About
Managing Partner: Andre Zerafa
Number of partners: 22
Number of fee-earners: 100+ (incl. partners)
Total number of staff: 190+
Firm overview:
Ganado Advocates is a leading commercial law firm with a particular focus on the corporate, financial services & maritime /aviation sectors, predominantly servicing international clients doing business through Malta. The firm also promotes other areas such as tax, pensions, intellectual property, employment and litigation. The firm traces its roots back to the early 1900s & is today one of Malta’s foremost law practices, consistently ranking as a leading firm in all its core sectors. Ganado Advocates has over the past decades contributed directly towards creating and enhancing Malta’s hard-won reputation as a reliable and effective international centre for financial and maritime services. Today, the firm continues to provide high standards of legal advisory services to support and enhance Malta’s offering.
Main areas of practice:
■ Financial services
■ Corporate, M&A & capital markets
■ Shipping, yachting & aviation
■ Litigation & dispute resolution
■ Corporate finance & tax
■ Private client, trusts & foundations
■ Labour & employment
■ Environment, energy & renewable energy
■ Intellectual property, media, entertainment & technology
■ Competition/European
■ Construction
Financial services:
The firm’s financial services and regulatory practices are internationally renowned as country leaders. This practice grouping encompasses the firm’s industry-focused teams servicing asset managers and their funds, banks, insurers and reinsurers, pension schemes and funds, investment firms, payment service providers, e-money institutions, fintech operators, blockchain and cryptocurrency service providers, trade finance institutions and other operators in the financial services sphere. The practice covers all corporate, regulatory and transactional work and, in conjunction with lawyers from other practice areas, litigation, dispute resolution, tax and regulatory.
Key Contacts: Matthew Bianchi, Andre Zerafa, Conrad Portanier, James Farrugia, Matthew Brincat, Leonard Bonello, Marina Grech
Corporate, M&A & capital markets:
The firm regularly advises on major corporate and capital markets transactions in Malta, for the benefit of international corporate groups and private equity firms. This practice provides the full range of transactional corporate legal services, having long standing experience in assisting foreign clients in establishing local presence across all commercial sectors. The firm also operates a corporate services and governance team focused in particular on supporting the boards of both regulated and non-regulated businesses.
Key Contacts: Stephen Attard, Nikolai Muscut Farrugia, Simon Schembri, Nicholas Curmi, Annalise Papa
Shipping, yachting & aviation:
Ship registration, ship finance and admiralty law are at the heart of the firm’s maritime law practice. The firm was a pioneer in this field and its specialist maritime lawyers hold leading industry expertise and provide dependable support and advice, making the firm amongst the most established in this area. While very active in the yacht and superyacht space, the firm was also a prime mover in the development of local aviation law; today it regularly advises aircraft financiers, owners, lessors and operators.
Key Contacts: Karl Grech Orr, Jotham Scerri-Diacono, Daniel Aquilina, Christine Cassar Naudi, Matthew Attard, Matthew Xerri
Litigation & dispute resolution:
Traditionally prominent in commercial and civil litigation, the firm has represented clients in some of the largest and most complex commercial and maritime litigation in Malta. This includes arrests and judicial sales of vessels, salvage and other maritime disputes, corporate and financial services, and insurance claims. Today, the firm also offers highly specialised litigation in the fields of corporate disputes, insolvency, intellectual property, public procurement, competition law, funds, press law and international arbitration.
Key Contact: Antoine G Cremona
Corporate finance & tax:
Ganado Advocates has one of the largest and longest-established tax practices amongst Maltese law firms. The firm’s multidisciplinary team of legal and tax specialists regularly advises corporate and individual high net worth clients, both international and local, on all aspects of Maltese tax legislation and their impact, whether at structuring stage, transactional or on an ongoing basis.
Key Contacts: Stephen Attard, Christine Cassar Naudi
Private client, trusts & foundations:
Regularly involved in structuring and providing general legal advice on trusts and foundations, the firm actively provides ongoing assistance to various Maltese based (local and international) trustees, administrators of foundations and other fiduciaries on regulatory aspects of their fiduciary activities. It regularly assists private clients with their various legal needs, ranging from estate planning to setting up the appropriate trustees for them (which includes private trust companies). This includes, where required, the acquisition of Maltese citizenship by naturalisation for exceptional services by direct investment, as a second citizenship.
Key Contact: Anthony Cremona
Labour & employment:
This practice encompasses the full range of employment services, including advice on litigious and non-litigious employment law matters, industrial relations, employment benefits and pensions. While having a practice in its own right, the employment team also provides invaluable support to the other teams within the firm on transactions which span a broad range of areas, such as M&A transactions.
Key Contact: Matthew Brincat
Environment, energy & renewable energy:
Ganado Advocates has been at the forefront of the significant developments in this dynamic and ever changing sector in Malta and advises a wide variety of clients on both regulatory and commercial issues, including drafting and negotiating power purchase agreements, assisting with public procurement, implementing EU Directives into local law and advising on ship-sourced pollution issues. The firm has also experienced increasing interest from industry stakeholders acting as intermediaries in the recycling of hazardous waste on account of Malta’s central Mediterranean location, its ratification of the most important environmental Conventions and an efficient and proactive regulator.
Key Contacts: Jotham Scerri-Diacono, Antoine G Cremona
Intellectual property, media, entertainment & technology:
The firm advises clients on the full range of contentious and non-contentious issues in the technology, media and entertainment space. Services include the registration of trademarks, advice on and drafting of IP agreements, and representing clients in IP infringement lawsuits. The firm leads a project for the Government of Malta bringing together the various Malta-based legal and advisory service providers with a view to overhauling the current IP legal framework and providing solid and innovative legislative solutions to the IP industries, not least involving blockchain and digital currencies. The team also leads the firm’s privacy law practice, assisting all clients on their ongoing GDPR requirements, including data subject requests and investigations by the Information and Data Protection Commissioner. In the media space, the team regularly advises and assists, including through the legal representation in Court, key local players on legal matters relating to journalistic freedoms, freedom of information and defamation.
Key Contact: Paul Micallef Grimaud
Competition/European:
The firm’s competition and EU law practitioners have gained substantial recognition in this field, advising clients and public authorities in all industry sectors serviced by the firm and frequently also engaging in privatisations and public procurement processes. Besides regularly providing advice on antitrust issues affecting agreements between undertakings and abuse of dominance, merger control and State aid law, the firm often represents undertakings in competition investigations and litigation as well as merger notifications.
Key Contacts: Antoine G Cremona, Sylvann Aquilina Zahra
Construction:
The firm has one of the leading international construction law practices in Malta with specialist focus on FIDIC contracts and construction arbitration. Lawyers practising in this area have specific academic qualifications in international construction contracts and construction dispute resolution. The firm has assisted developers, financiers, contractors and engineers in a significant number and across a wide range of large scale construction projects in Malta, from major infrastructural works, to waste management and recycling plants, hospitality, residential and marina developments. The firm also regularly assists in all matters relating to real estate and in the design and execution of procurement models for major construction works.
Key Contact: Antoine G Cremona
Ranked Offices
Provided by Ganado Advocates
- Valletta171 Old Bakery Street, Valletta, Malta, Malta, VLT 1455
- Web: www.ganado.com
- Tel: (+356) 21 23 54 06
- View ranked office
Contributions
Latest contributions provided by Ganado Advocates
Ganado Advocates rankings
Articles, highlights and press releases
263 items provided by Ganado Advocates
In March 2022, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) gave a preliminary ruling[1] in yet another case about the unlawful disclosure of inside information – this time by a journalist (Mr A) who informed some sources about a story he was going to publish in a prominent British newspaper regarding two..
Insurance update: The Nature and Art of Financial Supervision (Volume IX)
The 1st February 2024 marked the publication by the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSAs”) of its 9th volume from its series on ‘The Nature and Art of Financial Supervision’.
Strengthening Cyber Resilience: ICT Third-Party Risk for Insurers under DORA
In the digital age, insurance companies are not only guardians of financial protection but also stewards of sensitive customer data.
Sustainability and Competition Law in Malta
Clement Mifsud-Bonnici has authored the Malta chapter on competition law in a new open-access book funded by LIDC – the International League of Competition Law – titled ‘Sustainability Objectives in Competition and Intellectual Property.’
Ganado Advocates contributes to AIJA's transport law cross-border questionnaire
Ganado Advocates has recently participated in AIJA's Transport Law Commission cross-border questionnaire on the liabilities of contracts of carriage.
EU AML-CTF Package taking shape: Compromise text for AMLR and 6AMLD published
On 14 February 2024, the Council of the European Union published the following compromise texts......
The right to appoint a liquidator in the case of a vacancy in such office
In OMNIDEA AB soċjetà Svediża bħala kreditriċi tas-soċjetà Pegion Operations Limited vs Pegion Operations Limited, decided by Mr. Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey on 24 January 2024, the Court appointed a liquidator for the company Pegion Operations Limited in terms of Article 292 of the Companies Act..
ECA Report: Less competition in public procurement in the EU
The European Court of Auditors (the “ECA”) recently prepared a Special Report on Public procurement in the EU (the “Report”).
Procurement call under review: Changes to Malta’s electronic public procurement system
On 5 February 2024, the Department of Contracts issued guidelines to economic operators explaining recent changes to Malta’s electronic public procurement system (ePPS).
The role of regulatory governance codes in strengthening governance structures of regulated entities
Corporate governance may be broadly defined as the system of rules, practices and processes which determine the manner in which a company is directed or controlled.
Dyson loses a lengthy legal battle against the European Commission
On 11th January 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) dismissed the action for compensation of damages of €176.1 million brought by Dyson.
Changing the terms of a credit agreement and forbearance policies and measures
Changing the terms of a credit agreement and forbearance policies and measures: new obligations on lenders in consumer and residential property credit agreements
Banking & Fintech Newsletter - Issue No. 40
Banking & Fintech newsletter – issue 40 is now available.
Malta launches preliminary market consultation on Floating Solar Farms
On the 31st January 2024, the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour, launched a PMC to assess market appetite for the development of floating solar technology projects, including photovoltaic farms within the territorial sea of the Maltese Islands.
The European Commission publishes its report highlighting active competition enforcement in the phar
On 26 January 2024, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published its report (the “Report”), providing a comprehensive overview of the antitrust and merger control enforcement carried out in the pharmaceutical sector by the Commission and the national competition authorities (“NCAs”).
AG Szpunar opines on the procedural limitations to the Single Economic Entity Doctrine
On 11 January 2024, in ‘AB Volvo v Transsaqui SL’, AG Szpunar handed down his opinion (“AG Szpunar’s Opinion”) on the applicability (or rather the lack thereof) of the single economic entity doctrine in relation to procedural matters.
On the 23rd of January 2024, the Malta Financial Services Authority (the “MFSA”) released a circular, wherein it announced certain changes to the Rulebook for Company Service Providers (“CSP Rulebook”).
From Intern to Advocate: Meet Chris Grech
Chris Grech started his journey with Ganado Advocates as an Intern in the summer of 2018 as part of Ganado Advocates' summer internship programme.
ESMA Consults: Crypto-Asset Classification and MiCA's Reverse Solicitation
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has just published two consultation papers on two important aspects under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA)
GRC in Malta: Preparing for Regulatory Compliance Visits - Best Practices for Success
The receipt of a letter informing a licence holder that the MFSA will carry out a compliance visit is generally met with trepidation at best, and often with panic.
GARI – The Global Aviation Resource Index
Ganado Advocates have contributed to The Global Aviation Resource Index (GARI) on the Maltese aspects.
Passengers’ right to compensation when pre-emptively denied boarding
In ‘FW v LATAM Airlines Group SA’, decided on 26 October 2023, the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) delivered a preliminary ruling in relation to the rights of passengers pre-emptively denied boarding a flight they had booked.
The EU AI Act – A landmark in global AI regulation
In a milestone achievement, the European Parliament, Council and Commission have recently reached a provisional agreement on the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (the "Act"), a comprehensive regulatory framework designed to bring legal certainty to the realm of AI regulation within the EU.
Sustainability and Intellectual Property in Malta
Philip Mifsud and Sasha Muscat have authored the Malta chapter in a new open-access book funded by LIDC - the International League of Competition Law - titled 'Sustainability Objectives in Competition and Intellectual Property.'
Listen: Malta’s role for Foreign Direct Investors
In the second episode of the ‘Ganado Meets Corporate’ podcast, Mario Galea, chairperson of The National Foreign Direct Investment Screening Office (“NFDIS”), talks about the role of the Foreign Direct Investment, the EU and its role today in Malta.
Agreement reached on the proposed AMLR & AMLD6
On 18th January 2024, the European Council (“EC”) and European Parliament (“EP”) reached a political agreement on the proposed AMLR and AMLD6
Strict Liability of Airline Carriers under the Montreal Convention
On 6 July 2023, the European Court of Justice (‘ECJ’) delivered a preliminary ruling concerning a request on the interpretation of Articles 17(1), 29 and 35 of the Convention of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, concluded in Montreal on 28 May 1999 (‘Montreal Convention’).
EIOPA’s 2nd Report on the Application of the Insurance Distribution Directive (the “IDD”)
Following two extensive surveys carried out with the EU national competent authorities, EIOPA issued the results of its findings on the impact of the IDD on consumers, insurance distributors and supervisory activities.
Philip Formosa has authored the Malta chapter featured in the 2023 edition of the Digital Copyright Directive Toolkit on Practical Law.
The European Commission requests feedback on competition in the virtual worlds and generative AI mar
The European Commission (the “Commission”) has on 9 January 2024 launched a call for contributions (the ‘‘Call for Contributions’’) to better understand the virtual worlds and generative AI markets and how the EU’s competition law framework can safeguard innovation and maintain fair competition.
In March 2022, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) gave a preliminary ruling[1] in yet another case about the unlawful disclosure of inside information – this time by a journalist (Mr A) who informed some sources about a story he was going to publish in a prominent British newspaper regarding two..
Insurance update: The Nature and Art of Financial Supervision (Volume IX)
The 1st February 2024 marked the publication by the Malta Financial Services Authority (“MFSAs”) of its 9th volume from its series on ‘The Nature and Art of Financial Supervision’.
Strengthening Cyber Resilience: ICT Third-Party Risk for Insurers under DORA
In the digital age, insurance companies are not only guardians of financial protection but also stewards of sensitive customer data.
Sustainability and Competition Law in Malta
Clement Mifsud-Bonnici has authored the Malta chapter on competition law in a new open-access book funded by LIDC – the International League of Competition Law – titled ‘Sustainability Objectives in Competition and Intellectual Property.’
Ganado Advocates contributes to AIJA's transport law cross-border questionnaire
Ganado Advocates has recently participated in AIJA's Transport Law Commission cross-border questionnaire on the liabilities of contracts of carriage.
EU AML-CTF Package taking shape: Compromise text for AMLR and 6AMLD published
On 14 February 2024, the Council of the European Union published the following compromise texts......
The right to appoint a liquidator in the case of a vacancy in such office
In OMNIDEA AB soċjetà Svediża bħala kreditriċi tas-soċjetà Pegion Operations Limited vs Pegion Operations Limited, decided by Mr. Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey on 24 January 2024, the Court appointed a liquidator for the company Pegion Operations Limited in terms of Article 292 of the Companies Act..
ECA Report: Less competition in public procurement in the EU
The European Court of Auditors (the “ECA”) recently prepared a Special Report on Public procurement in the EU (the “Report”).
Procurement call under review: Changes to Malta’s electronic public procurement system
On 5 February 2024, the Department of Contracts issued guidelines to economic operators explaining recent changes to Malta’s electronic public procurement system (ePPS).
The role of regulatory governance codes in strengthening governance structures of regulated entities
Corporate governance may be broadly defined as the system of rules, practices and processes which determine the manner in which a company is directed or controlled.
Dyson loses a lengthy legal battle against the European Commission
On 11th January 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) dismissed the action for compensation of damages of €176.1 million brought by Dyson.
Changing the terms of a credit agreement and forbearance policies and measures
Changing the terms of a credit agreement and forbearance policies and measures: new obligations on lenders in consumer and residential property credit agreements
Banking & Fintech Newsletter - Issue No. 40
Banking & Fintech newsletter – issue 40 is now available.
Malta launches preliminary market consultation on Floating Solar Farms
On the 31st January 2024, the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour, launched a PMC to assess market appetite for the development of floating solar technology projects, including photovoltaic farms within the territorial sea of the Maltese Islands.
The European Commission publishes its report highlighting active competition enforcement in the phar
On 26 January 2024, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published its report (the “Report”), providing a comprehensive overview of the antitrust and merger control enforcement carried out in the pharmaceutical sector by the Commission and the national competition authorities (“NCAs”).
AG Szpunar opines on the procedural limitations to the Single Economic Entity Doctrine
On 11 January 2024, in ‘AB Volvo v Transsaqui SL’, AG Szpunar handed down his opinion (“AG Szpunar’s Opinion”) on the applicability (or rather the lack thereof) of the single economic entity doctrine in relation to procedural matters.
On the 23rd of January 2024, the Malta Financial Services Authority (the “MFSA”) released a circular, wherein it announced certain changes to the Rulebook for Company Service Providers (“CSP Rulebook”).
From Intern to Advocate: Meet Chris Grech
Chris Grech started his journey with Ganado Advocates as an Intern in the summer of 2018 as part of Ganado Advocates' summer internship programme.
ESMA Consults: Crypto-Asset Classification and MiCA's Reverse Solicitation
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has just published two consultation papers on two important aspects under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA)
GRC in Malta: Preparing for Regulatory Compliance Visits - Best Practices for Success
The receipt of a letter informing a licence holder that the MFSA will carry out a compliance visit is generally met with trepidation at best, and often with panic.
GARI – The Global Aviation Resource Index
Ganado Advocates have contributed to The Global Aviation Resource Index (GARI) on the Maltese aspects.
Passengers’ right to compensation when pre-emptively denied boarding
In ‘FW v LATAM Airlines Group SA’, decided on 26 October 2023, the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) delivered a preliminary ruling in relation to the rights of passengers pre-emptively denied boarding a flight they had booked.
The EU AI Act – A landmark in global AI regulation
In a milestone achievement, the European Parliament, Council and Commission have recently reached a provisional agreement on the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (the "Act"), a comprehensive regulatory framework designed to bring legal certainty to the realm of AI regulation within the EU.
Sustainability and Intellectual Property in Malta
Philip Mifsud and Sasha Muscat have authored the Malta chapter in a new open-access book funded by LIDC - the International League of Competition Law - titled 'Sustainability Objectives in Competition and Intellectual Property.'
Listen: Malta’s role for Foreign Direct Investors
In the second episode of the ‘Ganado Meets Corporate’ podcast, Mario Galea, chairperson of The National Foreign Direct Investment Screening Office (“NFDIS”), talks about the role of the Foreign Direct Investment, the EU and its role today in Malta.
Agreement reached on the proposed AMLR & AMLD6
On 18th January 2024, the European Council (“EC”) and European Parliament (“EP”) reached a political agreement on the proposed AMLR and AMLD6
Strict Liability of Airline Carriers under the Montreal Convention
On 6 July 2023, the European Court of Justice (‘ECJ’) delivered a preliminary ruling concerning a request on the interpretation of Articles 17(1), 29 and 35 of the Convention of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, concluded in Montreal on 28 May 1999 (‘Montreal Convention’).
EIOPA’s 2nd Report on the Application of the Insurance Distribution Directive (the “IDD”)
Following two extensive surveys carried out with the EU national competent authorities, EIOPA issued the results of its findings on the impact of the IDD on consumers, insurance distributors and supervisory activities.
Philip Formosa has authored the Malta chapter featured in the 2023 edition of the Digital Copyright Directive Toolkit on Practical Law.
The European Commission requests feedback on competition in the virtual worlds and generative AI mar
The European Commission (the “Commission”) has on 9 January 2024 launched a call for contributions (the ‘‘Call for Contributions’’) to better understand the virtual worlds and generative AI markets and how the EU’s competition law framework can safeguard innovation and maintain fair competition.