutory injunctions. From 2017 to 2020, Katerina was part of a team of lawyers who successfully handled a high-profile criminal case involving one of Cyprus' leading banking institutions. Currently, she holds an administrative leadership role within the firm, where she oversees legal operations, coordinates case management, and supports the firm’s strategic direction. She is fluent in Greek and English.

Konstantinos Melas is a qualified lawyer with a robust background in administrative law. He holds a law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where he also earned a diploma (GDL) in Banking and International Finance. Additionally, he obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Corporate Law from the European University of Nicosia. In 2017, Konstantinos was admitted to the Cyprus Bar as a qualified lawyer and subsequently joined Markides, Markides & Co LLC. He specializes in handling cases of an administrative nature before both the First Instance and Appeal Courts. His expertise extends to providing legal opinions on administrative matters to professional and regulatory authorities, bodies, and institutions. Konstantinos is fluent in both Greek and English.

Stephanie Papaioannou is a highly qualified lawyer with significant experience in civil, administrative, and commercial law. She holds a law degree from the Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a postgraduate degree in International Economic Law and Private International Law from the same institution. Since September 2018, she has been a PhD Candidate at the University of Cyprus, focusing her doctoral research on Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Comparative Law. In 2011, Stephanie was admitted to Thessaloniki’s Bar Association as an advocate before the Greek Courts of First Instance, passing the Bar examination with “Excellence.” She practiced law in Greece until 2013, gaining valuable experience in various legal fields. In 2014, she was admitted to the Cyprus Bar, once again achieving “Excellence” in the Bar examination. Stephanie served as a litigation lawyer at another law firm until 2020, where she specialized in civil, administrative, labor law, and commercial matters. For three years, she also headed the firm’s litigation department, further honing her leadership and legal skills. In 2021, Stephanie joined Markides, Markides & Co LLC as a Litigation Lawyer. She handles cases before both First Instance and Appeal Courts, focusing on civil, family, and administrative law disputes. Additionally, she provides legal advice to local corporations on internal governance, commercial issues, AML (Anti-Money Laundering), and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliance obligations. <span lang="en-GB" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">As of 2024, Stephanie is a certified Mediator of Family Disputes (Cyprus Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution)</span><span lang="el">.</span> Stephanie is fluent in Greek, English, and Italian.

Angelos Pelagias has received a Law degree (LL.B) from the University of Middlesex, London and a postgraduate degree in Law (LL.M) from the University of Middlesex. He is also a graduate of the Diplomatic Academy of London (Master’s Degree), University of Westminster. Angelos joined the Firm in 2008, in the position of legal consultant in the Patents Department. In 2021, he was admitted to the Cyprus Bar as a qualified lawyer. He specialises in the area of patents and in the filing of patent proceedings. His duties are to maintain the patent portfolio of the Firm, as well as proofreading patent forms, documents and translations. Angelos is a proficient user of Memsource, memoQ and more CAT tools. He speaks fluently Greek and English.

Andreas Laos holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the European University of Cyprus and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in European Commercial Law from the University of Cyprus. Andreas joined Markides, Markides & Co LLC in 2023 after heading the litigation department of another law firm for 9 years. He advises and represents clients in commercial disputes. Andreas manages a diverse caseload, handling cases before both the first instance and appellate courts of Cyprus and provides counsel on commercial, civil, and corporate litigation matters. From 2020 to 2024, Andreas was a member of the Mediation and Arbitration Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association. Andreas is also an accredited mediator registered with the Ministry of Justice of Cyprus. He is fluent in Greek and English.

Constantinos Karamanis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the European University of Cyprus and has been a practicing advocate since 2019. In 2018, Constantinos joined Markides, Markides & Co LLC as a trainee advocate, and after being admitted to the Cyprus Bar in 2019, continued with the firm as a litigation lawyer until 2023. During this time, he  gained extensive experience representing clients before the Courts in civil and administrative matters. From 2023 to late 2024, Constantinos founded and managed his own law firm, specializing in corporate law, compliance, and anti-money laundering (AML) services. This role further enhanced his ability to navigate complex legal frameworks and deliver tailored solutions for corporate clients. In late 2024, Constantinos rejoined the litigation department of Markides, Markides & Co LLC, where he continues to provide legal representation and advisory services. With excellent legal research and problem-solving skills, Constantinos excels in delivering practical and strategic legal solutions. He is fluent in Greek and English.