We are pleased to introduce our partners:-
We are pleased to introduce our Professional Staff:-
All
professional staff work under the supervision of the partners.
Work undertaken depends on their level of experience in the area.
Sol-Law accepts instructions in a wide range of legal fields and delivers services both directly in Honiara and indirectly from Brisbane Australia.
John
was recently appointed as Queen’s Counsel for Solomon Islands, the first
such appointment in more than 30 years.
He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands
(1984) and barrister of the Supreme Courts of Queensland (admitted in 1985)
(previously a Solicitor of that Court) and New South Wales (1991) and of the
High Court of Australia (1985).
He is also a legal practitioner of the High Court of Kiribati (1993).
John is also a Notary Public for Solomon Islands.
He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours
(University of Queensland, Australia) and Bachelor of Arts (University of
Canterbury, New Zealand).
John specialises in commercial law (including company law, corporate
restructuring, contract, banking and finance, resource law (mining and
forestry) trade practices, equity and trusts, maritime law, insolvency and
taxation).
He has a special knowledge of forest resource law in Solomon Islands
particularly as it interfaces with customary law.
He is well known in the Solomon Islands legal and commercial
fraternities.
John first came to Solomon Islands on legal matters in 1983 and in
the past 18 years he has appeared in many cases in the High Court and Court
of Appeal of Solomon Islands in the capacity of barrister, having been
briefed by many of the Solomon Islands legal firms as well as by various
Australian solicitors.
Before the formation of this firm, John probably appeared more
frequently in Solomon Islands matters than any other overseas lawyer.
John’s role in the firm is both as in house counsel conducting
major commercial litigation matters, drawing and settling pleadings and
other court documents, providing formal counsel’s opinions as well as also
specialist commercial legal advisory services and drafting complex legal
documents.
John has also been a member of the disciplinary committee of the
Solomon Islands Bar Association.
In Australia he practises mainly in the Supreme Court of Queensland
and the Federal Court of Australia and has also appeared on a number of
occasions in the High Court of Australia. He is aged 59, has one son and
resides in Honiara.
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Dennis
is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1975), the High Court of
Australia (1983), and a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon
Islands (1995).
He is also a Notary Public for Solomon Islands. Dennis has extensive
experience in mining and resource law, admiralty and commercial law.
Before the formation of the firm he had acted for Solomon Islands
clients on a number of occasions over a period of about 10 years. His role
in the firm includes that of managing partner, with responsibilities for the
general administration of the firm.
He provides general commercial and corporate advice as well as
practising in his speciality fields.
Dennis undertakes advocacy work when required and has appeared as a
successful appellate advocate before the Court of Appeal of Solomon Islands.
Dennis has also served two terms on the executive of the Solomon Islands Bar
Association.
Dennis is a firm believer that commercial reality within the law is a
sound basis for the giving of legal advice. Dennis has previously practised
in Queensland on his own account and in partnership and was a consultant to
the firm of John Katahanas & Company of Brisbane prior to taking up a
full time appointment with Sol-Law.
In his capacity as consultant, Dennis worked closely with John
Katahanas on a range of commercial matters including negotiation of
documentation and advice in respect of the refurbishment and
re-commissioning of the Carincross dry dock in Brisbane.
Dennis is aged 59, married with four children and now spends most of
the year in Honiara.
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Thomas
is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands having
been admitted in 1983.
He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (University of Papua New
Guinea).
Thomas established a successful private legal practice based in
Honiara by servicing all provinces in Solomon Islands. He has specialist
knowledge in customary law and its interface with commercial law.
Thomas appears regularly as an advocate in the High Court and Court
of Appeal in Solomon Islands. He is well respected throughout many sections
of the community through his association with the Law.
His role within the firm is in the commercial litigation field and as
the firm’s main liaison with the Solomon Islands national community.
He is aged 48, married with 3 children and resides in Honiara.
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John
is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1983), the High Court of
Australia (1984), and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of
Solomon Islands (1995).
John is also a Notary Public for both Solomon Islands and the State
of Queensland.
He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws with Honours (Queensland
Institute of Technology [now Queensland University of Technology]).
Within the firm his role includes supervising general and complex
commercial matters, drafting complex contractual and security documents and
advocacy in the High Court of Solomon Islands. He has acted for a number of
international clients from various countries including Japan, Ireland, the
United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore and the United States of America. Before
taking up a full time appointment with this firm, John was the principal of
the firm John Katahanas and Company (since 1985) of Brisbane, providing
general legal services with a significant commercial component as well as
acting as Sol-Law’s Australian agent.
These services included work on major commercial projects in
Queensland such as negotiation of and advice on joint venture documents
between Australian based marine engineers and a major marine engineering
organisation from Singapore for the refurbishment and re-commissioning of
the Cairncross dry dock in Brisbane, the site lease and related matters.
John is aged 46, married with two children and resides in Honiara.
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Rodney
is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands (2000). He
holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in
Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, USP).
Rodney is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of
Fiji (1999).
Rodney joined Sol-Law in late 1999 and was made an Associate of the
firm in 2006.
He is aged 29, married and resides in Honiara.
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Lionel
was recently admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of
Solomon Islands. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a
Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied
Legal Studies, USP).
Lionel joined Sol-Law in 2002.
He was unconditionally admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High
Court of Solomon Islands in 2006.
He is aged 29, married with a child, and resides in Honiara.
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Kuriah
joined Sol-Law at the end of 2003 after completing the Professional Diploma
in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied legal Studies, USP)
as a law clerk. She holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and also the
professional Diploma in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied
Legal Studies, USP). She was conditionally admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of
the High Court of Solomon Islands in 2006.
She is 27 years old, single and resides in Honiara.
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Silverio
joined Sol-Law at the beginning of this 2004 as a law clerk. He is awaiting
admission as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands.
He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in
Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, USP).
He was conditionally admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of
the High Court of Solomon Islands in 2006. He is 27 years old,
married and resides in Honiara.
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