Areas of Practice
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets
- Corporate, Commercial and M&A
- Direct and Indirect Tax Law
- Dispute Resolution & ADR
- Private Client
- Real Estate, Trusts & Asset Protection
- Restructuring & Insolvency
Stavros Pavlou
Executive Chairman
About
Qualifications
Memberships
Recommendations
Sample Work
About
Stavros Pavlou is the Executive Chairman of Patrikios Legal with over 35 years’ experience in corporate and commercial litigation and arbitration and represents clients in complex dispute resolution matters in Courts and Tribunals in Cyprus and abroad. Also, he specializes in cross-border transactions involving corporate and commercial matters, International Trusts, asset protection and international tax planning.
Stavros is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AIADR), a practicing barrister before the Commercial Court of the DIFC and a member of many international associations including the IBA, STEP, LCIA and ICCA. Recently, he has been appointed as Delegate at the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR (2024-2027) and also, as Regional Representative of the IBA Litigation Committee in the Middle East and Africa (2024-2025). Stavros is a Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Cyprus Arbitration Day conference and he actively participates in local and international webinars, podcasts and conferences. Furthermore, he authors numerous articles in international publications.
Stavros is continuously recognised by renowned global legal directories in the top tier for legal work in Cyprus. He is placed in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, which highlights individuals who have received constant praise from their clients for continued excellence and who are at the pinnacle of the profession. The below are some client quotes received during the 2025 research:
‘Stavros is second to none – he has a unique approach, with a wealth of experience and wisdom. I would not go anywhere else for highly complex, high-profile litigation.’
‘Stavros has a very good understanding of sanctions law, which is difficult to find and incredibly valuable.’
‘Stavros Pavlou is a leading lawyer in Cyprus and more broadly in the world of international arbitration. He is the ‘go-to’ lawyer in Cyprus for complex commercial litigation.’
‘Mr Stavros Pavlou is the best in his field, offering a vast amount of knowledge.’
Qualifications
- BSc Economics of Industry and Trade (LSE, London, UK), 1983
- Postgraduate Diploma in Law (City University, London, UK), 1984
- Barrister at Law (Gray’s Inn, London, UK), 1985
- Admitted to the Cyprus Bar, 1986
- Trust and Estate Practitioner (Member of STEP)
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
- Fellow of the Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Practicing Barrister before the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
Memberships
- Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- Cyprus Bar Association
- International Bar Association, Regional Representative of the Litigation Committee for Middle East and Africa, 2024-2025
- International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – Cyprus, Delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, 2024-2027
- Dubai International Financial Center Courts (DIFC)
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) – Fellow
- Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution – Fellow
- Cyprus Arbitration Forum
- Cyprus Arbitration and Mediation Center
- Association of International Tax Consultants (AITC)
- International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
- London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
- AEA International Lawyers Network
- Global Advocaten
Recommendations
- The Legal 500, 2025: Hall of Fame – Dispute Resolution, Leading Partner – Commercial, Corporate and M&A and Tax
- Chambers & Partners 2025: Band 1, General Business Law–Dispute Resolution and Band 3, General Business law
- IFLR1000, 2024: Highly regarded lawyer in Banking, M&A and Capital Markets
- Lexology Index (ex-WWL): Global Elite Thought Leader and client Choice – Asset Recovery and Recommended – Commercial Litigation, Arbitration, Restructuring & Insolvency, Private Client and Real Estate
Sample
Work
- Stavros Pavlou led a team of arbitration lawyers who participated in a hearing as co-counsel on behalf of a majority shareholder in a pending LCIA arbitration, handling the cross-examination of the counterparty’s expert witness.
- Represented the owner of a large project in an arbitration with the contractor with complex legal issues regarding termination of a construction contract.
- Appointed under the ICC as arbitrator in a contract dispute for a claim over 140 Million Euros.
- Acted as Co-Arbitrator in an arbitration between a hotel owner and the lessor on complex issues related to the lease agreement.
- Acting as co-arbitrator in a complex construction dispute between an owner and contractor involving a claim and counter claim including complex questions related to extension of time and quantum of damages.
- Acted as legal counsel to arbitrators in an international construction dispute offering opinions on service and due process.
- Acted as arbitrator in a construction arbitration involving claim and counter claim with regards to difficult issues of contractual interpretation.
- Acted as co-counsel in a dispute in the energy sector, under ICSID assisting a magic circle law firm in handling a successful dismissal of a claim against our client country for several billion.
- Acted as a co-counsel with a magic circle firm in two LCIA arbitrations involving disputes between shareholders of a group of companies with assets in Ukraine in access of 100 Million.
- Successfully handled a claim by a Vienna based client against the state of Ukraine for a breach of contract of supply of goods in excess of 400 million euros that was subsequently satisfied.
- Acted as expert witness before the LCIA court in an arbitration with a Subject matter in access of 700 Million Dollars on complex issues of jurisdiction and application of mandatory rules under the Rome I EU Regulation.
- Acted as expert witness in an LCIA Arbitration concerning a shareholders’ dispute and the right of the minority to obtain the purchase of their shares under Cyprus law.
- Acted as expert witness, on behalf of an EU state in an Arbitration involving a claim against it related to public procurement.
- Acted as arbitrator in a case concerning a multi-million dispute to a major infrastructure project in Cyprus.
- Acted as an arbitrator representing one of the largest international manufacturers and producers of industrial automation system with regards to a breach of contract of a sale purchase agreement for approximately 1 Million Dollars.
- Acting as Arbitrator in a large Construction Arbitration between the contractor and the developer of a large construction project worth more than 10 million euros.
- Successfully represented the Cyprus Republic as advocate in a large construction arbitration with the international contractors of a very large infrastructure project where the claim 2 / 3 was for €13.5 million.
- Successfully represented one of the largest international Banks in an arbitration in Cyprus for a claim of US$40 million.
- Acting as Arbitrator in a dispute between the owners and the managers of a very large resort situated in Paphos related to the termination of the management agreement.
- Assisted a Cypriot company debtor in filing a winding-up petition under Companies Law Cap.113 due to the company’s insolvency, while also securing an interim order to prevent alienation of pledged shares in a related breach of contract action. The company contested the petition, disputing the debt, with hearings scheduled for May and September 2024.
- Assisted a fund in enforcing Greek payment orders under EU Regulation 44/2001 by obtaining a Cypriot court order, annulling a fraudulent share transfer, and freezing assets for enforcement. Respondents have filed to set aside these orders, with a hearing pending.
- Represented the newly appointed liquidator in a complex 20-year liquidation, handling court proceedings to realize a key asset and successfully opposing the ex-liquidator’s attempt to stay his removal.
-
Advised an ultra-high net worth individual on setting up a Cyprus International Trust for succession planning, including drafting documents, registering the trust, and transferring assets.
Stavros Pavlou
Stavros Pavlou
Executive Chairman
spavlou@pavlaw.com
+357 25 871599
Area(s) of Practice
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets
- Corporate, Commercial and M&A
- Direct and Indirect Tax Law
- Dispute Resolution & ADR
- Private Client
- Real Estate, Trusts & Asset Protection
- Restructuring & Insolvency
Qualifications
Memberships
Recommendations
Sample Work
Qualifications
- BSc Economics of Industry and Trade (LSE, London, UK), 1983
- Postgraduate Diploma in Law (City University, London, UK), 1984
- Barrister at Law (Gray’s Inn, London, UK), 1985
- Admitted to the Cyprus Bar, 1986
- Trust and Estate Practitioner (Member of STEP)
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
- Fellow of the Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Practicing Barrister before the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
Memberships
- Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- Cyprus Bar Association
- International Bar Association, Regional Representative of the Litigation Committee for Middle East and Africa, 2024-2025
- International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – Cyprus, Delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, 2024-2027
- Dubai International Financial Center Courts (DIFC)
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) – Fellow
- Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution – Fellow
- Cyprus Arbitration Forum
- Cyprus Arbitration and Mediation Center
- Association of International Tax Consultants (AITC)
- International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
- London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
- AEA International Lawyers Network
- Global Advocaten
Recommendations
- The Legal 500, 2025: Hall of Fame – Dispute Resolution, Leading Partner – Commercial, Corporate and M&A and Tax
- Chambers & Partners 2025: Band 1, General Business Law–Dispute Resolution and Band 3, General Business law
- IFLR1000, 2024: Highly regarded lawyer in Banking, M&A and Capital Markets
- Lexology Index (ex-WWL): Global Elite Thought Leader and client Choice – Asset Recovery and Recommended – Commercial Litigation, Arbitration, Restructuring & Insolvency, Private Client and Real Estate
Sample Work
- Stavros Pavlou led a team of arbitration lawyers who participated in a hearing as co-counsel on behalf of a majority shareholder in a pending LCIA arbitration, handling the cross-examination of the counterparty’s expert witness.
- Represented the owner of a large project in an arbitration with the contractor with complex legal issues regarding termination of a construction contract.
- Appointed under the ICC as arbitrator in a contract dispute for a claim over 140 Million Euros.
- Acted as Co-Arbitrator in an arbitration between a hotel owner and the lessor on complex issues related to the lease agreement.
- Acting as co-arbitrator in a complex construction dispute between an owner and contractor involving a claim and counter claim including complex questions related to extension of time and quantum of damages.
- Acted as legal counsel to arbitrators in an international construction dispute offering opinions on service and due process.
- Acted as arbitrator in a construction arbitration involving claim and counter claim with regards to difficult issues of contractual interpretation.
- Acted as co-counsel in a dispute in the energy sector, under ICSID assisting a magic circle law firm in handling a successful dismissal of a claim against our client country for several billion.
- Acted as a co-counsel with a magic circle firm in two LCIA arbitrations involving disputes between shareholders of a group of companies with assets in Ukraine in access of 100 Million.
- Successfully handled a claim by a Vienna based client against the state of Ukraine for a breach of contract of supply of goods in excess of 400 million euros that was subsequently satisfied.
- Acted as expert witness before the LCIA court in an arbitration with a Subject matter in access of 700 Million Dollars on complex issues of jurisdiction and application of mandatory rules under the Rome I EU Regulation.
- Acted as expert witness in an LCIA Arbitration concerning a shareholders’ dispute and the right of the minority to obtain the purchase of their shares under Cyprus law.
- Acted as expert witness, on behalf of an EU state in an Arbitration involving a claim against it related to public procurement.
- Acted as arbitrator in a case concerning a multi-million dispute to a major infrastructure project in Cyprus.
- Acted as an arbitrator representing one of the largest international manufacturers and producers of industrial automation system with regards to a breach of contract of a sale purchase agreement for approximately 1 Million Dollars.
- Acting as Arbitrator in a large Construction Arbitration between the contractor and the developer of a large construction project worth more than 10 million euros.
- Successfully represented the Cyprus Republic as advocate in a large construction arbitration with the international contractors of a very large infrastructure project where the claim 2 / 3 was for €13.5 million.
- Successfully represented one of the largest international Banks in an arbitration in Cyprus for a claim of US$40 million.
- Acting as Arbitrator in a dispute between the owners and the managers of a very large resort situated in Paphos related to the termination of the management agreement.
- Assisted a Cypriot company debtor in filing a winding-up petition under Companies Law Cap.113 due to the company’s insolvency, while also securing an interim order to prevent alienation of pledged shares in a related breach of contract action. The company contested the petition, disputing the debt, with hearings scheduled for May and September 2024.
- Assisted a fund in enforcing Greek payment orders under EU Regulation 44/2001 by obtaining a Cypriot court order, annulling a fraudulent share transfer, and freezing assets for enforcement. Respondents have filed to set aside these orders, with a hearing pending.
- Represented the newly appointed liquidator in a complex 20-year liquidation, handling court proceedings to realize a key asset and successfully opposing the ex-liquidator’s attempt to stay his removal.
-
Advised an ultra-high net worth individual on setting up a Cyprus International Trust for succession planning, including drafting documents, registering the trust, and transferring assets.