Catherine has been the Managing Partner at Karatzas & Partners since 1996. Before she worked with Shearman & Sterling in New York City from 1988 to 1992.

Catherine has always been in the forefront of legal developments and has participated and continues to participate in some of the most significant transactions for Greek economy and often for Greek national life. Recent examples include the Greek debt restructuring, the 15-year benchmark issue with the longest tenor that has been issued by the Hellenic Republic since the onset of the financial crisis, in 2009 a new, all-new-money bond whose maturity is longer than 2032, the year when the long-term relief measures for the Greek debt are expected to expire, as well as in the banking and financial sector the first recapitalization under the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive in Europe, the first Greek Green bond and the first NPL transactions.

She was awarded the Pan-European award in the category of financial regulation in the International Financial Law Review Europe Women in Business Law awards in 2015 and entered The Legal 500’s Hall of Fame in 2018.

Credentials

EDUCATION
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (LL.B. in Hellenic Law)
Columbia University (LL.M.)
LANGUAGES
Greek, English, French & Italian
ADMISSION
1989, Athens & New York Supreme Court
MEMBER OF
Athens Bar Association
New York Bar Association
Board of Directors of Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE)

Ranking & Awards

Top Ranked Lawyer
Chambers & Partners
Top Ranked Lawyer
Chambers & Partners
Women Leaders
IFLR 1000
Highly Regarded
IFLR 1000
Top Ranked Lawyer
Chambers & Partners
Top Ranked Lawyer
Chambers & Partners
Top Ranked Lawyer 2021
Chambers & Partners
Hall of Fame
Legal500
Top Ranked Lawyer 2020
Chambers & Partners
Women Leaders 2021 & 2020
IFLR1000
Highly Regarded 2020 & 2019
IFLR1000
Leading Individual
Legal500
Highly Regarded
IFLR 1000
Pan-European award in the category of financial regulation in 2015
IFLR Europe Women in Business Law awards
Highly Regarded
IFLR 1000
  • “Managing partner Catherine Karatzas offers excellence in corporate and commercial mandates, especially those involving large acquisitions in the energy sector and share capital issues.” Chambers & Partners 2023
  • "US and Greek-qualified practitioner Catherine Karatzas is held in high esteem for her expertise across various complex financing and capital market transactions. She is particularly active in notes issuances, NPL sales and sustainability linked and green bonds, acting for prestigious banks and corporates." Chambers & Partners 2023
  • "Catherine Karatzas has very strong legal and business acumen." Client Testimonial, Banking & Finance, Chambers & Partners 2023
  • "I truly value her commitment and sophistication." Client Testimonial, Banking & Finance, Chambers & Partners 2023

RELEVANT NEWS & INSIGHTS

Our firm has advised Cepal Hellas Financial Services S.A. with respect to Project Rebound

Our firm has proudly advised J.P. Morgan in connection with the Greek law aspects of closing a transaction for the acquisition of a 48.5% ownership stake in Viva Wallet S.A.

We have advised National Bank of Greece in relation to the sale of 51% of the share capital of NBG Pay S.A. to EVO Payments Inc.

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece on the signing of a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with EPSILON NET and its main shareholder.

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter in Chambers & Partners Corporate Governance 2022 Global practice guide

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece on the signing of Project Frontier II

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter of the Lexology Getting The Deal Through - Initial Public Offerings 2022 guide

Our firm sponsored the 14th National Conference of Corporate In-house Counsel by Nomiki Bibliothiki.

Our firm stands by the students from Ukraine.

K&P advised Power Factors on the acquisition of Inaccess

This summer, on Fridays we work from...anywhere!

Blood donation at K&P

K&P sponsored the 8th National Moot Court Competition.

K&P has been once again recognised as a Top Tier firm by The Legal500

Karatzas & Partners for Choose Life

Karatzas & Partners wins the Award for Law Firm of the Year in Greece

K&P’s Women Leaders EMEA as announced by IFLR1000

Catherine Karatzas participated in the panel “Investing in Greece: Prospects and Challenges” at Delphi Economic Forum VII

National Bank of Greece-Ethniki Insurance- CVC

K&P has been once again recognised as a Top Ranked firm in Chambers and Partners Europe 2022 ranking guide

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter of the Lexology Getting The Deal Through - Initial Public Offerings 2022 guide

At Karatzas & Partners we encourage women empowerment in our everyday life

Our firm acts as Greek legal counsel to J.P. Morgan in connection with its strategic investment in Viva Wallet

K&P advised HELPE Group in relation to its corporate transformation plan

K&P advised National Bank of Greece on the completion of Project Frontier

K&P advised NBG on the signing of a definitive agreement to form a Joint Venture partnership with EVO Payments

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter of the Lexology Getting The Deal Through Private Mergers & Acquisitions 2022 guide

K&P advised PPC S.A. on its capital increase with gross proceeds of €1.35 bn

K&P advised National Bank of Greece on the signing of Project Frontier

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter in Chambers & Partners Corporate Governance 2021 Global practice guide

K&P acted as legal counsel to PRODEA Investments in connection with the issuance and public offering of a €300 mln 7-year Green Bond

K&P advised the Initial Purchasers in connection with the international offering of PPC's €500 million sustainability-linked notes

K&P advised international banks & investment firms on the €800 million growth Share Capital Increase of Alpha Holdings

K&P’s Women Leaders EMEA as announced by IFLR1000

Karatzas & Partners proudly sponsored Delphi Economic Forum VI (video)

Karatzas & Partners advised the consortium of international banks in connection with Piraeus Holding’s €1.38bln capital raise

K&P acted as Greek legal advisor to Viohalco S.A.

National Bank of Greece-Ethniki Insurance- CVC

Karatzas & Partners ranked as a Top Tier Firm at The Legal 500 EMEA 2021 edition

K&P is shortlisted in 3 categories in the IFLR1000 2021 Awards Europe

Catherine Karatzas participates in the "Women in Law: Is it a men’s world?" webinar

K&P participated in the NPL Webinar on Market Perspectives

K&P advised National Bank of Greece

K&P sponsors the 12th National Conference of Corporate Inhouse Counsel

Karatzas & Partners advised National Bank of Greece - The first green bond issued by a Greek Bank

Karatzas & Partners is the exclusive contributor of the 2020 edition of Lexology Getting The Deal Through Public M&A/ Greek chapter

Catherine M. Karatzas Interview at LAWYER | The Business Magazine

Catherine M. Karatzas named as Woman Leader 2020 IFLR 1000

Karatzas & Partners advises National Bank of Greece

Karatzas & Partners proudly sponsors Delphi Economic Forum V

Karatzas & Partners ranked as a Top Tier Firm at The Legal 500 EMEA 2020 edition

Celebrating womensday 2020

New Generation of Lawyers

Karatzas & Partners Law Firm proudly supported the 11th Greece Race for the Cure®

Karatzas & Partners Law Firm proudly supports the 11th Greece Race for the Cure®

Karatzas & Partners managing partner Catherine Karatzas discusses how our firm is adapting to clients’ changing needs

Mandatory and Voluntary takeover Bids

Seminar on the reform of the law on Sociétés Anonymes

Karatzas & Partners contributed with an article to Lexology Navigator

Karatzas & Partners named Best firm in Greece at Europe Women in Business Law Awards

Catherine Karatzas recognized as an IFLR Woman Leader for 2018

Karatzas & Partners article in Lexology

Karatzas & Partners named Best firm in Greece at Europe Women in Business Law Awards.

Karatzas & Partners participated in the IFLR's Insolvency and Corporate Reorganisation Survey 2014

Anna Manda on the M&A Mosaic: Insights from Delphi Economic Forum IX

Our firm is participating in the 1st Listed Companies Conference by Nomiki Bibliothiki

K&P participates in the Delphi Economic Forum IX

Our firm acted as external legal advisor to NBG on all Greek law aspects of the Tender Offer and the issuance of the New Notes

Our firm advised the International Managers and the Greek Underwriters in the disposal of the 27% stake in Piraeus Financial Holdings by the HFSF, valued at approx. €1.35 billion

Our firm has advised Cadence Design Systems on the acquisition of BETA CAE Systems International AG, for a purchase price of approx. US$1.24 billion

Our firm advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with the offering of a €130 mln. Bond Loan issued by INTRALOT S.A.

Our firm advised Autohellas in the public offering of a €200 million Bond Loan

Our firm advised Astir Palace Vouliagmenis on €350m bond loan

Our firm advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with the offering of €100 mln. bonds issued by IDEAL HOLDINGS S.A.

Our firm advised Bain Capital in the sale and transfer to Trastor REIC of office spaces in the landmark Athens building Politeia Business Center

Our firm has advised HRADF and POIH for the joint sale of 11% in HELLENIQ Energy

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece in the disposal of a 22% stake in NBG by the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, valued at approximately €1.1 billion

Our firm has proudly advised Lazard Frères SAS, the disposal advisor of the HFSF, in connection with the acquisition of the entire stake of HFSF in Alpha Services and Holdings S.A. by UniCredit

Our firm advised Pharmathen and its shareholder, Partners Group in connection with the acquisition of CBL Patras

Lexology Getting The Deal Through - Private Mergers & Acquisitions 2024 guide

Our firm has advised National Bank of Greece in relation to the issuance of €500 million Tier II bonds.

K&P is once again Top Tier Firm in the IFLR1000 2023 Europe Rankings

K&P is the exclusive contributor to the Chambers and Partners Corporate Governance Global Practice Guide for 2023.

Our firm advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with the offering of €500 mln. bonds issued by Mytilineos S.A.

Lexology getting the Deal Through Public M&A 2023 Guide

NPL Greece Conference 2023

Our firm advised National Bank of Greece in connection with the acquisition of an 7,5% stake in Epsilon Net.

Our firm has advised BC Partners in its acquisition of Metropolitan college and IEK Akmi

Our firm advises on the acquisition of the Project Tethys Portfolio

Our firm has advised Austrian Post in connection with the acquisition of an 80% stake in the Greek technology services provider "Agile Actors".

Our firm advised Kpler on all Greek law aspects relating to the acquisition of Marine Traffic

We advised Wirtgen Invest Energy GmbH, on the acquisition of the company FOTOVOLTAIKOS STATHMOS MARGARITI SINGLE MEMBER S.A., for the development and operation of a photovoltaic power plant portfolio of 50 MWp

Our firm advised ELLAKTOR GROUP in the context of the sale of 75% of the Renewable Energy Sources division to Motor Oil Renewable Energy (MORE)

We are happy to announce the successful completion of a GBP 200 million senior preferred bonds issuance by National Bank of Greece.

Our firm has advised Waterwheel Capital Management, LP in relation to Sunrise III, the latest HAPS securitization transaction originated by Piraeus Bank S.A.

We have advised National Bank of Greece in relation to the issuance of the €500m senior preferred bonds.

Lexology Getting The Deal Through - Private Mergers & Acquisitions 2023 guide

Our firm advises Antenna Group in the acquisition of cinema chain Village Roadshow Operations, Greece.

Our firm is ranked Tier 1 in all practice areas by IFLR 1000

Our firm advised Bespoke SGA Holdings S.A. and EOS Hellenic Renaissance Fund on the acquisition of the company Hellenic Juices Société Anonyme

Our firm advised Athens International Airport S.A. in connection with its financing amounting to circa €1.1billion.

K&P advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with bond issuance of €100,000,000, by CPLP Shipping Holdings PLC

Our firm advised PPC Renewables on the acquisition of Volterra RES portfolio

Capital Markets Law Alert: Briefing on new rules on the cross-border distribution of funds in Greece.

K&P advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with bond issuance of €100,000,000 by Safe Bulkers PLC

K&P advises Eurobank on the sale of 80% of its merchant acquiring business to Worldline

K&P advised the Lead Underwriters in the successful public offer and listing of the common bond loan issued by NOVAL Property

K&P is advising BC Partners in the acquisition of PET CITY SA

K&P advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with bond issuance of €150,000,000, by CPLP Shipping Holdings PLC

K&P advised the shareholders of Cosmos Sport S.A. with respect to the sale of an 80% stake to JD Sports Fashion

K&P assisted Netcompany Group A/S on all Greek law matters relating to the acquisition of Intrasoft International S.A.

K&P is advising Eurobank in its landmark Mexico transaction

K&P advised Autohellas

K&P advised an ad hoc group of noteholders in relation to the restructuring of the debt facilities of Intralot Group companies

K&P is advising BC Partners on the sale of Pharmathen

K&P advised Cubico Sustainable Investments with respect to its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Eoliki Panachaikou S.A.

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the Greek chapter in Chambers & Partners Blockchain 2021 Global practice guide

Our partner Nikos Fragos has contributed in the "Commercial Contracts Law" publication

K&P advised Mobileum Inc. on all Greek law matters relating to the acquisition of all shares in Niometrics Pte Ltd.

K&P advised LAMDA Development S.A. in the Eur 347 mio financing arrangements for the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Hellinikon S.A.

K&P advised Chipita S.A. with regards to its $2 billion acquisition by Mondelēz International Inc.

Κ&P advised the Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners in connection with bond issuance of €100,000,000, by Costamare Participations Plc.

K&P acted as counsel to Sitecore with regards to the acquisition of Moosend

K&P is the exclusive contributor of the 2021 edition of Lexology Getting The Deal Through Structured Finance & Securitization / Greek guide

IFLR1000 announces K&P as Greece's Banking & Finance Law Firm of the Year

K&P Capital Markets Alert - Omnibus Accounts officially alive

Capital Markets Recovery Package - EU Recovery Prospectus (Regulation (EU) 2021/337)

K&P has provided advice in the landmark Vega transaction of Piraeus Bank S.A.

K&P has provided advice on the first-ever in Europe Sustainability-linked Bond issued by PPC S.A.

K&P is the official contributor of the L500 Banking & Finance Country Comparative Guide 2021

K&P Newsletter about the amended AML Law

Karatzas & Partners advises SAZKA Group

Karatzas & Partners advised a Spanish multinational group of companies active in the fashion and beauty sectors

Law 4727/2020 – Digital Governance, Public and Private Electronic Documents and E-Signatures

K&P - Update on the regime regarding the facilitation of General Meetings during the Covid19 crisis

K&P at "The new provisions for transactions with related parties" - Webinar

OPAP's €200m Retail Bond Issuance

Our firm is the official contributor of The Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides,"Greece: Alternative Investment Funds"

Karatzas & Partners advised Eurobank Ergasias Services & Holdings S.A.

K&P at "The New Greek Insolvency Code" webinar by Capital Link

K&P EU Bulletin: Recent developments in capital markets and banking

Covid-19: Greek Corporates - Facilitation of Decision Making for Boards of Directors

New provisions on public offerings in Greece

The establishment of alternative mutual funds in Greece is, for the first time, possible

K&P EU Bulletin 3

Karatzas & Partners has advised LAMDA Development S.A.

Banking & Finance Alert: Law 4701_2020 on Microcredit Institutions

Karatzas & Partners advises  Eurobank

Karatzas & Partners advises Alpha Bank

Karatzas & Partners advises doValue

Digital Customer Onboarding by Banks and other Supervised Entities

Service by Electronic Means and Operation of Civil and Administrative Courts from 01.06.2020

E-signature validity and usage in Greece

HCMC - Expiration of the Short Selling Ban

Karatzas & Partners contributes to Lexology Getting The Deal Through - Structured Finance & Securitisation - Greek chapter

Update on emergency measures in the Greek Banking and Capital Markets Sector in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis adopted from 31.03.2020 to 29.04.2020

2nd Update on the most important emergency measures for businesses issued by the Greek government in order to tackle the adverse effects of the spread of Covid-19 outbreak

Greek Banks adopt payment relief measures for debtors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect your contractual obligations?

EBA publishes Guidelines on treatment of public and private moratoria in light of COVID-19 measures.

Covid-19: Greek Corporates - Facilitation of Decision Making for Collective Bodies

Karatzas & Partners NBG Financing

Covid-19: Update on the most important emergency measures for businesses issued by the Greek government

Personal Data Processing in the context of Covid-19

Covid-19 further tools offered by Banking regulators

ESMA: De facto Postponement of the Deadline for the Publication of Financial Reports

Karatzas & Partners advises Eurobank

HCMC confirms postponement of SFT reporting

Adopted Measures to tackle the adverse effects of the spread of Covid-19 outbreak

Facilitation of General Meetings during the Covid19 crisis

European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issues positive opinion on HCMC’s short selling ban

K&P summary of all the measures in the Greek Banking and Capital Markets Sector in response to the COVID-19 Crisis

Karatzas & Partners advises Athens International Airport (AIA)

Karatzas & Partners advises Eurobank

Karatzas & Partners advises doValue S.p.A.

Karatzas & Partners advises LAMDA Development

Karatzas & Partners advises National Bank of Greece

Karatzas & Partners participated as Greek legal expert in the preparation of the EBRD study on the legal framework for the enforcement of creditors' claims in Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Ukraine.

Karatzas & Partners is the exclusive contributor to The Legal 500 (Legalease): Merger Control 4th Edition Country Comparative Guide- Greek chapter

Bank of Greece establishes a Central Balance Sheet Data Office

Karatzas & Partners advises Piraeus Bank in a pioneer and complex transaction contemplating a long-term strategic partnership between Piraeus Bank and Intrum.

Karatzas & Partners is advising SAZKA Group on its all-cash, unconditional tender offer for the acquisition of OPAP.

Karatzas & Partners Law Firm advised Piraeus Bank on a long-term strategic partnership with Intrum establishing a market-leading servicer of non-performing assets in Greece valued at €410mn

Management and Transfer of Non-Performing Looans (NPLS) under the New Regulatory Framework

Everything you need to know about the regulated markets that operate in Greece

Karatzas & Partners advises Autohellas and StormHarbour in the first non-banking receivables securitization in Greece

Karatzas & Partners advises Bain Capital on a milestone acquisition of secured corporate NPE portfolio from Piraeus Bank equivalent to €1,950mn of legal claims or €1,450mn gross book value

Karatzas & Partners advised B2Holding for acquiring a EUR3.6 billion worth portfolio from Alpha Bank in its first sale of under-performing and non-performing consumer and small business loans