.png)
Bridging Experience and Innovation in Legal Practice-Young Advocates Summit 2026
At the Young Advocates Summit held in Limassol on February 19-20, Kriton Papastergiou, co-founder & CEO of casepal, had the pleasure to attend this two-day event dedicated to the next generation of lawyers.
The Summit brings together experienced professionals and young advocates, with the goal of fostering meaningful exchange of knowledge, experience, and ideas. It creates a dynamic space for learning, practical training, and dialogue around the realities of legal practice.
.jpg)
Day 1: Technology, Drafting, and Professional Growth
The Summit opened with a keynote speech from the esteemed Stavros Pavlou, FCIArb, Bsc (Econ), Barrister, TEP, Executive Chairman at Patrikios Legal, who set the tone by addressing the evolving role of AI and technology in the legal profession. His message was clear: while technology is transforming legal practice, it cannot replace human legal judgment, strategic thinking, and the fundamental responsibilities that lawyers have toward their clients and the justice system.
The first day continued with a practical legal drafting workshop led by Constantina Zantira from Michael Kyprianou Law Firm and Savvas Theofanous from N. Pirilides & Associates LLC Law Chambers. Young lawyers engaged with real-world scenarios, identifying issues in hypothetical court submissions and learning best practices for effective legal writing.
A particularly insightful session on professional growth followed, delivered by Victoria Papagianni from Chrysostomides Advocates & Legal Consultants and Marina Hadjisoteriou FCIArb from Patrikios Legal. The interactive discussion, supported by live polling through Mentimeter, revealed that 86.4% of attendees view AI as a valuable tool they need to learn more about. Consequently, the session addressed practical challenges such as AI hallucinations, concerns about over-dependence on technology, and the critical question of when to use AI tools and when to rely on traditional methods.
Day 2: Procedure, Practice, and Advocacy
Day 2 began with remarks from Myron Nikolatos, Former President of the Supreme Court, who reflected on the role of the lawyer in the proper administration of justice. His address traced the profession's evolution from the challenges posed by COVID-19 measures to the contemporary issues facing lawyers nowadays.
Nikolas Kyriakidis from the Civil Procedure Unit provided a comprehensive review of two years of implementation under the New Civil Procedure Rules, offering young lawyers valuable insights into how procedural changes have shaped litigation practice in Cyprus.
Panagiotis Kakouridis from Crowdbase delivered one of the day's most practical sessions on supporting start-ups. His central insight was clear: investors and founders want deals to close. The key to effective legal support lies in understanding clear objectives, maintaining a practical approach, and applying legal precision only where it truly matters, avoiding over-lawyering that can derail transactions.
The morning session concluded with a deep dive into alternative dispute resolution, led by Polyvios Panagidis from Chrysses Demetriades & Co LLC and Konstantinos Kliridis from Phoebus, Christos Clerides & Associates LLC. The speakers provided both strategic frameworks and practical tools for modern ADR practice.
Afterwards, Antonia Argyrou from Antonia Argyrou LLC and Irena Markitani from A.G. Erotocritou LLC delivered an exceptional advocacy workshop. The session moved seamlessly from theory to practice, equipping participants with immediately applicable skills for courtroom advocacy.
The Young Advocates Summit exemplifies the type of professional development initiative that the legal community needs. By combining substantive legal training with practical skills development and open dialogue about the profession's challenges, including the integration of new technologies as AI — the Summit addresses the real needs of young lawyers entering an evolving legal landscape.
Casepal is committed to enabling younger lawyers to navigate through our profession and championing through domain-specific AI. We are thankful to Adroulla Poutziouris and the European Legal Training Centre, with the support of the Cyprus Bar Association, for organizing a Summit that addresses exactly what young lawyers need.