With nearly three decades of experience in the legal and technology sectors, Space Hellas General Counsel Konstantinos Argyropoulos reflects on his journey as an international lawyer, from studying law in Athens, Paris II, and Harvard to leading the legal team of a multinational tech company.
CEELM: Tell us a bit about yourself and the career path you took leading up to your current role.
Argyropoulos: I’ve spent nearly 30 years working in and around law and technology, which might seem unexpected for a lawyer. When I started my postgraduate studies at Paris II in the mid-90s, the internet was still in its infancy. By the time I continued my postgraduate studies at Harvard Law School in the late 90s, the digital revolution was well underway, and I focused my research on how technology was reshaping the legal world.
When I returned to Greece, I started engaging with tech companies and exploring their legal needs. After just a few interviews, a major player, Space Hellas, offered me a role as their first in-house lawyer. At the time, IT companies were only starting to realize how important it was to have an in-house legal team capable of understanding technology. I built the company’s legal department from the ground up, setting up policies and collaborating with other professionals. Since then, the industry has evolved dramatically. Today, Space Hellas is publicly listed on the Athens Stock Exchange and has grown into an international IT group with around 800 employees. As the Group General Counsel and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, I now lead a team of 10 colleagues – quite a solid team by Greek standards.
CEELM: What was the primary motivation for staying in-house for such a long period of time?
Argyropoulos: One of the biggest factors for staying in-house for such a long time was the strong, trust-based relationships with shareholders, the board of directors, and the management team. Their consistent support and confidence in the work being done created a stable and rewarding environment.
Additionally, a deep passion for law and technology on a domestic and international level played a significant role, as working within the tech group allowed for continuous engagement with cutting-edge innovations that evolved over time. Another key factor was the opportunity to collaborate with young, talented individuals who brought fresh ideas and perspectives to the table. This exchange of ideas was not only fascinating but also kept the work dynamic and intellectually stimulating, making it a fulfilling place to stay for many years.
CEELM: How large is your in-house team currently, and how is it structured?
Argyropoulos: As Group General Counsel, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, I oversee the legal team, also responsible for the compliance unit, which is part of the legal department. Basically, our team is of a diverse profile – technology-oriented and focused on separate cases between public and private sectors (including corporate governance, capital markets, ESG, and compliance) having specialized colleagues dedicated accordingly, while also having colleagues to support our subsidiaries, including a big software house, and our international presence in Malta, Serbia, Cyprus, the Netherlands, and Jordan. Our two experienced assistants give us a strong advantage.
For complex cases outside our expertise, we collaborate with external law firms in Greece and abroad.
CEELM: What has been keeping you and your in-house team busy over the last 12 months? What about the upcoming 12 months?
Argyropoulos: As an IT group, we’re deeply involved in AI, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. Over the last years, we’ve been expanding our interest in digital transformation and cybersecurity, and over the last year, we have been taking initiatives to integrate more fresh and safe IT solutions to cover the ecosystem’s needs and our working environment. AI is a hot topic, but from a legal standpoint, we need to look beyond the hype and focus on the real challenges – data quality, security, ethics, and compliance. Not all AI-driven solutions are reliable, especially with Agentic AI, and we need to evaluate which ones are worth adopting.
Looking ahead, AI will continue to transform how we work. Up until now, technology has had clear limits – we’ve used only a part of it for processing environments, emails, mobile & Wi-Fi communication, social media, streaming and gaming technologies, and basic automation. But we’re now at a turning point where AI can improve efficiency in ways we never imagined, from basic customized AI tools to AI agents, as machine learning tools expand dynamically, in various fields, like contract drafting, interactive legal search engines, filling, automated on-line communication, text to voice applications, real-time translations, legal management, predictive tools, real-time participation in various meetings or forums etc. This is an exciting time to implement these tools strategically while ensuring that legal and ethical safeguards are in place.
Cybersecurity is another major focus. We need to refine our response protocols for cyberattacks, which – unfortunately – tend to happen at the worst possible times, usually on a Friday evening. Legal teams should be very well educated and have experience, as in-house lawyers will be second in line after the security team when responding to these incidents. Having clear guidelines and a well-prepared team is essential, and we’re continuously improving our approach.
CEELM: How do you decide whether to outsource a project or handle it in-house?
Argyropoulos: It depends on the complexity of the case. If it’s a major investment, a merger, or an acquisition, we typically bring in external counsel to ensure we have the right expertise and an objective perspective. These cases require specialized knowledge, and outside counsel can add an extra layer of security for both our legal team and the management.
For day-to-day legal matters, we handle most of the work internally. However, for high-stakes matters, especially those involving multiple jurisdictions, having external legal opinions helps us navigate risks more effectively.
CEELM: When picking external counsel, what criteria do you use?
Argyropoulos: Experience is the most important factor. Large law firms may have broad expertise, but we prioritize finding individual lawyers within those firms who have deep knowledge of our specific areas of need. It’s also essential to meet the entire team, not just the lead partner, to make sure their working style aligns with ours.
As a publicly listed company on the Athens Stock Exchange, we also have additional related responsibilities when picking an external counsel, for example, to ESG and diversity criteria, which influence our approach to governance and compliance.
CEELM: What do you foresee as the main challenges for GCs in Greece in the near/mid future?
Argyropoulos: The biggest challenge will be integrating and working with the AI tools effectively into legal departments. This isn’t just about using new technology – it’s about changing company policies, training staff, and shifting mindsets. Lawyers need to embrace AI rather than fear it. Every time I give a speech in a legal forum, I see packed rooms full of lawyers eager to understand how AI can help them. The key is not just recognizing the value of these tools but implementing them in a way that enhances our work safely rather than replacing critical thinking.
Overall, I have a positive outlook on AI. We can’t ignore the changes happening around us. We live in a new era, and resisting technology will only hold us back. Instead, we need to find ways to use AI responsibly while keeping the human aspects of our profession intact. Face-to-face communication will always be essential, but AI can streamline processes and make us more efficient.
Just recently, mobile companies announced new AI-driven phones. We also use new AI desktops or laptops and new AI versions of software. I believe this is just the beginning of a wave of innovations. The legal profession must keep up. For me, the challenge is not just understanding technology but making it work for us. My vision is to build a legal department that’s fully equipped with cutting-edge technology, allowing us to work smarter and safer, adapt faster, and continue providing high-level legal support to our organization. Let’s think about AI – technology-oriented in-house ecosystems in corporate environments!
This article was originally published in Issue 12.2 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
