Dr Lara Saguna Axiaq > Fenech & Fenech Advocates > Valletta, Malta > Lawyer Profile

Fenech & Fenech Advocates
198 OLD BAKERY STREET
VALLETTA VLT 1455
Malta

Work Department

Ship Registration and Ship Finance.

Position

Director

Career

Lara Saguna Axiaq is a Senior Associate at Fenech and Fenech Advocates and a Director at Fenech & Fenech Marine Services Ltd. She has practiced in the area of ship finance, ship registration as well as ship sale and purchase since 2007. Lara was awarded a Doctorate in Laws (LL.D.) conferred by the University of Malta in 2007. She was admitted to the Maltese bar in 2008 and subsequently read for a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Maritime Law with Queen Mary University (University of London), graduating in 2011. She is a member of the Malta Chamber of Advocates and the Malta Maritime Law Association.

As a lawyer specialized in maritime law, Lara Saguna Axiaq is involved on a daily basis in various transactions relating to the registration of new-buildings and second hand vessels under the Malta flag, both Maltese and foreign owned. These include vessels ranging from large tanker vessels to yachts, both pleasure and commercially registered. She also advises clients on ship sales and acquisitions, transfer of ownership of vessels within the Malta flag, all matters relating to the continuance of vessel registration as well as their subsequent deletion from the Malta flag.

Furthermore, as a lawyer within the firm’s Ship Finance Department, she advises clients – Maltese and non-Maltese, corporate and individual – in their capacity as borrowers, guarantors and mortgagors, as well as leading financial institutions and major international Banks, assisting the parties with the preparation of the relevant security documentation required for perfecting the registration of Maltese statutory mortgages and security interests.

Languages

Maltese, English, Italian.

Memberships

Malta Maritime Law Association – Merchant Shipping Sub-Committee – Member Member of the Chamber of Advocates – Malta Admitted to the Maltese Bar in 2008

Education

• 2008-2011 Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Maritime Law – Queen Mary University (University of London). Subject areas: Admiralty Law, Carriage of Goods by Sea, International Law of the Sea, Medical Law and Ethics • 2005 – 2007 Awarded a Doctorate in Laws (LL.D.), conferred by the University of Malta after successfully submitting a thesis on “The EU Ship Source Pollution Directive and the Criminalisation of Seafarers : A blessing or a curse? ” • September 2006 – January 2007 Studied at the “Universita’ degli Studii di Roma Tre” – Rome (Erasmus Student Exchange Programme). • 2004 – 2005 Diploma of Notary Public, University of Malta • 2001 – 2004 B.A. in Legal & Humanistic Studies (European Studies), obtained with a First Class Degree, and conferred by the University of Malta.

Lawyer Rankings

Malta > Shipping

Fenech & Fenech Advocates has a strong offering in wet and dry shipping matters in Malta. Ship finance and registration issues are key drivers of work for the group, which is also adept at handling litigation arising from shipbuilding contracts, charterparties, bills of lading, towage, and salvage and collision claims. Marine insolvency cases are also prominent in the team’s workload. Ann Fenech leads the maritime litigation group, in which Adrian Attard is a key name. Mark Fenech and Rowena Grima are established experts in ship finance and registration, respectively. Alison Vassallo and Lara Saguna Axiaq are also key practitioners.

Comparative Guides

Malta: Shipping November 2023 This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Shipping laws and regulations applicable in Malta.