Banking, finance and capital markets
Rising stars
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Ganado Advocates
Catherine Formosa is a Senior Associate within Ganado Advocates’ banking and finance team, assisting banks and financial institutions in financing transactions and other banking operations. Catherine also advises in relation to corporate governance issues, regulatory matters, retail banking and corporate and commercial matters. Catherine joined the firm after 16 years working within the banking industry. As Bank of Valletta Group Company Secretary, she was Secretary to the BOV Board and the MSV Life Board and to the respective Board Committees. She was also a member on a number of management committees. Whilst at legal office, Catherine advised the bank on different legal matters, both in relation to its corporate as well as its retail business. She represented the bank on external committees in relation to financial services legislative initiatives and regularly trained staff on civil and commercial law issues and on banking law developments. Catherine is also a visiting lecturer and an examiner at the Faculty of Laws, University of Malta.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Ganado Advocates
Nicholas Curmi heads Ganado Advocates’ capital markets practice, where he advises on a broad range of securities regulation, structured finance and financial services matters, including private and public offerings of securities, listing on Maltese as well as foreign markets, and the establishment of securitisation structures. He regularly assists listed issuers with their continuing obligations in terms of Malta’s listing rules and all relevant EU securities regulation. Nicholas is also a member of the Malta Stock Exchange’s External Advisory Board, a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta and is admitted to practise law in both Malta and New York.
Leading individuals
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Ganado Advocates
Conrad Portanier’s legal practice focuses on banking and financial law, as well as general commercial and corporate law. Conrad heads the banking and finance team at Ganado Advocates and has a wealth of experience in advising domestic and international financial institutions. He has considerable practical experience in structuring deals and advising on various aspects of commercial and financial law. He is also responsible for issuing the firm’s industry legal opinions to a number of organisations including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (ISDA), the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) and the Central Bank of Malta. He has written a number of articles on financial services legislation in Malta and has participated in many Maltese legislative initiatives in connection with financial services legislation. Conrad is also a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Laws, University of Malta.