Watson Farley & Williams – Greek Branch

Combining deep industry knowledge with a core understanding of a myriad financing transactions, including sale and leasebacks, structured tax-based leasing products and conventional term loans, Watson Farley & Williams – Greek Branch is well-placed to advise banks and shipping operators across a range of new money and distressed/refinancing mandates. The team is also able to leverage the expertise of lawyers at the firm in other key maritime centres, including London, Hamburg and Hong Kong, and also benefits from the expertise of many lawyers on the ground in Athens who are able to advise on English law-governed financing documents by virtue of having UK law qualifications. Dual Greek and UK-qualified Alexandros Damianidis is one such practitioner whose versatile offering includes expertise at handling vessel acquisition financing, debt refinancing and corporate loans to shipping companies; he also recently acted on the buy side on a major transaction relating to a portfolio of HSBC's shipping loans. Christina Economides is also dual qualified and regularly acts on the creditor and debtor-side on the financing and refinancing of new build vessels. Konstantinos Mexias, who rejoined the firm from Ince & Co in October 2023, is also a key member of the team and whose additional New York qualification enhances its ability to advise NYSE-listed shipping companies. The team is headed by Alexia Hatzimichalis.