By Dr Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos On 9 July 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus dismissed an application for leave to challenge a Court of Appeal judgment arising from a long-running civil dispute between Peter Lawson and Xie Shaodan. The proceedings originated from Civil Action No. 1421/2014 before the District Court of Paphos. In 2016, judgment…

By Dr Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos and Dr Marina Himoni Introduction The District Court of Nicosia has recently issued a noteworthy judgment in Shcherbinina v Abacus (Nominees) Ltd, concerning the right of a beneficiary of a Cyprus International Trust to obtain disclosure of trust documents and information from the trustee. The decision is important because the…

By Dr Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos The Supreme Court of Cyprus has reaffirmed the strict criteria governing applications for leave to bring a matter before the Court as a third and final level of review under Article 9(3)(c) of the Administration of Justice Law. In Ibtisam Christoforou v. Clenchby Properties Ltd & Others (Application No. 21/2025,…

A Narrative with Emerging Case Practice By Dr Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos and Dr Marina Himoni Cyprus International Trusts (CITs) are widely recognised as sophisticated legal structures, combining asset protection, flexibility, and a strong commitment to confidentiality. Yet, an important and often misunderstood question arises: do beneficiaries have a right to access information about the trust?…

LEGAL INSIGHT **Administrative Fines by Supervisory Authorities: When Can They Be Challenged Before the Court?** Observations Following a Judgment of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Cyprus 1. Introduction The imposition of administrative fines by supervisory authorities has become an increasingly common feature of the modern regulatory environment. Lawyers, accountants, auditors, corporate service providers, investment firms…

By Dr Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos – 10 October 2025 The Limassol District Court has issued a significant interim ruling addressing urgent intellectual property protection measures in the context of software development and proprietary code ownership dispute. Background A Limassol-based technology company, initiated proceedings against a Cypriot company and many associated individuals, alleging misappropriation and unlawful…

By Dr Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos & Dr Marina Himoni Introduction In a recent decision of the Nicosia District Court (Karydis v. PJSC Transneft & PJSC Sberbank, Action 2019/23, judgment of 29 September 2025), the Court annulled a series of interim orders permitting service outside the jurisdiction, substituted service, and related procedural steps in a claim…

Dr. Marina Himoni With the passage of four pieces of legislation, including the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, by the Plenary of the House of Representatives, a large-scale reform of the structure of the judiciary in Cyprus is being implemented. The most substantial change concerns the creation of an Administrative Court of Appeal as an…

English Court of Appeal has refused jailed Russian tycoon Ziyavudin Magomedov permission to appeal against a decision that threw out his $14 billion lawsuit against Transneft and other firms Maria–Myrto Koustai Magomedov & Ors –v– TPG Group Holdings (SBS), LP & Ors (CA -2025-000366) In the Court of Appeal, Civil Division On the 3rd of…

On May 21, 2025, the Court unanimously overturned previous rulings by both the Administrative Court and the Administrative Court of Appeal concerning the jurisdiction over disciplinary actions imposed by the Cyprus Bar Association (the Council) in its role as a Supervisory Authority under the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law of…