With international business and cross-border transactions increasing dramatically, a partner in a local law firm said it is critical for Bahamians practicing law to keep pace with legal precedence, trends and changes in other jurisdictions.
Fresh from attending the International Lawyers Network (ILN) 2013 conference in Miami, Halsbury Chambers partner, Nerissa Greene, said issues of taxation, employment, energy and natural resources - once thought to be local - have such global repercussions today that attorneys who practice in The Bahamas need to keep abreast of evolving trends.
"It is no longer a luxury to remain abreast of changing judicial precedent, practices and procedures in other parts of the world, it is essential," said Greene, who specializes in real estate, conveyancing, family law, and civil and corporate law. "As responsible legal advisors and consultants, we must be 110 percent current with the ever-evolving face of law."
Although much of the conference focused on energy production and dissemination, including issues related to natural gas and fracking that don't pertain to The Bahamas, the value of seeing how fast law was being created in new fields could not be underestimated, Greene said.
"I think there is a misconception among the general public that law is static, that it's what is written in those leather-bound books that dominate law libraries. The reality is that while principles largely remain constant, nuances in the law change with great frequency and the procedural matters, evidentiary requirements, standards are always under scrutiny and can flip with a single case that sets new precedent," said the attorney who first rose to prominence by highlighting the benefits of pre-nuptial agreements.
Greene said attending the ILN 2013 conference also allowed her to network with attorneys from Asia, the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Europe. Membership in the ILN is limited and by invitation only. Halsbury Chambers is the official Bahamas member of the association of 91 high-quality, full-service law firms with over 5,000 lawyers world-wide. The ILN provides clients with easily accessible legal services in 67 countries on six continents.
"As attorneys, particularly in civil matters, we represent clients who may have interests in multiple jurisdictions so whether those clients are individuals or large enterprises, we need to be prepared to advise them appropriately because they may be comparing doing business in The Bahamas with doing business elsewhere," said Greene, "and that counsel can range from employment to taxation matters."
Greene's participation in the international conference was the second by a Halsbury Chambers attorney in recent weeks.
Earlier in November, estate planning specialist Mikia Cooper, a Halsbury Chambers associate, attended the 1st Annual Private Wealth Latin America and the Caribbean Forum in Miami, helping to boost the profile of The Bahamas. Minister of Financial Services Ryan Pinder was among the speakers at that conference, touting this country's competence in handling the most complex of wealth, asset management and investment matters.
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