Legal Services

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Services Overview

If you are a client looking for assistance, you’ve come to the right place.

We know that you are seeking a set of Law Chambers with practitioners who will listen to your concerns, understand your needs and help craft a practical solution to your legal problem. We understand that you want measurable returns for your investment in our services, and that is why performing work in a timely manner is an imperative for all of our practitioners and support staff.

Areas of Law

• Industries
• Business/Transactional
• Financial Services
• Intellectual Property
• Private Client Services
• Litigation
• Real Estate
• Regulatory

Practice Areas

Litigation – Elizabeth Law Chambers has long been established as one of the leading litigation practices in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Corporate/Commercial Law – Our corporate and commercial practice advises clients on a complete range of business law matters.

Taxation – We advise on the formation of investment and other tax efficient asset settlement structures in the International Financial Services Sector.

Corporate/Commercial Law

Our corporate and commercial practice advises clients on a complete range of business law matters. Typically, in addition to providing general advice, we have expertise in one or more specific areas of business law such as business organization, company formation, corporate governance, securities law, mergers and acquisitions, finance and investment, domestic trade and international trade, antitrust and regulation and other government regulation of business and investment.

Our expertise is applied over a broad range of regional, national and international economic sectors including finance, retailing, franchising, leasing, manufacturing, communications, transportation, agency and distribution, and professional services.

Our clients include private companies of varying sizes, partnerships, joint ventures, trade and professional associations, entrepreneurs and early-stage companies and non-profit organizations.

Litigation

Elizabeth Law Chambers has long been established as one of the leading litigation practices in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the chambers continues to conduct a wide range of litigation matters both domestic and international. The practice has gained an international reputation in litigation being involved in matters at all court levels throughout the Eastern Caribbean and up to the level of the Privy Council in London.

The broad range of areas of expertise which we undertake for our clients include:

  • Personal and real property
  • Enforcement of foreign judgements
  • Contracts and civil obligations
  • Insolvency, particularly winding-up
  • Banking
  • Debt recovery & enforcement of security
  • Professional negligence
  • Admiralty, shipping & aviation
  • Personal injury
  • Shareholder disputes
  • Defamation
  • Employment Insurance
Real Estate/Conveyance

Our qualified team of lawyers advises banks, contractors, property development companies and other professional firms as well as private clients, on all aspects of the acquisition, leasing and disposal of industrial, commercial and residential property including hotels, offices and shops. The areas of practice include:

  • Commercial and residential sales, purchases and leases including tenancy agreements.
  • Property mortgage and security enforcement.
  • User restrictions and deed of mutual covenants.
  • Will and probate & administration of estates.
  • St. Vincent Land Holding Licence.
  • Property joint ventures.
  • Property development and financing.
  • Property and land disputes.
Intellectual Property

Practice with a client base consisting of small to medium corporations and international law firms, to specialist IP boutique firms representing some of the world’s largest IP portfolios.

Our IP services include registrations of trade marks and patents, and renewals and assignments of trade marks.

While our aim is to avoid expensive contentious proceedings, we are prepared to defend our client’s rights in opposition proceedings before the courts.

Shipping/ Maritime Law

Elizabeth Law Chambers has maintained a steady admiralty and shipping practice for over 25 years. Our practitioners offer expertise particularly in the areas of registration of vessels, advice on ship financing and mortgaging, sale and purchase of charter vessels, maritime and statutory liens, admiralty litigation practice, arrest and detention of vessels and in the implementation of maritime claims against vessels.

As Registered Shipping Agents we provide administrative services to all types of shipping fleets. Whether it be the preparation of ship station licenses, radio operator licenses, safe manning certificates and endorsements just to name a few.

Employment Law

Elizabeth Law Chambers’ practitioners advise on all aspects of employment law in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Our services cover the review of employee-related communications, contracts of employment, immigration and international relocation issues and advising on employment related disputes of all kinds.

We are currently engaged in one of the highest profiled and most lengthy cases involving the wrongful dismissal of employees in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Negligence (General)

We conduct the pursuit and defence of claims for negligence. The legal cornerstones of a successful claim in negligence are:

  • the existence in law of a duty of care situation (i.e one in which the law attaches liability to carelessness);
  • there has to be recognition by law that the careless infliction of the kind of damage complained of on the class of person to which the claimant belongs by the class of person to which the defendant belongs is actionable;
  • breach of the duty of care by the defendant (i.e that the conduct complained of fails to measure up to the standard set by law); a causal connection between the defendant’s careless conduct and the damage;
  • and that the particular kind of damage to the particular claimant is not so unforeseeable as to be too remote.

When these 4 requirements are satisfied, the defendant is liable in negligence. Only then is it relevant to consider the assessment of damages (i.e. the compensation for the damage for which the defendant is responsible).

Liability for negligence can overlap with other bases of civil claim: for example, nuisance, libel, breach of statutory duty, deceit, trespass, unlawful interference with contract and unfair competition.

Our practitioners have the resources to undertake litigation and arbitration in relation to claims for damages for negligence in personal injury and commercial disputes.

Taxation

We advise on the formation of investment and other tax efficient asset settlement structures in the International Financial Services Sector, in addition to corporate tax VAT and other indirect taxes and on private client tax issues.

The inception of the 2006 Value Added Tax Act has presented new challenges for both local and international businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs operating in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We offer sound practical advice to assist you in making the right business decisions.

Debt Recovery

At Elizabeth Law Chambers we offer debt collection services for all sizes of companies. Our Practitioners have credit control experience in a wide range of sectors. Our services include:

  • Advice on credit control procedures and terms and conditions of business
  • Letters before action
  • Issue of Court proceedings
  • Disputed claims
  • Enforcement action

With our advice, you can improve your existing internal debt recovery procedures; allow us to act on your behalf in recovering outstanding debts. If court proceedings do arise we will conduct proceedings on your behalf.

Insolvency

Our practice includes corporate winding-up (liquidation) on various grounds, including “just and equitable” winding-up of different types of entities such as banks, insurance companies, investment funds and dissolution of partnerships; appointment and removal of liquidators, receivers and controllers; matters concerning liquidators, receivers and controllers rights and duties; cross-border and international insolvency; securing corporate assets; the full range of claims by and against liquidators, controllers, receivers and provisional liquidators.

Insurance

Elizabeth Law Chambers has established a reputable practice acting for insurers, self-insurers and agents. We offer our services in corporate and commercial insurances, personal injury and product liability.

We can advise on general and life insurance, policy wording and agency arrangements for existing and innovative insurance products.

Enforcement of Foreign Judgments

Elizabeth Law Chambers is dedicated to helping St. Vincent and the Grenadines and International Companies initiate post judgement remedies related to creditor debt collections. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Domestication of foreign judgments – this is the process whereby judgments or final determinations from foreign nations are recorded in St. Vincent. Thereafter, collection efforts can be commenced.
  • Injunctions – in certain circumstances, a creditor may have the need to move quickly and quietly secure the debtor’s assets at the commencement of an action or prior to the rendition of a final judgment.
  • Foreclosure of mortgages, liens and security interests – this is the process whereby real property or personal property for which security has been given in exchange for payment of the extension of credit is foreclosed.
  • Garnishments – this is the process whereby a creditor can obtain the debtor’s property which is in the hands of the third party. Typically, this method is used to obtain the debtor’s funds which are located in a bank or other financial institution.
Wills, Probate & Administration of Estates

Counsel at Elizabeth law Chambers have extensive expertise in the drafting of wills, trusts and related matters. We aim to provide clear guidance throughout the process of probate or administration and settlement of estates.