March 2020

Team LXP wins STEP Moot 2020

Congratulations is extended to the LXP Moot Team who defeated McKinney Bancroft & Hughes in the annual STEP Moot, successfully defending their title for the third year in a row.

On Thursday 5 March, STEP Bahamas Branch in collaboration with the Commercial Financial Services Law Clinic of the Eugene Dupuch Law School held its annual Moot.

The Moot question, conceived and composed by Sean McWeeney QC, questioned the enforceability-limits under Bahamian law of “no contest” clauses that purport to disqualify trust beneficiaries if they challenge or question the validity of the trust on the ground that the settlor may have lacked mental capacity at the time it was created.

Lennox Paton represented the Defendant Trustee and McKinney Bancroft and Hughes represented the Plaintiff Beneficiary.

The moot competition was judged by Justice Neville Adderley (Justice of the Court of Appeal) Turks & Caicos Islands, Pamela Klonaris (Attorney, Delaney Partners) and Robert Adams (Attorney, Delaney Partners).

The Lennox Paton team was led by Wilfred Ferguson who presented the submissions exceptionally and stood up well under pressure by the judges. Wilfred was assisted by Sebastian Masnyk.

After a lengthy deliberation, the judges found in favour of Lennox Paton’s team and LXP successfully defended its crown.

The judges were extremely impressed with Lennox Paton’s concise legal submissions and interpretation of the law.

We are extremely proud of all the team and look forward to defending our title at next year’s STEP Moot!