Levon Arakelian

Levon was awarded an AB in Government (with Distinction) from Cornell, where he accelerated graduation by a year and acceded to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He then matriculated at Oxford, where he was awarded a second BA in Jurisprudence (with First Class Honours), which he completed in two years, and the BCL (with Distinction). Finally, he enrolled at Harvard Law School, where he obtained the LLM.

As a university student, Levon was awarded various scholarships (Fulbright, British Chevening, Scatcherd European, Phoutrides).

He was admitted to the Cyprus Bar in 2003, having passed the Cyprus Bar Exam with Distinction.

He joined the Firm in 2009 and became a Partner in 2016.

In the past, he has worked as an adviser to the Diplomatic Office of the President of the Republic of Cyprus (2004-2005), as Counsel of the Republic (2006) and as an associate at another prominent Cypriot Firm (2007-2008).

Alongside the Senior Partner of the Firm, Mr. P.G. Polyviou, and others, Levon has appeared before the International Court of Justice in Cyprus’ only two appearances thereat (Advisory Proceedings in the Cases of Kosovo and the Chagos Archipelago) as well as before the European Court of Human Rights (Cases of Varnava a.o. v. Turkey and Demopoulos a.o. v. Turkey). Mr. Polyviou and Levon, together with other members of the Firm, have repeatedly represented the Cypriot Parliament before the Supreme Court of Cyprus in constitutional law disputes between Parliament and the President of the Republic.

In 2011 Levon and Mr. P.G. Polyviou published a short book on the Demopoulos Case. During the same year, Levon served as a member of the core 4-person team which advised and assisted Mr. Polyviou in the Council-of-Ministers-appointed Commission of Inquiry relating to the 11 July 2011 explosion that occurred in a Cypriot military base killing 13 people and destroying Cyprus’ largest power station.

In 2024 Levon joined a team of advisors providing assistance, on an as-needed basis, to the President of the Republic and Leader of the Greek Cypriot Community in relation to the Cyprus Problem.

In 2026 Levon published a short book setting out a detailed proposal for the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus Problem.

During his time at the Firm, Levon has led or contributed to a number of complex and projects, such as the following:

Providing advice and assistance in various involving the sale of loan portfolios. The combined consideration agreed in such was about 2.3 Billion Euros. Amongst thse was“Helix 1”, which is probably the biggest intra-private sector transaction in the modern history of Cyprus (with the agreed consideration therein being about 1.2 Billion Euros).

Successfully defending (alongside Mr. P.G. Polyviou) a Cypriot credit institution in international arbitral proceedings in London, UK, against a claim having a value exceeding EUR 200 million.

Advising and assisting (alongside other members of the Firm) a Cypriot credit institution in its restructuring of a series of loans with clients thereof having a nominal value exceeding EUR 185 million.

Advising and representing (alongside Mr. P.G. Polyviou and Mr. G. Middleton) for a decade a beneficiary of a Cypriot discretionary international trust in connection with claims having a value exceeding EUR 165 million.

Advising and assisting (alongside Mr. P.G. Polyviou) an international energy company in its (successful) bid for a concession in Cyprus’ maritime Exclusive Economic Zone.

Advising and assisting an international energy company in its sale of a Cypriot subsidiary, the agreed consideration for which was above EUR 45 million.

Advising and assisting a Cypriot energy company in an immovable property sale transaction the agreed consideration for which was EUR 29 million.

In a landmark case, successfully pursuing (alongside the Senior Partner of another prominent Cypriot Firm) a Cypriot provident fund for imprudent management of the latter’s assets.

Advising and assisting a Cypriot credit institution in its design and implementation of a large-scale voluntary retirement scheme.

Levon is fluent in Greek and English, and has good knowledge of Armenian.