The Founder and Managing Partner.
Founder and Managing Partner
Christophoros Christophi is the founder and managing partner of Christophi & Associates LLC.
He has graduated Law Department of Leicester University, UK, with an LL.B (Hons) and LL.M in Labour Law and Industrial Relations. He was called to the Cyprus Bar in 1996.
Christophoros specializes in Company and Commercial Law, Employment Law and Industrial Relations and has shown particular interest in European Law, Media Law, Information Technology Law, Internet Law and Intellectual Property Law.
In addition to being an active litigation lawyer, Christophoros is a podcaster. He is the founder of the LegalMatters Podcast an online platform that hosts interviews by lawyers discussing aspects of the legal profession, justice, rule of law and other related matters in Cyprus and Europe.
He also lectures Company Law as visiting lecturer to private universities and institutes.
You can follow Christophoros on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Professional Career.
Christophoros worked as a pupil advocate in Phoebus, Christos Clerides and N. Pirelides & Co from June 1996 till June 1997 and then as an Advocate till January 1998.
In February 1998 he accepted a job offer by Andreas Neocleous & Co to undertake the set up of the firm’s Nicosia office and be its Managing Attorney. He worked with Andreas Neocleous & Co for three years.
In June 2001 he founded Christophi & Associates which in 2009 was renamed to Christophi & Associates LLC.
Academic Career.
Since 2010 he is a part-time lecturer teaching Company Law and Business Law.
He taught at the European University and Neapolis Univesity
He also presents lectures on Cyprus Company Law to lawyers, accountants, insurance brokers and tax professionals.
Areas of professional interest.
He specializes in Company and Commercial Law, Employment Law and Industrial Relations, Human Rights while he has shown particular interest in European Law, Media Law, Information Technology Law, Internet Law and Intellectual Property Law.
Litigation.
A major achievement in his litigation career was the successful handling of the Vrountou v. Republic case (application no. 33631/06) before the European Court of Human Rights. The judgement was issued on 13/10/2015 after a 13 year legal battle and led to the recognition of human rights violations in the field of equal treatment and sex discrimination. Read more about the case here.
Other selected cases the Supreme Court of Cyprus that either created new precedent or marked a change in the way the law was applied before the judgement appear below.
Criminal Appeals 7279 & 7280, Lapertas v. Police. (2002) 2 CLR 335.
This was the first case to be heard by the Supreme Court of Cyprus on the matter of the constitutionality of a provision in the Stock Exchange Law that required public companies to submit a an application to enter the Stock Exchange market within a specified period of time. Panicos Lapertas was found guilty at first instance and imprisoned. On appeal, the Supreme Court of Cyprus, criminal division, accepted the appellant’s argument that the law was unconstitutional and quashed the conviction.
Civil Appeal 11/2005, Family Law Division, Damtsas v. Damtsas, 21/12/2006.
The Supreme Court, Family Division, overturned a judgment by the Family Court of Nicosia by which the applicant’s property differences petition was rejected on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction since she belonged in the Maronite community. The appellant argued successfully before the Supreme Court that the correct interpretation of the applicable law granted exclusive jurisdiction to hear property differences between the spouses irrespective of their community to the Family Court.
Civil Appeal 10235, E.G. Falekkos Ltd v. Reana Manufacturers Ltd, 13/03/2009. In this case the Supreme Court of Cyprus accepted E.G. Falekkos Ltd appeal, ruling that the title of a law suit may be amended after judgment is issued. The Supreme Court reversed previous ruling by the District Court establishing the principle that in appropriate cases the title of a law suit may be amended after judgment.
In the matter of Takis Vashiotis Ltd, Certiorari Application 119/98, (1999) 1 CLR 5. The Supreme Court of Cyprus accepted a certiorari application filed against the Industrial Disputes Court by which the latter refused to grant leave to appeal to the applicant company Takis Vashiotis Ltd.
LegalMatters Podcast.
Christophoros is the founder and presenter of the LegalMatters Podcast the first law related Podcast in Cyprus. The LegalMatters Podcast is widely acknowledged by the legal profession in Cyprus as being a trusted online discussion forum where lawyers can voice their views on many matters relating to the profession, academia, the administration of justice, equality and the rule of law.
LegalMatters is available on all major social media platforms:
–> YOUTUBE
–>Podbean
–>iTunes
–>Spotify
Seminars/Lectures.
- Cyprus Company Law, Cyprus Chamber of Commerce, March 2008.
- Company Law and Trusts, Lexact, March 2008.
- Cyprus Company Law, Lexact, December 2008.
- Personal Liabilities of Auditors and Directors, Lexact, March 2009.
- Liquidation of Companies and Bankruptcy, Lexact, October 2009.
- Termination of a Company, Effects and Debt Recovery, Lexact, March 2010.
- Termination of Employment and Unfair Dismissal, Lexact, April 2010.
- Liability of Auditors, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), March 2011.
Company Law Presentations.
- Business Forum In Hamburg And Frankfurt October 2009,
- Cyprus – Slovakia Business Forum, November 2010.
- Cyprus – Austria Business Forum, June 201.
Books.
Supreme Court’s Case Law Digest 1996-2000, published in January 2003.
Reports.
In 2006 he wrote for the European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Directorate to prepare Cyprus’s report on the legal situation in cases of termination of employment. The report covers termination of employment, claims for unfair dismissal, advice on redundancy plans and generally all aspects pertaining to the regulation of the employment relationship. The report is now available at the European Commission’s website.
Selected Articles & Publications.
- International Business and Investment Guide, 1998, Center for International Legal Studies, co-author on Cyprus chapter.
- A Guide to Foreign Executives , 1999, Center for International Legal Studies, author on Cyprus chapter.
- Butterworth’s European Tax & Investment Guide, 1999, Center for International Legal Studies, author on Cyprus chapter
- Cyprus Industrial Relations, [1998] 4 European Legal Business, p.52.
- The Millennium Bug and Implications on Cyprus Company Law, International Journal of Commercial and Company Law.
- Cyprus Towards the European Union , [1998] 5 European Legal Business
- Sexual Harassment at the Workplace, Philelephtheros, 16/10/1998
- Cyprus Pregnancy Law and the European Union, [1999] European Legal Business.
- Cyprus and the European Union, co-author of weekly articles in the Greek newspaper “Simerini” relating to Cyprus’ way towards the European Union.
- Cyprus Case Law Digest 1998, co-author of a digest of Supreme Court cases for 1998.
- Internet Traps, Philelephtheros Newspaper, 29/09/09.
- Chapter on Labour and Intellectual Property Law in the book Introduction to Cyprus Law by Andreas Neocleous & Co, 2000.
- Outdoor Advertising, An alternative view, Simerini Newspaper, 04/08/2001.
- Actions for Return of Money Invested at the Stock Exchange, Philelephtheros, 24/06/2003.
- Termination of Employment because of Redundancy: The Situation in the 25 Member States of the European Union. A comparative study of the redundancy regime in the 25 Member States of the European Union besides Bulgaria and Romania presented on 28/06/2007 for the Center for International Legal Studies.
- Employment Law Review, Cyprus, Complinet, 19/12/2007.
- Cyprus Trademarks Guide, 2009, 2010, 2011, GettingtheDealThrough.Com
- Inability to Execute Judgments, Philelephtheros, 23/03/2008.
- Cyprus Corporate Governance, 2009, GettingtheDealThrough.Com
- The system of appointing judges in Cyprus, need for reform, LegalandMore magazine, July 2010.
Other Activities.
- Member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus.