Member Profiles

Nigel Bennett is an attorney-at-law and member of Barbados Bar Association and the Law Society of England and Wales (Int’l. Division). His primary practice areas include Corporate and Commercial Law, Int’l. Financial Services, Real Estate, Property Development and Banking, Governance, and Regulatory matters. He previously taught business law at BIMAP. Nigel previously served as Legal Officer (Governor’s office) at the Central Bank of Barbados as well as Legal Counsel to an int’l. subsidiary of RBC Royal Bank of Canada with responsibility for legal, corporate secretarial and governance matters. More recently, Nigel worked in the capital markets department of a “magic circle” law firm in London, England, prior to resuming private practice in Barbados. LANGUAGES: English & French JURISDICTIONS CALLED: Barbados Bar Memberships Barbados Bar Association Law Society of England and Wales (Int’l. Divsn.) Articles “Legal issues relevant to property transactions in the Caribbean” A Place in The Sun Magazine “Legal issues relating to the sale & purchase of property in the Caribbean” The Good Property Guide – London, England “Financial services regulation in B’dos.-the changing dynamic” Business B’dos 2007 “Int’l. insurance developments in B’dos.-SCC’s” Offshore Finance Canada “Offshore banking in the Caribbean” BWIA Caribbean Beat magazine “VAT & real estate transactions” Broad Street Journal “Quality first–the evolution of offshore banking in B’dos.” Offshore Finance Canada

Karen has over 28 years’ experience as a practicing Attorney at Law, in the Caribbean. She spent her first seven years in the field of law in her native country, Guyana, South America at the law firm deCaries Fitzpatrick and Karran where she became a partner. In the year 2000, she migrated to Barbados and joined the law firm Aequus Chambers in Bridgetown Barbados where she specialized in banking, property, offshore and trust and estate matters. She then merged with Hastings Attorney-at-law until 2011 when she started her own firm, Perreira Law that in 2015 rebranded and is now known as InterCaribbean Legal. Karen has developed a very large commercial litigation and international business practice. She has attracted a clientele of individuals, family businesses and private and public companies. She works for various financial institutions advising on banking law and loans for both domestic and offshore borrowers and private investors. Her portfolio of clients includes international insurance companies, large construction companies, property developers, and HNWIs seeking investment opportunities in Barbados. Her area of specialties are Trust and Estate Planning, Compliance (AML), Securities; Private Banking; Loan Documentation; Mergers & Acquisitions; Real Estate Transactions and Construction Contracts; Intellectual Property; Commercial Contracts; Procurement; Commercial and Trust Litigation; Licensing (regulatory and compliance); Maritime Law and Arbitration and Mediation. She obtained a Diploma in International Trust and is currently the only practicing Attorney in Barbados who can boast of holding a STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes. This invaluable qualification has equipped her with the expertise to advise and safeguard international clients and investors in the preparation of trust instruments, structuring and administration of trusts. She is also a certified anti-money laundering specialist with the Association of Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS) and has obtained a Fellowship CIArb membership. She is a member of the International Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, and an executive Committee member of the Barbados Branch. She joined the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In 2015 she also became a member of the Barbados International Business Association and the Barbados Bar Association.

Alain Strowel is a member of the Brussels Bar Association since 1988 and a Senior Partner, member of the Intellectual Property & IT law department, at Pierstone Brussels. He is also a Professor at University Saint-Louis – Brussels since 1993 and at UCLouvain since 2013. Alain is a native French speaker and is fluent in English, German and Dutch. Professional experience: As avocat at the Brussels bar since 1988, Alain provides legal advice, drafts contracts and litigates in intellectual property, technology and media law matters. From 2001 to 2014, he was of Counsel with a U.S. leading firm, Covington & Burling LLP. During his years at Covington, he closely followed the European legal developments in IP/IT law and advised several major clients in the tech and software industry on law reforms throughout Europe. Prior to Covington, Alain worked as counsel in the IP department of NautaDutilh (1996-2001). As sole practitioner (2014-2020), he focused on legal advice and worked jointly with other law firms for litigation matters. In 2020, he joined Pierstone Brussels as Senior Partner. His practice focuses on digital copyright and tech law. Academic experience: Alain is professor at UCLouvain and at University Saint-Louis – Brussels, where he teaches several courses in intellectual property, tech and media law. He also gives courses in two advanced masters in IP and IT law at the KULeuven and at the Munich IP Law Center. Since the 1990s, he has conducted several studies for the European institutions in the field of intellectual property and the digital economy. He is an arbiter for the domain names dispute resolution system run by the WIPO and the CEPANI. He has been appointed as a trustee of the European Law Academy (ERA, Trier, 2012-2019) and was elected to the Academia Europaea in 2012. Since 2019, he chairs the Intellectual Property working group of All European Academies (ALLEA) to which he contributed since 2012. Today his research focuses on the regulation and governance of data, artificial intelligence and online platforms. Education: Alain graduated in law, economics and philosophy at the UCLouvain and the University of Amsterdam. He holds a PhD in Law from UCLouvain. Publications: He has authored more than 250 articles and a few books including : Droit des médias et de la communication (with F. Jongen & E. Cruysmans, Larcier, 2017, 896 p.) ;Quand Google défie le droit (De Boeck-Larcier, 2011, 238 p.) ;Droit d’auteur et copyright, Convergences et divergences (Bruylant and L.G.D.J., 1993). He has directed several collections of essays including: Des voitures autonomes à l’intelligence artificielle. Entre droit, politique et éthique (with C. Lazaro), 2020, 258 p ;Les droits intellectuels, entre autres droits. Intersections, interactions et interrogations (with Cabay), Larcier, 2019, 304 p. ;Net Neutrality in Europe – La neutralité de l’Internet en Europe, Bruylant, 2013, 178 p.;Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Secondary Liability in Copyright Law, Edward Elgar, 2009;Of Authors and Origins (with B. Sherman), Cambridge UP, 1991.

Catherine has over 20 years experience working for the Aviation sector. From 2003 until 2016 she has been the co-head of a global law firm’s international Aviation Group. Since 1 January 2017 she launched a new niche firm called “Erkelens Law” which focusses on the Aviation sector. Catherine has developed a strong client base and leading reputation working for companies operating in or dealing with the Aviation & Aerospace sector, and was responsible for several landmark litigations with international impact.

Tom was admitted to the Brussels Bar in 2012. Prior to joining the bar, he held various management and legal positions in the financial industry. Currently, Tom advises companies and financial institutions on all aspects of banking and financial law, corporate law and general contract law. Tom has a broad experience in dealing with a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters, with a particular focus on M&A, restructurings, corporate finance transactions, shareholder issues, corporate governance and property transactions. Tom’s practice also covers banking, insurance and the regulation of financial markets. He has been counsel to many complex and high-profile transactions, involving Belgian companies as well as foreign multinational companies.