Following 24 months of intense collaboration with stakeholders, market leaders and other relevant parties, the project has been successfully completed and we are now pleased to explore the new go-to-market opportunities for the end deliverable of the Project – the Trustnexus platform.

The platform introduces a novel digital KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYB (Know Your Business) platform based on blockchain technology and AI. It shifts data authorization flow back to individuals and establishes a mutual approach for KYC checks and data sharing across industries. This comprehensive solution minimizes the risk of financial crime, puts data management in the hands of end-users, and improves accuracy and reduces compliance costs.

Trustnexus is a portal that simplifies access to services in ways that extend beyond simple onboarding and KYC. Operating via a federated community network of peer-verification, it creates a marketplace of services in a way that is easy, fast and secure for everyone involved. This novel approach opens the gateways to the future of KYC and e-identities, redefining onboarding with federated assurance and interoperability. With Trustnexus, users can create their own e-ID, manage your data, and decide who gets access to their personal data — no more, no less.

The solution is not just a tool; it’s a movement toward user empowerment, federated assurance, and interoperability. Trustnexus shifts control of data, to data owners, who decide to share uploaded information with specific providers in order to gain access to their services. At any point in time, users know what they have shared and with whom, and are free to revoke that consent.

The core values and principles upon which the solution is built are:

Pioneering Interoperability
A unified hub offering instant access to integrated third-party services. The Trustnexus portal streamlines KYC/KYB workflows across providers. Users gain access a marketplace of services with just one click.

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About the Role

The role requires relevant experience and exposure in the following key areas: corporate, commercial, real estate, capital markets.

The successful candidate will have exposure to some of the best corporate, commercial, regulatory and financial services work and will be part of, and be supported by, a highly successful and collegiate team.

Responsibilities

The key responsibilities for this role include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Advising clients on corporate, commercial, real estate, capital markets, M&A matters;
• Advising local and international clients on corporate obligations under Greek law;
• Representing clients to governmental authorities;
• Research and analysis of relevant policy and legislation;
• Working with a client base that comprises of high-profile entities, individuals and international clients, particularly in the real estate, investment, banking and finance sectors.
• Business travel will be required (locally and internationally, as necessary).

Candidate Requirements

• Registered lawyer with the Hellenic Bar Association (Greek law qualified)
• Significant previous experience and collaboration with high-profile law firms in Greece
• Strong academic background including LLB University degree by a highly regarded university. An LLM in the relevant areas of law will be considered an advantage.
• Excellent technical, analytical, opinion drafting and written communication skills
• Fluency in Greek and English, oral and written – additional languages will be considered an advantage
• Ability to work independently, and as part of a team

Expected Starting Date: October 2024

Interested candidates should submit their CV to info@dspartners.law. All applications will be treated with strict confidentiality.

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Starting Date: October 2024

Flexible Working Arrangements possible.

Indicative duties/responsibilities of the role include:

• Client onboarding including performing client due diligence/ identification in accordance with the firm’s AML Policy and KYC Procedures.
• Liaising with banks and other financial institutions for client bank account openings, bank reviews and clarifications needed.
• Participating in transaction closings and handling of corporate documentation / execution procedures.
• Direct liaison with the Registrar of Companies /Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission/ Tax Department and other governmental authorities for client matters.
• Handling daily corporate requests of clients in a timely and efficient manner.
• Working closely with the management to make sure that the ongoing Registrar, tax and other filing obligations of the client companies are handled and the companies are in good standing.

Candidate Requirements:

• University Degree (Accounting/Finance/Economics/Business Management/Law)
• Prior experience (3+ years) in an administrative role within a legal or professional services environment (direct or in corporate teams of accounting/ law firms)
• Fluency in English and Greek (written and spoken) is essential.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) is essential.
• Prior experience in dealing with high-profile and international clients.

Interested candidates should send their CV to info@dspartners.law.

All applications will be treated with confidentiality.

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Our firm’s membership with GDF allows us to contribute to the advancement and adoption of market standards in the areas our firm operates, including innovation and technology, blockchain digital assets and digital identity, and collaborate in specialised working groups delivering unique outputs such as pilot regimes, codes of conduct and consultation responses. It further provides an engagement forum with global regulators and agencies to promote industry stewardship, regulatory certainty and meaningful compliance.

GDF members are at the forefront of creating market and conduct standards and best practices for digital finance participants in a shared engagement forum with market participants, policymakers and regulators.

We are proud to align ourselves with the GDF division, supporting the democratization of finance through digital assets and financial solutions.

For further insights on our collaboration with GDF and our role in advancing the global digital finance movement, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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The new legal framework introduces obligations for lobbyists involved in such processes, officials within the state agency or the wider public sector and employees for the benefit of officials, who, by virtue of their position, take part in the above interactions. Applications for registration as lobbyists will be examined by the IAAC, and upon approval, registered lobbyists will have to abide and agree to the set Code of Conduct. IAAC plans to proceed to a gradual implementation, focusing, initially on registering individuals in the Lobbyists’ Register, while the obligations for lobbyists won’t be in effect until early 2024. This phased approach ensures a smooth transition and simultaneous implementation of obligations for both officials and lobbyists.

As a firm, we are regularly appointed to provide services including contracts with governmental institutions and public authorities, demonstrating a solid record of successes. We look forward to the developments in this sphere and remain available to assist our clients in their relevant engagements and provide advice on the legal framework that may be applicable.

For more information or to discuss your business needs you may contact us directly at:

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D.K. Sakellariou & Associates LLC is looking to hire a part-time senior lawyer on a 12-month fixed term contract, to join our team. The candidate should have between 5-10 years Post Qualification Experience (PQE) and should be registered with the Cyprus Bar Association as a practicing lawyer.

The candidate should have significant experience in the corporate, commercial, banking & finance and financial services sectors. Qualifications on AML/Compliance matters will be considered an advantage.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on a diverse portfolio of national and international projects and gain exposure to high-profile clients in the corporate, banking, financial services, real estate and regulated services sectors.

Candidate Requirements:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB).
• Master of Laws (LLM) will be considered an advantage.
• 5-10 years PQE
• Knowledge on corporate, commercial, banking & finance, financial services matters
• CySEC Advanced and/or AML/Compliance certifications will be considered an advantage
• Fluency in Greek and English, oral and written; additional languages will be considered an advantage.
• Computer Skills: Microsoft Office Suite.
• Managerial skills and team coordination.
• Organisational and time management skills.

Hours of work: Flexible. Recommended 09:00 – 13:00 or 09:00 – 15:00, five days per week.

Salary: Based on experience and agreed hours of work.

Starting Date: November 2023

Interested candidates should submit their CV to info@dspartners.law. All applications will be treated with confidentiality.

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On 11th October 2023, partners of our firm Daniel Sakellariou and Mikaela Kantor attended the Fuelphoria Project Kick-Off Meeting, together with 22 other partners from the EU, Kenya and the UK.

The Consortium Partners met in Athens to kick off the FUELPHORIA project workings, which aims to establish sustainable, competitive and secure value chains for advanced biofuels and renewable non-biological fuels. The Project has received funding by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) under Cluster 5 of Horizon2020 of circa EUR10 million and will have a duration of 48 months.

As a partner of the Fuelphoria Consortium, DS Partners Law Firm will undertake, among others, the intellectual property management of the project and will ensure the safeguarding of the IPR to be developed, including establishing rules for accessing and using IPR for the implementation of the project objectives, as well as provide legal assistance and advice with any disputes or other issues that may arise with regards to IPR management.

The project contributes to the objectives of the European Commission’s 2022 REPower EU Plan “to scale-up renewables, achieve electrification, and replace fossil-based heat and fuel in industry, buildings, and the transport sector”. Project partners will demonstrate that sustainable value chains for advanced biofuels and non-biological renewable fuels can be established in real environment, offering an alternative to fossil fuels.

A range of chemical, electrochemical, biological, thermochemical, and photobiological processes will be used to convert different feedstocks into an array of renewable fuels. The fuels will be developed to meet quality specifications defined by end-users in the transport sector (aviation, maritime and road) and in the power production sector (gas or oil-fired thermal plants).  Four demonstrators in Spain, Belgium, and Greece will serve as the testing grounds for the nine value chains. They will solve the technical issues related to the conversion of feedstock into renewable fuels and will prepare their market entry, by designing innovative business models.

The participation of the Technical University of Mombasa (Kenya) will play an important role in exploring the possibilities of EU export of renewables and biofuels to Africa, whilst the University College of London will explore the potential exploitation of the FUELPHORIA value chains in Egypt. At the end of the project, a set of policy recommendations for EU policymakers will be developed with the objective of showcasing how the results of the project can contribute to a sustainable transition of the EU energy systems.

As part of our Alternative Legal Products service offering, our firm assists innovators, ranging from SMEs to multinationals, international consortia and academic institutions, to consider and address legal matters and industry sector regulatory requirements in the delivery of their innovative products.

For more information on the project or to discuss potential collaborations please contact us at info@dspartners.law.

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The ID2L Project will develop a novel digital platform that intends to reshape the market and transform the KYC ecosystem through the development of a comprehensive full-service offering, which will be based on three pillars:

• The use of a new user/client-driven platform, based on a best-of-breed approach utilising Blockchain/Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and AI, to create an ongoing compliance assurance mechanism; the platform will be data driven, not document-driven hence, changing the focus of KYC data authorization flow;
• Engagement with regulatory authorities and key stakeholders to demonstrate existing KYC deficiencies and proposed ecosystem amendments towards the mutualisation of KYC processes, to enable the adoption of a unified KYC approach;
• The digitalisation of existing KYC files held by financial institutions and professional service providers and their upload onto the platform.

ID2L will further establish an External Advisory Group, comprised of key opinion leaders and regulators from the target industries to enable the adoption of a unified KYC approach for client on-boarding and AML compliance across industries.

The Project has been awarded circa EUR700.000 in funding and commenced operations in September 2023.

We are excited to be working with our partners on this groundbreaking initiative and look forward to engaging with industry leaders, regulators and decision-makers in reshaping the KYC ecosystem and AML compliance of regulated entities.

For more information on the project and to arrange for an introduction of the platform for your purposes please contact us at info@dspartners.law.

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During the Ministerial Meeting, Mr. Hadjizacharias highlighted the importance of taking advantage of digital technologies and optimizing innovation capacity, in the interest of supporting sustainable growth. He mentioned that advanced digital technologies have already created significant benefits, notably in the form of increased efficiency, accuracy, timeliness, and convenience in a wide range of public services.

The Deputy Minister stressed that Cyprus is determined to achieve a green and digital transformation, accelerating the implementation of advanced technologies such as 5G, fiber optics, high-performance computing, and blockchain technology. He made special reference to AI, outlining Cyprus’ national strategy that includes implementing AI solutions in the public sector, in education and in crisis management, whilst drawing the attention of the delegates to the significant challenges entailed in the fields of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

It is reminded that in 2020, the Government of Cyprus approved a national AI strategy based on four main pillars: i) maximizing investments through partnerships, ii) creation of national data spaces, iii) promotion of talents and lifelong learning, and iv) development of an ethical and reliable AI.

At the same time, the proposed EU’s AI Regulation is at the final stages before adoption and is expected to become the world’s first comprehensive legal framework for ΑΙ.

Our firm invests heavily in innovation and was amongst the first law firms to lead the completion of a tender for the provision of technology and legal consulting services on the adoption of emerging technologies in the public sector.

Our Alternative Products service offering includes the provision of legal advisory services to innovative Research & Technology enterprises as well as their EU funded consortia. The developments on the AI regulatory and ethics compliance in these sectors are expected to heavily influence the workings and procedures of such consortia.

As a firm, we are regularly appointed to undertake the legal, regulatory and ethics management of local, national and EU Horizon 2020 funded projects and provide advice on the AI and ethics frameworks that may be applicable.

We look forward to the developments in this sphere and remain available to assist our clients in their engagement with innovative and emerging technologies, whilst in compliance with the applicable legal frameworks.

For more information or to discuss your business needs you may contact us directly at:

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The Legal 500 platform is the world’s leading legal directory, and the most recognized clients guide to the best law firms. Legal 500 analyses capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year, to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market.

Our firm profile features our Core Legal Services and Alternative Legal Products, our lawyers’ profiles and Client Testimonials with organizations and entities we have recently collaborated with.

With our operations in Greece and Cyprus and a focused strategy of specialization, we pride ourselves in representing a new way of thinking around the establishment and operation of modern law firms.

You can read more about our diverse expertise and services in cutting edge fields, by clicking the link below.

Legal500 Profile: DS Partners Law Firm

For more information or to discuss your business needs you may contact us directly at:

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