Our roots go back to 1893 when Ioannis Zepos, a prominent jurist and scholar, established his practice. Together with his son Dimitrios who joined the firm in 1926 they played an important role in shaping the Greek legal environment while they both served on the Committee for the drafting of the Greek Civil Code, one of the fundamental statutes for the country’s legal system.
John Zepos, son of Dimitrios joins the firm having completed his post graduate studies in Texas and a working year with Debevoise & Plimpton. Following standards of US law firms the firm starts operating with the distinctive title “Zepos & Zepos”. From the early 1960’s onwards the firm adopts an international orientation representing many of the largest American, Japanese and European investors that shaped Greece’s modern economy.
In parallel, another progressive lawyer and legal scholar, Costas Yannopoulos, establishes his private practice in collaboration with Pavlos Avrameas and Panagiotis Skoufis. Among the former’s most notable contributions is his involvement in the drafting of the Greek Administrative Legal Procedure Code. His work was dominated by a spirit of promotion of the Rule of Law and of a tax system that embraces fairness and equality. Costas Yannopoulos establishes one of the first and very few Greek law practices specializing in tax law and litigation.
In the mid 1990’s the two firms form a strategic alliance in order to provide to their clients comprehensive services. DEPA’s Cryogenic (LNG) Terminal at Revithousa (picture) was among the first legal projects the team worked together on along with other infrastructure projects such as the financing of the Athens International Airport by the EBRD, the Thessaloniki Metro and the Attiki Odos Motorway.
In 1999 we merge into what became the first ever merger of law firms in Greece. Renamed as Zepos & Yannopoulos, we have since then grown in one of the largest multidisciplinary providers of legal and tax services operating in Greece.
At Zepos & Yannopoulos, we have always been committed to innovation. Looking well into the future, we have developed a management structure that will allow us to continue shaping and leading our sector. This, along with the ceaseless evolution of our technology and knowledge, ensure that our current and future clients will receive the very best in legal services.