Samuel Marrache
Course Leader and Speaker on The Gibraltar Legal System
Barrister
Hassans International Law Firm
Speakers
Sam is a Senior Associate (Barrister) in the Litigation Department of Hassans International Law Firm Limited. Sam has experience in a wide range of civil and criminal matters, specialising in commercial litigation, and has appeared regularly in the Gibraltar courts. Sam’s litigation practice involves a number of areas including commercial disputes, trust law, landlord and tenant disputes, competition law and libel cases.
Sam read Law at University College London (UCL) and graduated with First Class Honours, top of his class, in 2020. He was honoured three prestigious academic awards from the UCL Faculty of Laws: the John Frederic Whitehouse Essay Award for the best dissertation, the Dean’s List and The Chartered Institute of Tax, London Branch, Prize for Taxation. He subsequently completed the BPC LLM at the University of Law obtaining a distinction.
In addition to his legal practice, Sam is involved in shaping Gibraltar’s legal education. He is Course Leader for the Professional Certificate of Competence in Law and sits on University’s Law Key Advisory Body.
Keith Azopardi KC
Speaker on Constitutional Law
Director
TSN Barristers & Solicitors
Keith Azopardi is one of Gibraltar’s top litigators. He regularly appears at all levels of Gibraltar courts and tribunals and is among the few lawyers in Gibraltar to have appeared and led at the Privy Council in London.
Keith has represented parties in most of Gibraltar’s recent high-profile public law cases and high-value commercial or trust cases. His clients include major multinationals, trustees, banks, underwriters, liquidators, regulators, government departments, developers and all manner of licensed financial services entities.
His recent work included appearing in the Court of Appeal in a dispute over the image rights of Argentina and FC Barcelona striker Leo Messi, acting for the US Trustee for the liquidation of the business of Bernard Madoff in various Gibraltar actions, representing clients in litigation against Chevron, advising in various contentious trust disputes of large international and multi-jurisdictional structures or family settlements, being Counsel for the Inquiry in a Public Inquiry into allegations of misconduct, mismanagement, malpractice and abuse and advising on constitutional and administrative law matters.
From 2000 to 2003, he was the Deputy Chief Minister. He also led the Gibraltar negotiating team in intergovernmental constitutional talks with the United Kingdom Government, was Vice-Chairman of the House Select Committee on Constitutional Reform, and was a member of the Gibraltar delegation that negotiated its Constitution in 2006. Keith has a PhD on constitutional law from the University of Nottingham.
Lewis Baglietto KC
Speaker on Maritime Law
Team Leader & Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Lewis Baglietto is the Senior Litigation Partner and Head of Litigation at Hassans. He joined the firm in 1986 and became a Partner in 1993. He was appointed King’s Counsel in 2014.
From an early stage is his career, Lewis has concentrated his practice on international commercial and maritime litigation. He is a highly versatile lawyer, with a solid practice in many other areas of private and public law. In addition to his many appearances in reported Gibraltar cases, he has appeared as the lead advocate in cases involving EU law issues before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Lewis also has considerable experience in providing expert evidence on Gibraltar law issues before foreign courts and major international arbitral tribunals.
Apart from the many cases where he has acted for the Government of Gibraltar, Lewis is often instructed by foreign governments and major international organisations to provide his opinion and act in Gibraltar – related matters.
Lewis has held a number of public appointments and has, since 2012, been the Chief Charity Commissioner of Gibraltar.
Anne Balestrino
Speaker on Family Law
Partner
Philips Barristers & Solicitors
Anne was called to the Bar of England and Wales in March 2000 and began her practice in Gibraltar after being called to the Bar of Gibraltar in June 2000. Anne has an extensive practice specialising in family and child law, and has appeared in both Gibraltar and Spanish media on programmes related to family law matters. Anne appears frequently in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar and the Court of Appeal in all kinds of family matters and care proceedings. Anne acts for clients in both routine financial ancillary matters as well as high net worth cases.
Anne represents parties in public child law proceedings, including parents, guardians, and prospective adopters. Anne represented the Gibraltar Disability Society in the high profile Dr. Giraldi Home Public Enquiry, the first of its kind in Gibraltar. Her work received much attention from the Gibraltar media and recognition from the Society and the Tribunal.
Anne currently serves as Vice president of the Family Law Association Gibraltar (2013 to date) as well a Trustee of Child-line Gibraltar.
Stuart Dalmedo
Speaker on Business Licencing & Consumer Rights
Partner
ISOLAS
Stuart is a Tier-1 ranked tax lawyer advising high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and international businesses on Gibraltar tax, residency, global mobility, and private wealth structuring.
Dual-qualified in England & Wales and Gibraltar, Stuart is recognised by The Legal 500 as a “Next Generation Partner” in Tax and by Chambers & Partners as “Up & Coming” in the Private Client / HNW space. He leads the firm’s work on complex domestic and cross-border tax matters, including Category 2 (Cat 2) and High Executive Possessing Specialist Skills (HEPSS) applications.
Stuart plays an active role in shaping Gibraltar’s tax and regulatory landscape. He is a member of the Gibraltar Finance Centre Council Tax Sub-Committee and sits on the STEP Gibraltar Technical Committee, working closely with industry and Government stakeholders.
He holds public appointments with the Office of Fair Trading, having served on the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) (2019–2023), and currently sits on the Decision Making Committee (DMC) under the Fair Trading Act 2023.
Ian Felice
Speaker on Company Law
Team Leader & Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Ian joined the firm in 1999 and is a Partner of Hassans’ Corporate and Commercial Team. He is an industry leader in transactional work involving the use of Gibraltar-based structures, principally for commercial property investments, and also regularly advises on corporate restructuring, acquisition, sales, joint ventures and financing (institutional and private equity). Ian also has particular expertise in advising professional corporate service providers on directors’ duties and responsibilities, including in the context of shareholders’ disputes, and is regularly appointed to act as an expert in litigation matters involving Gibraltar company law. He has recently helped develop the firm’s Sports Law practice area, becoming the most experienced practitioner in the jurisdiction on legal issues arising in sports.
Ian led the Hassans team that advised the Government of Gibraltar on the drafting of the Companies Act 2014, set up Gibraltar’s first Foundation under the Private Foundations Act 2017 and advised on the corporate and commercial matters involved in the first listing of a Gibraltar company in the top 100 of the London Stock Exchange. His diverse practice has also led him to lead the Hassans team on the Eastside Project, a major real estate development in Gibraltar constructed on land reclaimed from the sea. He also advises on healthcare and medical matters, principally in the field of regulation.
Ian is Hassans’ Lead Partner for the Gibraltar Football Association, and advises the GFA on a wide range of legal matters, including corporate governance, protection of intellectual property and its purchase of the Victoria Stadium. He has chaired the GFA’s Disciplinary Panel, a role he has also carried out for the Gibraltar Hockey Association.
Ian was the Chief Executive of Line Group, Hassans’ affiliated trust and corporate services provider, from 2012 to 2016, and remains on its Board. He also serves as on the Board of Governors of the University of Gibraltar.
Joey Garcia
Speaker on Distributed Ledger Technology
Executive Director & Chief Strategy, Policy, Regulatory Affairs Officer
Xapo Bank
Joey is a Director of the blockchain native Xapo Bank where he acts as the General Counsel and Executive Lead for global expansion, regulatory affairs, and public policy across digital banking and blockchain innovation.
He considered as one of the pioneers for the regulation of the virtual currency and distributed ledger technology space and was recognised by Chambers&Partners as one of the top 12 lawyers in the world in the first ever Global ranking. He is a founding member of the European think tank (thinkBlocktank) established in Luxembourg which is also a member of INATBA (International association for trusted blockchain applications) and after acting as the Xapo representative on the Libra/Diem Association also contributed to the Stanford Blockchain Law and Policy Summit on CBDC and stablecoin developments
Beyond his corporate engagements, Joey’s influence permeates international regulation and policy-making. As a specialist consultant to the United Nations, he plays a crucial role in shaping the future of virtual assets, DeFi, and regulatory frameworks, especially in South East Asia and has also contributed to the UK Law Society on the Blockchain Legal and Regulatory Guidance publication.
He is also an active member of several influential think tanks, including the global Wharton Reg@Tech initiative and the UK’s Parliamentary Roundtable on Blockchain Technologies.
Beyond this he was also invited to the International think tank ‘Global Blockchain Convergence’ as part of the steering committee, engaged to develop a ‘market integrity’ standard for regulated VASP’s.
Michelle Garcia
Speaker on Financial Services
Senior Legal Advisor
Gibraltar Financial Services Commission
Michelle Garcia is a Senior Legal Advisor for the GFSC where she advises on the exercise of powers and functions of the GFSC and the legislative framework of the GFSC. She assists the GFSC in identifying and mitigating the GFSC’s legal risks, and ensuring the GFSC exercises its powers to fairly and proportionately achieve its statutory objectives.
Michelle’s previous roles include acting as Crown Counsel for the Gibraltar Government’s Law Office for over 11 years. She was a part of the drafting team responsible for legislation governing Gibraltar’s exit from the EU, including the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019, the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 and the implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Yvette Gonzalez
Speaker on International Law
Crown Counsel
HM Government of Gibraltar
Yvette is part of the Office of Advisory Counsel (OAC) of His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, which provides ministers, departments and statutory agencies with legal advice across the entire spectrum of their activities. Such is the diverse nature of the work that Yvette has also undertaken court work and has appeared together with His Majesty’s Attorney General before the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-267/16 Buhagiar and others.
In recent years, especially after Brexit, the OAC has taken on International Trade and Sanctions related work. On the former, Yvette and colleagues work intensely and closely with colleagues in the UK’s Department of Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to provide participation in the new Free Trade Agreements being negotiated by the UK with third countries. On the latter, Yvette and colleagues advise and support Government and its various departments and specialised agencies to ensure the effective implementation of sanctions under the automatic recognition regime of our Sanctions legislation.
Yvette read law at Kingston University in 2001 and then read a master’s degree in law at Kingston University straight after in 2004. She did the bar vocational course at the Inns of Court School of Law in 2005 and was called to the Gibraltar Bar in December 2006.
Nicholas Howard
Speaker on Landlord & Tenant Law
Team Lead & Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Nicholas is head of Hassans’ busy and vibrant property department and has established himself as one of Gibraltar’s leading property lawyers.
Nicholas’ practice area is predominantly in advising developers across all facets of large scale real estate developments from inception through to completion and he is currently the lead partner advising clients on six of Gibraltar’s biggest developments. In addition to this, Nicholas is also regularly instructed by banks on large property financing transactions.
Nicholas has also advised the Government in respect to the property financing and conveyancing aspects of the single largest affordable housing scheme currently under construction in Gibraltar, to include the drafting of applicable legislation, as well as having advised Government on amendments to the Housing Act.
A law graduate from Leeds University, Nicholas completed the Bar Vocational Course at the College of Law in London, as a member of Lincoln’s Inn. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales and the Gibraltar Bar in 1998.
Charles Lavarello
Speaker on Property Law
Partner
TSN Barristers & Solicitors
Charles is widely regarded as Gibraltar’s leading property lawyer, acting for developers, banks and other clients in real estate transactions. He has advised Government in relation to many Government – backed property schemes, and represented developers in some of Gibraltar’s largest development projects. He has been instructed by banks in relation to large financing projects and is knowledgeable on general commercial matters.
Educated in Gibraltar at the Christian Brothers Line Wall College and Bayside School, Charles read Law in London at Kingston University, completed his Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law, and was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 1989.
He is currently a Trustee of the John Mackintosh Trust and The Loreto Convent School Trust as well as a member of the Committee of the local charity, Research into Childhood Cancer.
Emma Lejeune
Speaker on Private Client, Wills & Probate
Partner
ISOLAS
Emma has developed her private client practice over the last 20 years. Previously a Partner at another large international law firm, Emma went on to establish her own boutique private client and family office practice, Legacy Consulting, before joining the ISOLAS partnership.
Emma has extensive experience advising private clients on a broad range of matters including estate planning, wills drafting, probate applications, and the administration of estates. She also brings insight from her leadership roles in the profession.
She is the current Chair of the Law Council, serves as Chair of the Finance Centre Council (FCC) and holds board positions at the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA). Her extensive contributions reflect a deep commitment to Gibraltar’s legal and financial sectors, as well as their regulatory frameworks.
Isaac Levy
Speaker on Tax Law
Team Lead & Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Isaac Levy is a highly respected specialist in corporate and tax law, with a strong focus on both corporate and private client transactional and structuring matters. He has extensive experience advising global financial institutions, international real estate groups, and high net worth individuals on complex cross-border transactions.
He has an extensive private client practice which compliments his corporate and tax structuring expertise. He is equally involved in the active management of Gibraltar-based trust and corporate structures and has regularly advised in respect of tax exchange information requirements.
Isaac’s public sector work includes advising Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar on significant tax initiatives, including the implementation of international tax standards, the negotiation of double tax treaties, and the drafting of key legislation such as the DAC6 mandatory disclosure regime, Exit Tax rules, and Hybrid Mismatch provisions.
Gilbert Licudi KC
Speaker on Trust Law
Team Lead & Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Gilbert Licudi KC was called to the Bar in England and Wales and in Gibraltar in 1992. He became a partner of Hassans in 1998 and took silk in 2012.Gilbert joined Hassans immediately after qualifying as a lawyer. He specialised in Employment and Trust law appearing as a Barrister in the courts in Gibraltar and in London in a number of high profile cases.
In 2007, Gilbert was elected as a Member of the Gibraltar Parliament and became a member of the Government following elections in 2011. Between 2011 and 2020, Gilbert held ministerial office with responsibility, at different times, for Financial Services, Gaming, Education, Justice, Telecommunications, Tourism, Port and Maritime Services and Employment. During his time in Government, Gilbert introduced the Companies Act 2014 and was responsible for the establishment of the University of Gibraltar in 2015. He continues to be a Member of the Gibraltar Parliament.
In 2016, Gilbert was awarded the degree of Doctor of Education honoris causa by Kingston University for his services to Education. In December 2020, Gilbert was awarded the degree of Doctor of the University (honoris causa) by the University of Gibraltar, in recognition of his “extraordinary contribution to the inception, development and future of the University”.
Gilbert returned to private practice at Hassans in August 2020. He specialises in litigation with a practice which includes advising and representing clients in Commercial, Employment and Trust cases as well as in Sports Law
Darren Martinez
Speaker on Civil Litigation, Court Structure & Civil Procedure Rules
Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Darren joined Hassans in October 2011 and was made Partner in the firm’s litigation department on 1st July 2021.
Darren has a busy and varied practice across most of the department’s practice areas with a particular focus on commercial, insolvency, construction and crypto-currency/distributed technology ledger law. He appears regularly in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar. He has also appeared (as a junior) in the Court of Appeal for Gibraltar. Darren has experience appearing before statutory boards and tribunals, including the Development and Planning Commission, the Parole Board and the Business Licensing Authority where he acts for both applicants and objectors.
Darren was listed as a “Rising Star” in the Dispute Resolution category in the 2020 edition of the Legal 500.
Andrew Montegriffo
Speaker on Gambling Law
Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Andrew Montegriffo is a Partner in the Corporate and Commercial Department and forms part of the Gaming and FinTech teams.
Andrew primarily works with clients in the sectors of online gaming, fintech and digital technologies. He advises on a wide range of legal issues including licensing, regulatory, financing, corporate structuring and general commercial matters. He has been heavily involved with the establishment and ongoing operation of multiple blue-chip gambling operators and DLT companies in Gibraltar.
In addition to advising stakeholders in the gambling and fintech industries, he works with a number of clients in the interactive entertainment sector including esports organisations, streamers and professional players.
After graduating from the University of Nottingham with an LLB (Hons) degree, he went on to obtain an LLM in Commercial Law before undertaking the Bar Professional Training Course. He has been called to the Bar of England & Wales and Gibraltar.
Michael Nahon
Speaker on GDPR
Partner
Hassans International Law Firm
Michael Nahon is a Partner at Hassans. He has been specialising in Data Protection since 2004. He regularly advises multinational corporations as well as the local gaming, banking and telecoms sectors on their Gibraltar Data Protection and Cyber law obligations.
Michael also conducts data protection audits to assist clients understand their data protection obligations and develop means by which to ensure GDPR compliance. This includes preparation of GDPR compliant policies and in-house training. He is a contributing author to DLA’s Data Protection Laws of the World Handbook, PDP Journals and Data Guidance.
Kenneth Navas
Employment Law
Principal
Kenneth Navas Barristers & Solicitors
Kenneth Navas is the Principal of Kenneth Navas Barristers & Solicitors and was called to the Bar in 1999. He is a senior practitioner in Gibraltar with extensive experience in employment and litigation matters.
Kenneth is appointed as a Chairperson of the Employment Tribunal, where he presides over employment and industrial relations cases, bringing practical judicial insight into the application of employment law in Gibraltar.
In addition to his tribunal work, he has been appointed to statutory boards, including serving as a member of the Gibraltar Investor Compensation Board, reflecting his broader involvement in Gibraltar’s regulatory and professional landscape
Louis Pitto
Speaker for Criminal Law & Criminal Procedure
Deputy Clerk of the Magistrates’ Court
HM Government of Gibraltar
Louis Pitto is Deputy Clerk of the Magistrates’ Court in Gibraltar, with extensive experience within the Gibraltar Court Service. He has served in a range of roles supporting the administration of justice, developing a strong practical understanding of court operations and criminal procedure.
In his current role, Louis is responsible for overseeing the administration of criminal cases before the Magistrates’ Court, ensuring procedural compliance and supporting the judiciary in the efficient and effective management of proceedings. His work places him at the centre of the day-to-day functioning of Gibraltar’s criminal justice system.
Drawing on this hands-on experience, Louis brings valuable practical insight into the application of criminal law and procedure, offering a clear and informed perspective on how cases are managed through the courts in Gibraltar.
Julian Sacarello
Speaker for Financial Services
Head of Policy
Gibraltar Financial Services Commission
Julian is Head of Policy at the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and leads the development of Gibraltar’s financial services regulatory framework.
He is responsible for overseeing policy initiatives and legislative development, ensuring that Gibraltar’s regulatory environment remains robust, proportionate and aligned with international standards. Julian plays a key role in shaping financial services regulation, working closely with Government, industry stakeholders and international bodies.
During his time at the GFSC, Julian has been closely involved in a number of significant regulatory projects, including the Legislative Reform Programme, the implementation of financial services changes arising from Brexit, and the development of the UK–Gibraltar Authorisation Regime.
Julian joined the GFSC over a decade ago and has developed extensive expertise in financial services policy and regulation, contributing to the continued evolution of Gibraltar’s financial services sector.
Nadia Sisarello-Parody
Speaker on EU Law
Crown Counsel
HM Government of Gibraltar
Nadia Sisarello-Parody qualified as a solicitor with a London commercial law firm in 2005 before returning to Gibraltar. She spent several years in private practice and as an in-house lawyer before joining the Government Law Offices as a legislative drafter, where she has worked for over 15 years.
Nadia works within the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, where she is responsible for drafting domestic legislation across a broad range of subject areas. She has been closely involved in the development of key pieces of Gibraltar’s legislative framework and played a significant role in drafting the extensive suite of legislation required during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More recently, Nadia was part of the team responsible for drafting Gibraltar’s EU withdrawal legislation, including the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019, as well as the associated subsidiary legislation required to give effect to Gibraltar’s departure from the European Union.
Nadia’s work provides significant insight into the practical drafting and implementation of legislation, particularly in the context of EU law and Gibraltar’s evolving constitutional and legal framework.
Guy Stagnetto KC
Speaker for Solicitors Accounts Rules & Disciplinary Matters
Director
TSN Barristers & Solicitors
Guy Stagnetto is one of Gibraltar’s leading practitioners in construction law and litigation, with extensive experience advising Government, developers and financial institutions on major infrastructure and development projects.
He has advised on many of Gibraltar’s key developments over the past 20+ years, including the Gibraltar Airport Tunnel and Airport Terminal. His involvement has extended to related disputes, including litigation before the Technology and Construction Court in England, which resulted in a successful judgment in favour of the Government of Gibraltar in April 2014. He continues to advise on major projects, including the New Power Station and LNG Plant.
Guy is also a highly experienced litigator with a broad practice spanning commercial disputes, administrative law, medical negligence, trust disputes and admiralty matters. He has appeared in all courts in Gibraltar and has acted in a number of high-profile judicial review cases.
Guy read law at Queen Mary College, University of London, and was called to the Bar in England in 1992 and in Gibraltar in 1993. He took Silk in 2016.
