Nicholas P Cruz

Practice Areas

Practice Areas

Nicholas P Cruz (“Nick”) has been a commercial litigator and barrister, practicing in Gibraltar, for the last 34 years appearing in courts (as lead counsel) at every level, including Employment Tribunals, Gibraltar Supreme Court, the Gibraltar, Court of Appeal and also in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He also has a very busy commercial, chancery, insolvency and trust practice, in Gibraltar. He undertakes public law work (primarily within the regulatory and commercial sectors).

Significant recent case work includes:

1. Representing leading (big four) international accountancy practice in relation to the liquidation of an international law firm and the bankruptcies of the partners, including in excess of 15 appearances before Supreme Court, 7 appearances before the Court of Appeal and an appearance before the Privy Council (Lords Neuberger, Wilson, Reed, Carnwath and Toulson);

2. Acting for Big 4 accountancy firms in numerous insolvency matters in the Supreme Court involving liquidations including those of Funds, Insurance companies, involving recovery actions in the Supreme Court for malpractice, breach of fiduciary duties and fraudulent and or insolvent trading;

3. Acting for vessel owners, mortgagees, cargo owners and crew in admiralty matters instructed by specialist London and international admiralty practices;

4. Instructed by magic circle firm to represent a leading international insurer in a fatal accident case involving several Supreme Court and related actions;

5. Unfair Dismissal actions in the Employment Tribunal and Appeal Courts for primarily employers and specifically public bodies;

6. Acting for Gibraltar Health Authority and Royal Gibraltar Police on Employment and Judicial review and other matters.

7. Advising on regulatory matters particularly the Financial Services Act 2019 and appearing before the Financial Services Commission: Decision-Making-Committee in sanctioning matters for licensees (primarily Insurers).

8. Acting for private clients in very substantial defamation cases including against liquidator and regulatory authority;

9. Acting for the Royal Gibraltar Policy as core participants in a well-publicized Public Inquiry;

10. Consideration and advising on FATCA, CRS and other international tax and exchange of information initiative;

Over the years Nick has been involved in very many numerous reported cases. Nick’s practice is and has been varied, with particular focus on dispute resolution, insolvency, employment, corporate/ commercial work. Nick has also had a strong commercial practice and as an individual an appreciation of commercial matters. Nick is also an Insolvency Practitioner (for voluntary Liquidations).

Whilst Nick is known primarily for his robust approach to litigation, he understands that in today’s global market, it is not sufficient to view any business or legal problem in isolation and provide a litigious or academic response only. To be a good lawyer or businessman today, he believes we must provide a practical, realistic and cost-effective solution that can be implemented as quickly as possible to ensure minimum disruption to our clients. There must be life beyond any challenge and problems should be viewed as possible opportunities. Nick tackles legal problems head on, knowing when to temper aggression with pragmatism and a commercial outlook.

As the founder and MP of Cruzlaw LLP (that owes it origins to Cruz & Co the firm Nick established in 1996) and the Acquarius Trust Group (its associated trust & company management firm), he has developed a strong and diverse law firm doing just that.

Nick was until June 2022 the Chairman of the Gibraltar Finance Centre Council (a Government consultative body) and the Chairman of the Association of Trust & Company Managers (the latter for in excess of 10 years).

Nick is a non-executive director of Acquarius Trust and Savills Gibraltar and has been a NED of leading financial institutions in Gibraltar including Lloyds Bank (Gibraltar) Limited. He has advised Government on numerous matters including double taxation networks and legislation.

Personal

Nick is married with 3 children all grown up now, and outside law enjoys politics and sport, particularly sailing, rugby (watching only now) martial arts and hill walking.

Languages Spoken

English & Spanish