Higgs & Johnson has received ranking accolades with the release of Legal 500 Caribbean (2020), the clients’ guide to the best law firms and lawyers. The Guide noted that the firm has ‘a strong presence in the market’ with clients praising attorneys for ‘always meeting expectations and providing great customer service.’ The firm received the highest ranking (Tier 1) and was recognized for a number of its practices areas including commercial transactions, real estate and development, litigation and insolvency and corporate restructuring. The firm was said to field a ‘highly competent’ team of lawyers that are ‘efficient, professional and responsive to clients’ requests’.
In the Cayman Islands, the real estate team was praised for ‘meeting impossible deadlines without compromising accuracy’ and always going ‘above and beyond to ensure client satisfaction.’ In the area of dispute resolution, the litigation team ‘quickly assesses situations and mitigates clients’ risks while aggressively working towards swift resolutions.’
Leading Firms (Bahamas)
Philip Dunkley QC – A leading litigator who has represented clients in their complex litigation and transactional matters.
Oscar N. Johnson, Jr. – Specializes in commercial and civil litigation, admiralty law, insurance and employment law.
Surinder Deal – An experienced corporate and commercial practitioner who is ‘highly regarded for joint ventures, structured finance deals and high-value IPOs.’
Sterling H. Cooke – A proficient property attorney and chair of the Real Estate & Development practice group.
Vivienne M. Gouthro – A seasoned corporate, commercial and real estate attorney who is ‘responsive and knowledgeable; and responds quicker than lawyers at other firms’.
Zarina M. Fitzgerald – Specializes in corporate, commercial and financial services law; has ‘excellent instincts’ and ‘knows how to get the deal done’.
Stephen J. Melvin – Specializes in foreign direct investment and the sale and acquisition of hotels, marinas, and resort developments.
Tara Archer-Glasgow – An experienced and well regarded dispute resolution lawyer specializing in commercial litigation, industrial property and employment law.
N. Leroy Smith – A chancery litigator with specialization in trusts and estates, complex commercial disputes and employment law.
Christel Sands-Feaste – A highly experienced commercial lawyer who focuses her practice on corporate and commercial law.
Tara Cooper Burnside – An experienced insolvency lawyer also specializing in dispute resolution and financial services.
Portia J. Nicholson – A commercial lawyer with extensive experience in cross border commercial transactions, including public private partnerships.
Karen Brown – Specializes in admiralty law, commercial and civil litigation, industrial relations & employment law.
Audley D. Hanna, Jr. – A skilled commercial litigator in the areas of admiralty law, industrial properties and employment law.
Real estate (Cayman)
Gina M. Berry – Ranked as a leading individual, she is a ‘premier lawyer in real estate with excellent communication skills who is very honest, punctual and solutions oriented’.
Dispute resolution (Cayman)
John Harris – Focuses on disputes involving cross-border financial services, investment funds, insolvency and trusts.
Philip S. Boni – An accredited mediator with significant experience in civil litigation and trusts.
