DR ANTON MICALLEF

International corporate work is at the heart of AVMT Advocates’s practice – with corporate structuring and transaction advice forming the key areas of strength, within the firm’s broader financial services focus.

AVMT is a boutique firm acting for a largely international client base; meanwhile, AVMT partner Anton Micallef is recommended for M&A work among the industry peers in Malta. Dr Micallef was Chairman at Valletta Cruise Port Plc, the country's operator of the Cruise and Ferry Passenger terminal in the port of Valletta from March 2009 to March 2012 and currently sits on the Board as Chairman or director of major international groups.

The firm counts commercial real estate and construction as key components of its practice and its lawyers have experience working on large developments valued at more than Euro100 million.

Malta is an attractive location for foreign investors to do business at present as there is a great deal of international interest pertaining to using Malta as a base for holding and trading companies. This can, in part, be attributed to the fact that English is the business language of Malta.

All of the laws and business contracts and related services in Malta are conducted in English. Compared to say Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain etc., these countries require the sole use of their national language, which can prove prohibitive if an English speaker needs time and resources to get documents translated.

Another key consideration that works in Malta’s favour is that the country is in a Continental Europe timezone. The country is also no further than a two-hour flight from anywhere in the whole of the Europe – with the exception of the UK which is three hours away. Consequently, in recent years Malta has proven highly effective as a home base for international business – and we are presently inundated with business, especially pertaining to the financial services sector.

As a prestigious law firm with a 50-year history, AVMT Advocates maintains a predominantly international client base comprised of investors using the island as a base for investments and business interests. In regards to regulation, Malta follows the British or European Union model.

AVMT 's services range from corporate structure design and planning to project finance in and around the Mediterranean.

AVMT has been involved in assisting clients do business in every single country in the EU, the Middle-East and in key states within the United States.

On privitisation, AVMT has been and is involved in almost every single major privatisation transaction in the country, either on the buyer or seller side.

The firm’s recent clients have included investors in the airport, telecoms, cruise and port and petroleum industries. In addition, AVMT provides a full range of legal and corporate services and guarantees a 24-hour response time as part of its proactive, commercial approach, which ranges from setting up of business entities to arbitration work locally and in the major international arbitration centres.