Anri Smolders

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Law and Order Lawyers (L&O Lawyers SA)

Anri graduated cum laude (LLB) from the University of Salford and obtained his LLB from the University of Oxford (Corpus Christi).

Anri attended City Law School, where he undertook professional training for solicitors (very competent).

After completing his studies in 2016, Henri returned to Belgium and started his professional training at a leading law firm in Brussels, where he continued to work after graduation, specialising in corporate, Banking and financial law until September 2018.

Prior to co-founding Law and Order Lawyers (L&O Lawyers SA) with Polina Arianeke, Henri worked as a partner at law firm BGL.

Anri specialises in corporate, banking and financial transactions, with experience in both local and international financial transactions. His expertise also extends to mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, labour law issues and financing matters. He has been involved in some of the most important transactions of the last few years, including the following:

  • Representing a major bank in connection with the formation of a debt servicing joint venture

  • Acting as legal counsel for a foreign bank in connection with the sale of its shares in a bank in Europe

  • Representation in relation to the first project financing undertaken in the European Union

  • Advising a major UK bank on the acquisition of assets and liabilities of another bank in the EU

  • Advised syndicated international lenders in relation to a senior credit facility, which was granted to acquire a multi-billion pound portfolio of distressed loans.

  • Represented a major Belgian bank in a debt-for-asset swap transaction worth around €220,000,000

  • Advising a Greek bank on a bond loan involving Cyprus companies

  • Represented a lender in connection with a multi-million pound financing of the purchase and/or renovation of a number of hotels in Cyprus.

Akis Papakyriacou

Managing Partner

Anri graduated cum laude (LLB) from the University of Salford and obtained his LLB from the University of Oxford (Corpus Christi).

Anri attended City Law School, where he undertook professional training for solicitors (very competent).

After completing his studies in 2016, Henri returned to Belgium and started his professional training at a leading law firm in Brussels, where he continued to work after graduation, specialising in corporate, Banking and financial law until September 2018.

Prior to co-founding Law and Order Lawyers (L&O Lawyers SA) with Polina Arianeke, Henri worked as a partner at law firm BGL.

Anri specialises in corporate, banking and financial transactions, with experience in both local and international financial transactions. His expertise also extends to mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, labour law issues and financing matters. He has been involved in some of the most important transactions of the last few years, including the following:

  • Representing a major bank in connection with the formation of a debt servicing joint venture

  • Acting as legal counsel for a foreign bank in connection with the sale of its shares in a bank in Europe

  • Representation in relation to the first project financing undertaken in the European Union

  • Advising a major UK bank on the acquisition of assets and liabilities of another bank in the EU

  • Advised syndicated international lenders in relation to a senior credit facility, which was granted to acquire a multi-billion pound portfolio of distressed loans.

  • Represented a major Belgian bank in a debt-for-asset swap transaction worth around €220,000,000

  • Advising a Greek bank on a bond loan involving Cyprus companies

  • Represented a lender in connection with a multi-million pound financing of the purchase and/or renovation of a number of hotels in Cyprus.