Marina - Ioanna Tsoukala – Lawyer in Greece (Μαρίνα - Ιωάννα Τσουκαλά)

Labour law governs the relationship between employees and employers, from the start to the end of the employment relationship. Legal support aims to protect employees' rights and to deal effectively with issues that arise in the application of labour legislation. Each case is examined on the basis of the actual facts, the applicable legislation and the particular features of the employment relationship.

Services include, among others:

• Termination of employment: Legal support in cases of dismissal, termination of an employment contract, voluntary resignation and claims for statutory severance pay.
• Pay claims: Claims for unpaid wages, allowances, holiday bonuses, annual leave pay and other amounts owed.
• Working time: Issues concerning additional work, overtime, night work, and work on Sundays and public holidays.
• Employment disputes: Out-of-court and court claims arising from individual or collective employment relationships.
• Undeclared and under-declared work: Legal action where the employment relationship was not declared or the terms of employment were recorded inaccurately.
• Workplace accidents: Investigation of liability and claims for compensation for damage linked to a workplace accident.
• Pay and employment terms: Review of employment contracts, applicable collective agreements, prior service and pay entitlements.

Administrative law concerns the relationship between citizens and the public administration, and the lawfulness of administrative acts and actions. Particular emphasis is placed on cases concerning the recognition of academic qualifications, the professional recognition of qualifications, the securing of professional rights and access to public-sector employment. Legal support includes assessing the applicable regulatory framework, drafting applications and administrative appeals, and challenging acts or omissions of the administration before the courts, where the legal conditions are met.

Services include, among others:

• Recognition of academic qualifications: Legal support in procedures for the academic recognition of foreign degrees and examination of the requirements set by the applicable framework.
• Professional recognition of qualifications: Cases concerning the recognition of professional qualifications and the professional equivalence of degrees, in accordance with the relevant provisions and the powers of the competent authorities.
• Professional rights: Issues of access to professions, registration with professional bodies, licences to practise and the professional rights deriving from specific degrees.
• Public-sector recruitment (ASEP): Review of recruitment notices, points scoring, formal qualifications, ranking lists and exclusion of candidates, and filing of the available administrative or judicial remedies.
• Civil service disputes: Issues of service status, grade and pay progression, transfers, recognition of prior service and disciplinary proceedings.
• Challenging administrative acts and omissions: Review of the lawfulness of decisions by public authorities and assessment of the available administrative and judicial actions.
• Administrative applications and appeals: Drafting well-founded requests, objections and appeals before the competent administrative bodies and courts.

Social security law concerns the insurance protection of citizens and the establishment, recognition and exercise of rights linked to social insurance. A correct assessment of the insurance history, the insured period and the specific requirements of each benefit is decisive in supporting the relevant claims. Legal support is provided on pensions, social security contributions and benefits, as well as in challenging decisions of the competent social security bodies.

Services include, among others:

• Pension matters: Review of eligibility for old-age, disability or survivors' pensions and assessment of the insured period.
• Arduous and unhealthy occupations: Examination of insurance days under the arduous and unhealthy occupations scheme (BAE), special pension requirements and recognition of insured periods.
• Recognition of insured periods: Legal support on notional (credited) periods, prior service, and successive and parallel insurance, under the applicable conditions.
• Calculation of pension benefits: Review of the data that affect the calculation of main and supplementary pensions, and examination of recalculation issues.
• Contributions and arrears: Cases concerning social security debts, disputed charges and the regularisation of insurance records.
• Social security benefits: Issues concerning allowances, disability benefits and other insurance entitlements.
• Challenging social security decisions: Drafting objections and administrative appeals and taking legal action against rejecting or incorrect decisions of social security bodies.

Insolvency law and debt settlement law deal with the financial difficulty of individuals and legal entities, and with the procedures for settling or being discharged from debts provided for by law. Each case requires an examination of the financial situation, the nature of the claims and the available legal options, with the aim of choosing the right procedure and protecting the client's rights.

Services include, among others:

• Debt settlement: Assessment of the available procedures for settling debts to banks, loan servicers, the State and social security funds.
• Out-of-court debt settlement mechanism: Legal support in examining eligibility and assessing settlement proposals.
• Bankruptcy proceedings: Legal support for individuals and businesses on the declaration of bankruptcy and its consequences.
• Debt discharge: Examination of the legal requirements and consequences of a debtor's discharge from debts.
• Debtor protection: Dealing with seizures, foreclosure auctions and enforcement measures, using the available legal remedies.
• Law 3869/2010: Legal support in pending cases of over-indebted individuals, including the implementation of court decisions and the calculation of debts.
• Banking and loan disputes: Review of claims, interest, charges and compliance with court decisions.
• Creditor support: Legal assessment of claims, participation in insolvency proceedings and examination of the available means of satisfying creditors.

Civil law covers a wide range of legal relationships between individuals and legal entities, from property and contractual disputes to inheritance, family and compensation claims. Each case is handled on the basis of a careful assessment of the facts, the evidence and the applicable provisions, with the aim of effectively protecting the client's rights and interests, both out of court and before the courts.

Services include, among others:

• Contract and obligations law: Drafting, reviewing and interpreting contracts, dealing with breaches of contract and pursuing claims.
• Property law and real estate: Disputes over ownership and possession, rights of way, adverse possession, co-ownership issues and protection of property rights.
• Lease disputes: Residential and commercial leases, termination of leases, unpaid rent and recovery of possession.
• Inheritance law: Intestate and testamentary succession, renunciation of inheritance, acceptance with the benefit of inventory, reserved shares and disputes between heirs.
• Family law: Divorce, maintenance, parental responsibility, custody and contact, with a focus on protecting the rights of those involved, especially minors.
• Torts and compensation: Claims for damages and for compensation for non-pecuniary loss arising from unlawful and culpable acts or omissions, where the legal conditions are met.
• Out-of-court dispute resolution: Drafting extrajudicial notices, negotiation and seeking an amicable settlement of disputes.
• Court representation: Preparing and filing lawsuits, applications, interim measures and other procedural steps to protect the client's interests.

Commercial and corporate law governs a wide range of matters relating to business activity, commercial transactions and the organisation and operation of companies. Legal support aims to put commercial and corporate relationships on a secure footing, to prevent legal risks and to deal effectively with disputes that arise in the course of business.

Services include, among others:

• Commercial law: Drafting, reviewing and interpreting commercial contracts, cooperation agreements and other contractual documents.
• Commercial disputes: Handling disputes arising from commercial transactions, breach of contract and non-performance of agreed terms.
• Corporate law: Legal support in the incorporation, organisation and operation of companies, as well as on corporate governance and compliance with statutory corporate procedures.
• Corporate transformations and changes: Support with amendments to articles of association, changes in shareholding, transfers of shares and corporate restructuring procedures, in line with the applicable legal framework.
• Partner and shareholder relations: Handling disputes between partners or shareholders and issues concerning the exercise of corporate rights and the performance of corporate obligations.
• Commercial claims: Recovery of unpaid invoices, debts and other claims arising from commercial transactions.
• Out-of-court and court dispute resolution: Legal support in negotiations, drafting extrajudicial notices and court representation to protect the interests of businesses, companies and professionals.