ABOUT
Yiannis Martis
Yiannis Martis is a Greek-qualified lawyer based in Corfu with more than 20 years of experience in real estate and banking law. He has advised on a wide range of property transactions and has built a reputation for providing clear, reliable guidance to international clients investing in Greece.
Earlier in his career, Yiannis worked with two of Greece’s largest financial institutions — Piraeus Bank and Alpha Bank— where he was responsible for overseeing extensive due diligence on property transactions. This experience taught him to apply the same rigorous standards that banks demand to safeguard their investments. Today, he brings that same level of scrutiny to private clients, ensuring every purchase is legally secure and risk-free.
Alongside his legal career, Yiannis broadened his expertise with a Master’s degree in Building Surveying from London South Bank University (LSBU) and professional experience in the UK, reflecting his strong interest in buildings and construction. This additional perspective complements his legal authority and allows him to identify both legal and practical risks in property transactions, giving clients comprehensive protection.
By combining legal authority with technical insight, Yiannis offers his clients comprehensive protection when buying or building property.. Fluent in English, Greek, and Italian, he has worked extensively with international buyers, making him a trusted partner for those seeking clarity and confidence in the Greek property market.
Our Latest Reviews:
"We recently completed the purchase of a beautiful property in the NE of Corfu. The purchase process was extremely long and complicated for a number of reasons (it took us almost 18 months to get from acceptance of offer to closing).
Fortunately, we were lucky enough to have Yiannis Martis as our lawyer during the entire ordeal.
Yiannis is a very rare combination of expert legal knowledge, a flexible and creative approach to solving problems, rock-solid client dedication and an ungodly level of patience and endurance.
And he is a very nice guy to boot.
Having gone through legal and procedural hell together with Yannis during this transaction, I can definitely vouch that he is the trusted legal advisor you want next to you if you need to go into battle.
Most strongly recommend for anyone (especially foreigners who are not aware of Greek legal and bureaucratic complexities) who want to close a property transaction.
I am always willing and available to provide additional detail if required, privately, on my wholehearted recommendation of Yiannis."
Jorgos Achtivassilis, Director (Customer Discovery and Innovation), Elsevier
14-3-2025
“Yiannis was a delight to deal with. Given the complexities of buying property in Greece (including the need to check that everything has been built in accordance with the original approved plans and legalising anything that has not), we were able to relax in the knowledge that Yiannis had everything covered. Whilst some lawyers may be happy to “take a view”, Yiannis (who speaks fluent English) ensures that no short cuts are taken so we won’t have any issues if/when we sell our villa. An added bonus is that Yiannis’s wife, Lucy, is a professional property search agent with all the connections required to find you your dream property. A great team!
Tris & Kate”
Tristan Head, Lawyer, Director & Group Chair of Cains Advocates
29-3-2025