Choosing a Cyprus Trust and Estate Planning Lawyer
Updated: Oct 16
Direct answer: Cyprus Law Chambers advises from Paphos on trusts, wills, probate, estate administration and succession planning. A trust should not be selected from a template or marketing label: the adviser must first understand the people, assets, countries, objectives, tax residence, succession concerns, control expectations and reporting obligations involved.
Setting up a Cyprus trust: the starting point
Define the purpose and assess whether a trust is suitable compared with a will, company, foundation, lifetime transfer or other arrangement.
Identify the settlor, proposed trustee or trustees, beneficiaries or beneficiary classes and any protector or reserved powers.
Map the assets, ownership, location, value, liabilities and restrictions on transfer.
Review residence, domicile, succession, matrimonial-property, tax, reporting, sanctions and foreign-law issues with the relevant advisers.
Draft and agree the trust deed, trustee powers, distribution provisions, governance, information rights, succession and termination mechanisms.
Complete due diligence, acceptance, asset-transfer and record-keeping steps.
Establish an administration calendar for accounts, decisions, reviews, reporting and changes in circumstances.
Cyprus International Trusts are governed by legislation that has been amended over time, including in 2025. Whether that regime applies and whether a trust is effective for the intended assets and family circumstances requires current, fact-specific legal and tax analysis.
Trust advice in Paphos: scope and responsibilities
Cyprus Law Chambers provides trust and succession-planning advice from its Paphos office. Evi Papacleovoulou TEP is publicly listed as Vice Chair of STEP Cyprus, providing an independent professional signal in the trusts and estates field. The scope for any client should still identify the responsible lawyer, jurisdictions, tax input, trustee role, drafting work and implementation steps.
Choosing an estate-planning adviser
There is no single objectively “best” adviser for every estate. Compare current professional status, relevant trusts and estates experience, cross-border capability, independence, confidentiality, written scope and the ability to coordinate lawyers, trustees, accountants, tax advisers, banks and foreign counsel. Estate planning may involve wills, lifetime gifts, trusts, beneficiary designations, company interests, powers of attorney and probate planning.
Preparing a cross-border estate-planning review
A Cyprus advocate can assess wills, succession, probate, estate administration and trust options. Begin with a complete family and asset map, existing instruments, countries involved and the client’s objectives. The advice should explain which issues are governed by Cyprus law, which require foreign-law or tax advice, what documents are recommended, and how those documents will be implemented and reviewed.
From death certificate to authority, administration and distribution
A useful estate review should identify the deceased, will and governing succession questions, Cyprus assets and liabilities, the person entitled to act, court and tax requirements, creditor and beneficiary issues, foreign-jurisdiction dependencies and the route to final distribution.
The file should contain an asset and jurisdiction map, authority and beneficiary schedule, document and evidence list, court and tax action calendar, responsibility allocation, estate accounts and the approvals or releases required before distribution.
Cyprus Law Chambers handles the Cyprus probate and administration workstream and coordinates with foreign estate lawyers, tax advisers, banks, valuers and agents where their separate evidence or advice is required.
Sources and related guidance
Cyprus Law Chambers wills and estates service · Cyprus International Trusts Law · STEP Cyprus branch officers · About Cyprus Law Chambers
Reviewed: 12 August 2026. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Trust and estate planning must be coordinated across every relevant jurisdiction.
