Graham Thompson

Managing Partner: Judith Whitehead

Number of partners: 18

Number of attorneys: 36

Firm Overview:

Graham Thompson has been one of the pre-eminent law firms in the Bahamas since 1950. The firm operates four offices in The Bahamas, including two locations in New Providence, its main office in downtown Nassau, and an office in Lyford Cay; plus offices in Freeport, Grand Bahama; and in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. Graham Thompson is at the forefront in serving the two principal sectors of the economy, the tourism and hospitality industry and the financial services and banking sector, and excels at handling all transactional aspects of finance and property. Additionally, the firm has internationally recognised expertise in all areas of the offshore financial arena, particularly in banking, finance, securities and trusts. The Graham Thompson litigation team is sought after for its experience in handling complex litigation matters, for working with clients on time sensitive matters in all courts through to the Privy Council, and for providing alternative dispute resolution solutions.

Main Areas of Practice:

Property:

The firm represents a number of the largest local hotels, banks and commercial institutions, and its private client representation extends to ultra- high net worth individuals and family groups.The firm is a leader in advising and representing both private and institutional clients as lenders, developers and operators, in all manner of real estate related planning and transactions, including:-

• General Private Client advice and representation;
• Residential and Commercial Property sale/acquisition and other divestment;
• Project development and structuring,including for hotel/resorts, marinas, subdivisions, condominiums and other mixed- use projects;
• Real estate- backed mortgages and financings, and lender representation or diligence work;
• Title Insurance arrangement for purchases and mortgages;
• Real estate related tax and regulatory matters and applications;
• Commercial and Residential property Leasing and licensing;
• Advice on planning and environmental regulations, requirements and applications;
• Title investigations and dispute advice.

Contacts: Dana Wells, Andrew Wells, Erica Paine, Willie Moss, Alistair Chisnall

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Hospitality & Leisure:

The firm has played a leading role in almost every major acquisition and sale of hotel and resort properties in the Bahamas. It represents the leading developers in the hospitality sector and has extensive experience negotiating contractual arrangements with the government and other parties. Its attorneys are sought after by developers and financiers of mixed-use resorts, condominiums and second home development projects.

Contacts: Dana Wells, Andrew Wells, Erica Paine, Willie Moss, Alistair Chisnall,

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],

Gaming:

The firm’s lawyers advise on the gaming, gambling and leisure sectors on a wide range of gaming and gambling law issues.

Financial and Corporate Services:

The firm offers specialised advice and related services in the planning, structuring, and execution of diverse and complex corporate transactions in the industrial, banking, insurance hospitality, construction, healthcare, telecommunications and energy sectors. The firm also possesses expertise in all areas of the financial services industry, whether in relation to investment funds, unit trusts, private equity funds, IPOs, securities or pension schemes. The firm has a multi-disciplinary banking and finance team that advises leading international and Bahamian banks and trust companies, insurance companies and other fiduciary service providers on a wide spectrum of domestic and international business activity from licencing and regulatory issues, financing products, commercial lending, structured finance transactions and cross border securitization, to complex public private sector financing. Advice in this area is multi-layered and involves risk management, outsourcing, employment and the full range of government and regulatory interface and applications.

Corporate & Securities:

Contacts: Sean McWeeney, KC, Michelle Pindling-Sands, Tanya Hanna, Anastasia Campbell, Aliya Allen

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], trh@gtclaw. com, [email protected], [email protected]

Regulatory Legislation:

The firm is prominent in advising respective governments on new legislation and policy in international and domestic OECD/EU/FATF initiatives.

Contacts: Aliya Allen

Emails: [email protected]

Corporate Finance:

Contacts: Dana Wells, Aliya Allen

Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

Liquidations, Insolvency & Restructuring:

Contacts: Sean McWeeney, KC

Emails: [email protected]

Investment Funds & Securities:

Contacts: Aliya Allen

Emails: [email protected]

Blockchain and Digital Assets:

Contact: Aliya Allen

Email: [email protected]

Insurance:

Contact: Anastasia Campbell

Email: [email protected]

Litigation & Dispute Resolution:

The firm’s litigators play a leading role in most major disputes in the trusts, estates and financial services industries, the commercial, construction and industrial sectors of the Bahamian economy, and in contentious shipping and aviation matters all aspects of property, divorce and family and insolvency disputes.

Construction Litigation:

Contacts: Leif Farquharson, KC

Emails: [email protected],

Trusts and Estates Litigation:

Contacts: Sean McWeeney, KC, Leif Farquharson, KC, Adrian Hunt, John Minns

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], amh@gtclaw. com, [email protected]

Real Estate Litigation:

Contacts: Dwayne Fernander, Michela Ellis, John Minns

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Shipping:

Contact: Dwayne Fernander

Email: [email protected]

Divorce and Matrimonial:

Contacts: Judith Whitehead, Michela Ellis

Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

Insolvency:

Contacts: Sean McWeeney KC, Leif Farquharson, KC, Adrian Hunt

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Trusts, Estates & Private Clients:

The firm is recognised as a leading law firm in the trust and estate planning area, with expertise in developing sophisticated estate planning structures, including private and purpose trusts, private trust companies, special purpose corporate entities, exempted limited partnerships and foundations and charities.

Trusts:

Contacts: Sean McWeeney KC, Tanya Hanna

Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

Estates, Wills & Probate:

Contacts: Tanya Hanna

Emails: [email protected]

Private Clients:

Contacts: Sean McWeeney, KC, Judith Whitehead

Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

Immigration:

The firm provides specialist advice on all aspects of immigration including citizenship, work permits, permanent residence and annual residence. The firm has substantial expertise working with multi-jurisdictional companies and individuals on all aspects of Bahamian labour and employment law.

Contacts: Judith Whitehead, Willie Moss, Kendira Turnquest

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Employment & Labour:

Contacts: Leif Farquharson, KC, Adrian Hunt, John Minns, Dwayne Fernander, Michela Ellis

Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Shipping & Admiralty:

The Bahamas is the third largest shipping registry in the world, with 50 million gross tonnage of ships flying the Bahamas flag around the globe. The firm has a substantial shipping and admiralty practice and represents the owners of several of the worlds largest cruise ship lines freight and tanker fleets.

Contentious:

Contacts: Dwayne Fernander

Emails: [email protected]

Transactional:

Contact: Michelle Pindling-Sands

Email: [email protected]