Overview

Michelle is a Partner in the firm’s Banking and Finance, Corporate and Commercial, Investment Funds, Private Client Groups. She has considerable experience in the areas of investment funds, securities law, corporate and commercial matters, banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, employment law, immigration, probate, private client and wealth management matters.

Michelle has written numerous articles and is frequently asked to present at both local and international conferences on her areas of expertise and is ranked by both the International Financial Law Review and Chambers Global.  She recently spoke at the ‘Advising your Latin American Families in a Transparent World’ conference in Miami, and ‘The Bahamas Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference’ in Grand Bahama.

Michelle routinely works with both international and local clientele ranging from large financial institutions and international law firms to private individual clients and works closely with the various regulators in The Bahamas.

Michelle was a director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board for the period 2006 – 2010 and again commencing 2017. Michelle serves on the committees for investment funds, securities, foundations and ease of doing business and immigration, and most recently for the Fintech Working Group, playing an integral part in the review of proposed legislation.

Michelle was also the recipient of the Financial Services Development & Promotional award for her contribution to the development of the Investment Condominium and the Ministers Award for outstanding support to the sustainability of the sector.

Examples of recent work

  • Transactions in her Funds practice, extending to private equity, real estate and hedge funds. Advising both mangers and multinational institutional clients on setting up new funds and the preparation of constitutive documents and offering materials. The complex restructuring of onshore and offshore master feeder funds
  • The listing of entities on Bahamas International Stock Exchange
  • Representation before the Securities Commission Disciplinary Panel
  • Advising of regulatory requirements for the establishment of businesses owned by non Bahamians in The Bahamas
  • Establishment of financial institutions and advice generally on compliance and corporate governance requirements
  • Advice to multi-jurisdictional companies on the offering of investments and security advice in the Bahamas
  • Advising global banking institutions on local banking and securities regulatory issues
  • Advising on acquisition of banking business of an established financial institution in the Bahamas
  • Advice generally on corporate matters, restructuring transaction, Shareholder Agreements and representation of minority shareholders
  • Advising individuals on immigration matters surrounding their entry into the Bahamas and relocation to the Bahamas