The Founders

Dr. Sotiris K. Yanakakis

Dr. Sotiris K. Yanakakis was born in Athens in 1960 and has been a lawyer since 1985, a member of the Piraeus Bar Association.

He graduated with honors from the Law School of the Democritus University of Thrace and holds a Master’s degree (LL.M) from the Harvard University School of Law, Massachusetts, USA, specializing in International Commercial Law, Law of Investments in Wealth-producing Resources, Corporate Law, International Legal Issues and International Law of the Sea.

He has been a teaching assistant in International Law of the Sea (with Professor Mr. Louis Shon) at the Harvard Law School (1983-1984).

He holds a PhD from the Law School of the Democritus University of Thrace, thesis topic: “The Termination of the Franchise Agreement”.

He taught for five years (2010-2015) International Law, International Commercial Law and International Franchising at the Private University ISTANBUL AYDIN ​​UNIVERSITY of Istanbul (Turkey).

He has taught (1993-1999) and is still teaching today (2014-2024) various subjects such as Introduction to Shipping, Carriage of Goods by Sea, Business Law and International Trade Law at BCA (Economic College of Athens).

He has also been conducting seminars since 1999 in Athens and Thessaloniki regarding franchising, within the framework of the International Franchising Exhibition KEM and the FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION OF GREECE. He deals with the areas of Commercial Law (International Commercial Law and Electronic Commerce Law), Corporate Law, Business and Investment Law, Franchising, Distribution and Representation Contracts, Banking Law, Ship and Aircraft Financing, Real Estate Sales and Leasing, Other Commercial Contracts, Trade Marks, Intellectual Property and debt collection.

He speaks the English language.

He is the author of:

(a) in collaboration with Lawyer Ypapanti Kalogeropoulou, of the chapter referred to ‘FRANCHISE in Greece’, in the publication of the Global Legal Group ‘The International Comparative Legal Guide to FRANCHISE’ (2015)
(b) of the study “THE NEW COMMUNITY COMPETITION RULES FOR FRANCHISING AND SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS”, which was published in BUSINESS AND COMPANY LAW 2001, vol. 7
(c) of the study “LEGAL STATUS AND PRACTICE OF FRANCHISING IN GREECE”, which was published in BUSINESS AND COMPANY LAW 1997, vol. 11
(d) of the chapter referred to in Greek Tax Law in the edition of FT Law & Tax “CAPITAL TAXES AND ESTATE PLANNING IN EUROPE” (1992)
(e) of the study on the “Prescription of Claims for Contribution to General Average” (Maritime Law Review, December 1991)
(f) of the chapter referred to in Greek Aviation Law in the edition of FT Law & Tax “AIRCRAFT FINANCING” (1989).

He has a constant presence, writing articles, in the daily financial press on franchising issues as well as in specialized magazines on franchising.

He has repeatedly participated as a speaker and convener in international and Greek conferences and workshops on Franchising and E-Commerce.

He is a Legal Advisor and a member of the Board of Directors. of the FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION OF GREECE, former Head of the Legal Secretariat of the International FRANCHISE Council (WFC), member of the Legal Committee of the EUROPEAN FRANCHISE FEDERATION (EFF), Head of the Legal Secretariat of the MEDITERRANEAN FRANCHISE FEDERATION (MFF), member of the American Bar Association (AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION) and the INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION (among others, a member of the Franchising and Business Law sections), a member of the Harvard Alumni Association in Europe and a member of the scientific associations MARITIME LAW ASSOCIATION and EUROPEAN LAW ASSOCIATION .

Ypapandi Kalogeropoulou

She graduated from the School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 1997.

She completed postgraduate studies (D.E.S.S.) at the University Jean Moulin-Lyon III, France specializing in International Commercial Law/ International Business Law (2000). She has collaborated as a trainee (stagiaire) with the French Law Firm ‘Berlioz & Co’ in Paris, France (2000).

She is a Lawyer of the Supreme Court and a member of the Piraeus Bar Association since 1999.

She has been practicing law since 1999 (court representation and providing legal advice) in the field of Commercial Law, with an emphasis and specialization in the provision of development advice to legal or natural persons using the franchising method, but also in solving problems arising from franchise agreements (franchising) and other vertical supply and distribution agreements. Also, she handles on a daily basis (court representation and provision of legal advice) and many other modern issues of Commercial Law such as, indicatively, Company Law, Internet Law, Trademark Law, Intellectual Property Law, Leases, Sales etc. as well as Civil and Administrative Law, having extensive experience in all the above topics.

She has also been a speaker in seminars since 2003 in Athens, regarding issues arising from the institution of franchising, within the framework of the International Franchising Exhibition KEM and also at the Piraeus Bar Association.

She speaks English, French, Italian, German as well as Japanese (level 2).

She is the author, in collaboration with Lawyer Sotiris Giannakakis, of the chapter on ‘FRANCHISE in Greece’, published by the Global Legal Group, ‘The International Comparative Legal Guide to FRANCHISE’ (2015).

She has a constant presence, writing articles, in the daily financial press on franchising issues as well as in specialized magazines on franchising.