Griffiths & Partners

Managing Partner: Conrad Griffiths, KC

Number of partners: 5

Number of lawyers: 10

Languages: English, Italian, French and Russian 

(conversational) 

Firm Overview: 

Griffiths & Partners (“G&P”) is a leading, full service commercial law firm of attorneys based in the Turks and Caicos Islands (the “TCI”).

G&P attorneys are experienced in advising international

clients, law firms and other intermediaries, in respect of TCI law. The firm’s

expertise is in a broad field of disciplines, which is required in order to

practice in, and meet the demands of, an offshore jurisdiction.

The firm is part of G&P Group, one of the largest

professional service teams in the TCI, offering legal, trust and company

management and formation services. G&P Group also includes Coriats Trust

Company (a TCI Licensed Trusts Company which has been the leading Trust Company

in the TCI for over 40 years, having Trust License Number One in the TCI, and

is regulated and licensed by the TCI Financial Services Commission) and G&P

Corporate Services (the Group’s specialist, TCI licensed company manager).

G&P Group offers international standards of responsiveness, integrity and

quality, allied to deep local TCI knowledge and relationships, and has a

powerful international network of allied firms and relationships in every major

country in the world to better enable it to help and support clients to achieve

their goals.

G&P attorneys are regularly involved in the highest profile

legal and business work in the TCI. The attorneys are internationally qualified

and are also admitted to practice in the TCI. The firm is led by senior partner

Conrad Griffiths KC, who has 20+ years’ experience in the jurisdiction. The

other partners at the firm are David Stewart, David Cadman, Oliver Chapman and

Luca Bonetto.

Main Areas of Practice: 

Corporate:  

G&P provides strategic corporate, commercial and business

advice to investors, stakeholders, partners and businesses already in, or

seeking to invest in, the TCI. The firm advises on complex domestic and

cross-border M&A transactions, restructurings, joint ventures, strategic

alliances and expansion into new markets, as well as corporate governance.

New legislation in the TCI came into force in January 2019 which

require entities carrying on specific types of businesses, or relevant

activities, to demonstrate adequate economic substance in the jurisdiction.

The firm offers trademark and other intellectual property

registration services in the TCI, including a full range of contentious and

non-contentious services relating to intellectual property protection, and also

provides business and immigration support to assist clients throughout the

application process for business licenses, work and residency permits.

Recent instructions include advising on telecommunications

agreements, acquisitions of gaming businesses, sale of significant on-Island

businesses to international investors, joint venture setting up a complex

international structure for a substantial medical devices business based in

Europe, and a comprehensive corporate restructuring for a significant Group

having interests in several Caribbean jurisdictions. G&P have also recently

advised on the formation of a captive insurer for a large US group of care

homes and in regards to a reinsurance entity with capitalization in excess of

US$100 million.

Contact: Luca Bonetto

Email: 

[email protected]

Banking, Finance 

& Regulatory: 

G&P advises domestic and international clients (including

financial and banking institutions, global corporations, professional and

public bodies, family offices, and private investors) on financial

transactions, refinancing, real estate finance, and asset finance.

Recent instructions include advising a banking group on the TCI

law aspects of the acquisition of a leading bank having significant operations

in the TCI and several other Caribbean jurisdictions, a leading commercial and

wealth management bank on regulatory requirements relating to establishing a

presence in the TCI, a major resort owner and developer on refinancing’s of a

loan facility and development loan, and an institutional banking group on the

TCI law aspects of a revolving credit facility to a TCI borrower for the

purposes of a hotel acquisition in another Caribbean jurisdiction.

Contact: Luca Bonetto

Email: 

[email protected]

Litigation: 

G&P has been involved with the highest profile litigation,

dispute resolution and restructurings in the TCI in recent years, including a

$50m civil recovery claim arising from an $850m proposed development in the

TCI. This was the highest value litigation in the TCI’s history. The firm

continues to be involved in major litigation matters in the TCI’s Supreme Court

and the Court of Appeal in a wide range of contentious matters including civil

recovery, judicial review, public inquiries, commercial litigation, insurance,

trusts, divorce (including financial orders) and employment law. The firm

regularly works with international law firms in multi-jurisdictional

litigation.

Recent instructions include advising on large multinational

litigation matters including claims in excess of US$300 million for a TCI

incorporated entity involved in litigation in New York, Scandinavia and London.

The firm was recently also involved in high profile judicial review proceedings

in relation to development and planning, and in several significant cases in

respect of strata corporations in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and

the Privy Council.

Contact: Conrad Griffiths

and David Cadman

Email: 

[email protected] or [email protected]

Real Estate: 

G&P is regularly involved in the highest profile and value

real estate, development and property financing transactions undertaken in the

TCI. These have included acting on a major judicial review concerning planning

permission for a US$200 million hotel project, acting for the vendor in the

sale of a resort for US$70+ million, advising a major resort owner in

connection with the refinancing of a US$40+ million facility, acting for a

developer on a US$25+ million development loan.

The firm regularly acts for individuals on the sale and

acquisition of high-end villas and condos, and have recently advised on three

major developments in the TCI ranging in developed value from US$40 million to

US$250 million. The firm also has a wealth of experience in the negotiation of

MOUs and development agreements with the TCI Government on behalf prospective

developers.

Contact: Oliver Chapman

Email:[email protected]

Trust & Private Clients: 

G&P offers broad, cost effective and expert trust services,

advising on trust structuring under TCI law in conjunction with the firm’s

allied licensed Trust Manager, Coriats. Coriats is one of the largest providers

of trust and private client services in the TCI. The firm also advises

trustees, beneficiaries and protectors on their rights and obligations. The

firm has deep experience in working with overseas accountants, lawyers, and

banks in the provision of advice and structures to internationally wealthy clients.

The partners of G&P have recently held numerous trust advisory roles,

including a substantial corporate reorganization of a trust owned international

corporation.

Contact: David Stewart and

Luca Bonetto

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]