Clarke Gittens Farmer

Managing Partner: Ramon Alleyne KC
Number of partners: 8
Number of lawyers: 25
Languages: English

Firm Overview:
Clarke Gittens Farmer was formed in 2002 through the merger of two firms, whose partners had practiced with some of the oldest and leading firms in Jamaica and Barbados, with the goal of establishing a strong and experienced full service firm based in Barbados, staffed by attorneys and consultants admitted to practice throughout the English-speaking Caribbean. Clarke Gittens Farmer has developed a reputation for high quality work in all of its practice areas and provides sound and timely advice to both domestic and international clients. Clarke Gittens Farmer is the Barbados member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries worldwide.

Main Areas of Practice:
Banking & Finance
Bankruptcy & Insolvency
Corporate Finance
Corporate/M&A
Employment
Energy
Estates/Probate
Intellectual Property
Litigation
Probate
Real Estate/Property Development
Securities

Banking & Finance:
Clarke Gittens Farmers’ clients include all of the local commercial banks in Barbados, leading finance companies and several insurance companies. Many of the large commercial houses which the firm represents are involved in a wide range of business enterprises in Barbados and across the region, from food production and distribution, securities companies and retail shops to property development and the hotel industry. The range of transactions includes commercial and retail lending and preparation of residential and commercial mortgages.
Contact: Stephen W. Farmer KC
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Bankruptcy & Insolvency:
Clarke Gittens Farmer has been involved in most of the proceedings instituted to date under the new bankruptcy and insolvency regime. Besides trustees, the firm also advises judicial managers, receivers and custodians in the performance of their duties for local and external companies.
Contact: Kevin Boyce
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Corporate Finance & M&A:
The firm’s international practice includes advising leading international financial institutions and major corporations in project and structured financing and securitisations involving corporate groups whose structure includes one or more Barbados entities, drafting various forms of loan and security documents including ship mortgages, reviewing and advising on transaction documentation, issuing enforceability and corporate status opinion letters, and advising on enforcement of security. The firm also advises local and international clients on amalgamations, corporate restructuring and acquisitions.
Contact: Gillian MH Clarke
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Intellectual Property:
The firm’s intellectual property practice group provides advice and registration services in all intellectual property areas, with a strong focus on trademark filings. The firm has a broad base of both local and international clients including some of the larger pharmaceutical companies and famous brand owners in a variety of industries such as clothing, food products, telecommunications, education and other services. This department also supports international transactions having an intellectual property component.
Contact: Rosalind Smith Millar KC
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Litigation:
Clarke Gittens Farmer has a strong regional and internationally trained litigation group which is perhaps the largest of its kind in Barbados. The main focus of the litigation group is providing quality advice, opinions and representation in a wide variety of commercial and corporate matters including: labour and employment law, representation at arbitrations, general civil law matters, personal injury actions, utility regulation, banking and consumer rights, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, property law, enforcement of securities and construction law. Clarke Gittens Farmer places tremendous emphasis on its clients’ commercial objectives and identifies tailored strategies to address their respective needs. Clarke Gittens Farmer focuses on providing a cost effective and timely resolution to client disputes and, where relevant, employs the appropriate alternative dispute resolution method to satisfy a client’s objectives. The expertise of the firm’s team of litigators is bolstered by the firm’s consultants, Sir Henry Forde KA, KC and G Clyde Turney, KC both of whom are highly respected litigators, each of whom has been in practice for over 40 years. They bring a wealth of knowledge, skill and experience to the firm’s team and its clients.
Contact: Ramon Alleyne KC
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Real Estate/Property Development:
The firm’s real estate practice group advises on matters relating to sale and purchase of real estate, commercial and residential property development, planning, leases and construction. The firm represents both local and nonresident high net worth individuals in the ownership and development of significant property holdings in Barbados. The firm’s property group is the largest on island and includes some of the most experienced lawyers locally. They are highly responsive and deeply familiar with the real estate market in Barbados, and are supported by the inhouse estates (probate) division. The firm advises and acts for most of the commercial banks and other institutional lenders who provide mortgage finance for commercial and residential property development. The firm’s services cover both securitisation and recoveries. Interacting closely with the corporate and commercial departments, the Property Group advises in and supports international transactions that include real property.
Contact: Stephen W. Farmer KC
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Capital Markets & Securities:
The firm advises both local and international arrangers in bond and notes issues by domestic entities in the domestic and international capital markets. It provides securities law advice to domestic and international clients who wish to register as market actors under the securities and mutual fund legislation. The firm also advises a number of international clients which wish to offer their products and services to sophisticated investors resident in Barbados. The firm acts in matters which require giving advice on (a) prospectus requirements and exemptions from these requirements and (b) listing and delisting from the local stock exchange.
Contact: Gillian MH Clarke
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]

Energy:
The firm represents the largest provider of electrical energy in Barbados and provides advice on rate hearing applications, contracts and policies arising from renewable energy projects and issues arising from the use of alternative energy sources such as the proposed importation of natural gas to Barbados. The firm also represents energy providers who are seeking to explore oil off the shores of Barbados.
Contact: Debbie Fraser
Tel: +246 436 6287
Email: [email protected]