In Mauritius, the differentiation between law firms and sets of barristers chambers is not as clear-cut as might be the case elsewhere. Some barristers are employed by law firms, while some chambers have begun to register as firms or join international law firm alliances. This ranking is for barristers specifically handling commercial disputes, including barristers both in chambers and in firms, and the ranking for firms/sets does not differentiate between the two. While the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the apex court of the Mauritian system and work before it is considered, for this area, this ranking only includes those with rights of audience before the lower Mauritian courts.
Barristers: Commercial disputes in Mauritius
BLC Robert & Associates
BLC Robert & Associates has extensive experience in arbitration and litigation across all Mauritian courts, specialising in high-value commercial disputes across a range of industry sectors including banking and finance. Members of the firm’s team have resisted challenges, before the Supreme Court and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, to an arbitration award following a failure to pay exit monies pursuant to a shareholders’ agreement in Peepul Capital Fund II LLC v VSoft Holdings LLC. Iqbal Rajahbalee SC defended a commercial bank in an employment dispute concerning wrongful termination in Beeharry v Maubank Ltd, while also appearing in administrative law proceedings, Sandeep Khapre v The Commission of Enquiry, for an application for leave to apply for the judicial review of a report concerning the disposal of shares of a major conglomerate. Also of note is Mushtaq Namdarkhan and the team’s recent work in Heeralall (as receiver of Best Flour & Co Ltd) v Mauritius Revenue Authority, an appeal to the Supreme Court concerning tax and the financial services sector.
Testimonials
‘BLC Robert & Associates is without question the No.1 and leading firm on the island.’
‘Iqbal Rajahbalee has an excellent reputation as a senior litigator in the courts. He is highly respected, user friendly, thinks commercially and is the go-to lawyer for high profile matters.’
‘Mushtaq Namdarkhan is a clever and pragmatic lawyer with experience and good client skills. He is highly respected in Mauritius.’
Chambers of A.R.M.A. Peeroo SC GOSK
Jamsheed Peeroo undertakes instructions concerning off-shore disputes and arbitrations through Chambers of A.R.M.A. Peeroo SC GOSK , which offers disputes assistance in a wide variety of areas including commercial, corporate and property. Also a member of London set The 36 Group, Peeroo is well known for acting as sole counsel in complex and high-value commercial matters in Mauritius. This is evident in his role as counsel for CSPI, a private security company operating in international airports, in Flashbird Ltd v CSPI, where Peeroo successfully resisted the setting aside of an arbitral award before the Supreme Court which resulted in important guidance as to how to interpret arbitration clauses.
The members of Chambers of Sir Hamid Moollan KC offers dispute resolution services concerning civil and commercial law matters across all levels of Mauritian courts. Highly experienced Salim Moollan KC – also a member of London set Brick Court Chambers – acts before Mauritian courts in matters concerning commercial and investment arbitration matters especially in the energy and telecommunications field – he recently acted as lead counsel in the Privy Council case, Betamax v State Trading Corporation, a new authority in public policy challenges in international arbitration matters, successfully appealing a decision annulling an arbitral award of $120 million. Peers also note Anwar Moollan SC who is experienced in litigation and arbitration, particularly in matters concerning the construction industry.