McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes > Nassau, Bahamas > Firm Profile
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes Offices
MAREVA HOUSE, 4 GEORGE STREET
PO BOX N-3937
NASSAU, BAHAMAS
Bahamas
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes > The Legal 500 Rankings
Bahamas > Dispute resolution Tier 1
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes‘ litigation and dispute resolution practice fields a team of specialists which handles the full spectrum of contentious work including arbitration proceedings. Within its commercial and trust disputes caseload, the group is notably active in insolvency and restructuring matters, private client work, IP claims, corporate disputes, tax litigation and cross-border claims. John Wilson KC heads up the practice, which also fields Sean Moree KC, who acts for ultra-high-net-worth families and multinational companies; insurance and personal injury expert Genell Sands; tax litigator Kevin Moree; Michelle Deveaux, who handles competition litigation; and Vanessa Smith, who specialises in trust and insolvency claims.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Accessibility to the Managing Partner and responsiveness are key attributes of the case management of the team at MBH. Even under the pressure of a global pandemic and shortage of hands on deck their professional posture and performance has been impeccable.’
‘John Wilson KC and Berchel Wilson provide excellent legal services all round, especially when it comes to dispute resolution and litigation. Their business oriented insight is paramount in terms of knowledge, especially when dealing with matters in The Bahamas.’
Key clients
The Private Trust Corporation limited
Ansbacher (Bahamas) Limited
EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Limited.
Executors of the Estate of James Martin
Butterfield Trust (Bahamas) Limited
Windermere Island North Development Limited
Adlard Holdings Limited
FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) Ltd.
Pictet Bank & Trust
Bamont Trust Company
RAV Bahamas Ltd.
Kikivarakis & Co.
J. S. Johnson & Company Limited
Qamea Stanley Limited
Bahamas > Real estate Tier 1
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes’ real estate practice covers the full spectrum of commercial and private real estate issues including handling the sale and purchase of hotels, resorts, private residences, vacation homes and investment properties. Transactional and development specialist Kimberley Rolle heads up the group alongside practice vice chair Alexander Christie, who handles real estate transactions and asset protection structures. Other key individuals include Timothy Eneas KC , who acts in real estate disputes and conveyancing matters; newly promoted partner Gia Sands, who excels in the tourism and leisure sectors; and associate Vanessa Hall, who assists with developments and estate planning issues.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very experienced, responsive law firm.’
‘Personable, very detail orientated to what we are seeking to achieve.’
Key clients
Pineapple Grove Limited
Newworld One Bay Street
Terralaw Ltd.
Sandy Ground Development Ltd.
Mylor Caribbean Development Limited
Bahamas > Corporate law (including banking, finance and M&A) Tier 2
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes‘ corporate and commercial transactions practice advises on a broad range of mandates including international financing projects, M&A, loan agreements and share purchase agreements. The group is also particularly highlighted for its offshore trust and private client work and excels in cross-border transactions, where it benefits from its Lex Mundi membership. Kimberley Rolle leads the practice and Alexander Christie acts as vice chair to the group; Rolle focuses on commercial, corporate and project finance work, while Christie has additional tax expertise. Other key names include Sean Moree KC, who leads the firm’s trust and private client group; senior partner John Wilson KC; Campbell Cleare, III who heads up the foreign and local investment practice; April Turner, who has experience in financial services matters; financial services and regulatory expert Kevin Moree; competition specialist Michelle Deveaux; and newly promoted partner Gia Sands.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
RAV Bahamas Ltd.
Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation
Neworld One Bay Street Limited (One Particular Harbour at the Pointe Condominiums)
Tropix Shipping Ltd.
Oasis Marketplace Ltd.
Crowe Bahamas
Mylor Caribbean Development Ltd
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes > Firm Profile
The firm: McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes is one of the largest and oldest firms in The Bahamas and conducts an extensive international and domestic practice from its offices in the cities of Nassau and Freeport. Established in 1945, the firm’s philosophy of delivering superior levels of service by industry specialists was established by its founding partners, Donald McKinney, Sir Oswald Bancroft and Sir Leonard Knowles. Dr Colin A Hughes joined the partnership in 1947 following the departure of Sir Leonard Knowles and the firm was restyled McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes.
Since its inception McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes has grown from a small practice of three attorneys with a support staff of three to a team of over 30 attorneys with a support staff of more than 100. Originally housed in a single office in the Boyle Building, downtown Nassau, in 1990 the firm moved to offices located on George Street in the heart of Nassau. McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes also has offices at Lyford Cay in Western New Providence and in Freeport, the nation’s second city, on the Island of Grand Bahama.
Each client of the firm is the responsibility of an individual lawyer, through whom the collective expertise and resources of the firm become available. While each client’s work is handled on a personal basis, the high degree of interchange of information and cooperation between individual attorneys ensures that the client’s work is effectively supervised and guided within the firm to the appropriate areas of expertise.
The firm is The Bahamas member of Lex Mundi, a Global Association of over 160 independent law firms that represent over 60 countries. High professional standards of performance and quality representation are the main membership selection criteria. Through the effective and efficient professional association of Lex Mundi, the firm is able to respond to requirements for legal services throughout the markets of the world and virtually every country.
Founded principally as a corporate and commercial firm, today McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes is engaged in the general practice of law and services its clientele through the expertise of its attorneys in over 35 practice areas.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trusts & Private Client | John F. Wilson KC | jfwilson@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Competition Law | Michelle Deveaux | mideveaux@mbhbahamas.com | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Family Law | Justine A. Smith | jasmith@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Real Estate | Kimberley A. Rolle | karolle@mbhbahamas.com | 1 (242) 362-7723 |
| Admiralty, Shipping & Aviation | John F. Wilson KC | jfwilson@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Banking & Finance | John F. Wilson KC | jfwilson@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Tax & Trade | Beatrice E. Miranda | bmiranda@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Immigration | Kimberley A. Rolle | karolle@mbhbahamas.com | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Litigation & Dispute Resolution | John F. Wilson | jfwilson@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Corporate & Commercial | Kimberley A. Rolle | karolle@mbhbahamas.com | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Foreign & Local Investment | H. Campbell Cleare, III | hccleare@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Labour & Employment | Genell K. Sands | gksands@mbhbahamas.com | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
| Financial Services & Regulation | April N. Turner | anturner@mckinney.com.bs | 1 (242) 322-4195 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ms Peteche Bethell | Associate | View Profile |
 | Mr Alexander Christie | Partner, Vice Chair of Firm’s Corporate & Commercial and Real Estate Practice… | View Profile |
 | Mr Brenford Christie | Consultant | View Profile |
 | Mr Campbell Cleare, III | Consultant, Chair of Foreign & Local Investment and Immigration Practice Groups, Vice… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Michelle Deveaux | Partner, Chair of Competition Law Practice Group | View Profile |
 | Mr Timothy Eneas KC | Partner, Vice Chair Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group | View Profile |
 | Miss Demi Forbes | Associate | View Profile |
 | Mrs Vanessa Hall | Partner | View Profile |
 | Mrs Erin Hill | Senior Associate Erin M. Hill is a Senior Associate of the firm… | View Profile |
 | Mr J. Oliver Liddell | Of Counsel | View Profile |
 | Mr Richard Lightbourn | Consultant | View Profile |
 | Mrs Beatrice Miranda | Partner | View Profile |
 | Mr Kevin Moree | Partner and Co-Chair: Tax & Trade and Financial Services & Regulation practice… | View Profile |
 | Mr Sean Moree KC | Partner, chair of the Trust & Private Client Practice Group and a… | View Profile |
 | Mr Hartis Pinder | Of Counsel | View Profile |
 | Ms Kimberley Rolle | Partner, Chair of Real Estate and Corporate & Commercial Practice Groups, Vice… | View Profile |
 | Ms Alexandria Russell | Associate | View Profile |
 | Ms Ashley Sands | Senior Associate | View Profile |
 | Mrs Gia Sands | Partner | View Profile |
 | Mrs Genell Sands | Partner, Chair of Labour & Employment Practice Group | View Profile |
 | Mrs Justine Smith | Partner, Chair of Family Law Practice Group | View Profile |
 | Mrs Lourey Smith | Consultant | View Profile |
 | Mr Andrew Smith | Associate | View Profile |
 | Mrs Vanessa Smith | Partner | View Profile |
 | Mr G. Andrew Smith II | Associate | View Profile |
 | Mrs April Turner | Partner in the firm and Chair of the Financial Services & Regulation… | View Profile |
 | Ms Berchel Wilson | Associate | View Profile |
 | Mr John Wilson KC | Senior Partner, Chair of MBH Executive Committee | View Profile |
Languages
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Lex Mundi IFLR The Legal 500 Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP)Press Releases
McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes is ranked as a Tier 1 Firm for Financial & Corporate in IFLR1000 2023
11th January 2023 We are delighted to share that McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes has once again been ranked as a Tier 1 firm in Financial & Corporate by IFLR1000, and included in its latest edition amongst the world’s leading financial law firms.Insolvency & restructuring in The Bahamas – A case study on costs in insolvency proceedings
26th July 2022 Recently the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas handed down a comprehensive Ruling on the issue of costs in liquidation proceedings - In the Matter of Rural International Bank Limited – 2013/COM/bnk/0088. This helpful decision clarifies the position relating to the taxation of costs in insolvency proceedings in The Bahamas, the entitlement to costs of the attorney of the Liquidation Committee and the treatment of Calderbank offers within the context of insolvency proceedings.Our Trusts & Private Client Team is Top Ranked in Chambers’ High Net Worth Guide for 2022
22nd July 2022 We are delighted that Chambers & Partners, one of the leading industry guides to law firms globally, has ranked our trusts & private client team in the prestigious top tier.John F Wilson QC, Senior Partner at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes
9th August 2021 We are delighted that our Senior Partner John F Wilson QC has once again been named as one of the top Wealth Management lawyers in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas by Chambers & Partners High Net Worth (HNW) Guide.Having a BABY and WORKING from home during COVID
30th July 2021 For most of us, the pandemic has been a time of change. Many switched to working from home with little or no notice; we were mandated to stay inside for most of the day and could not see the friends and family we rely on for support. But for three of the attorneys at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, there was an extra challenge in the form of a new baby.Having a BABY and WORKING from home during COVID 2
30th July 2021 For most of us, the pandemic has been a time of change. Many switched to working from home with little or no notice; we were mandated to stay inside for most of the day and could not see the friends and family we rely on for support. But for three of the attorneys at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, there was an extra challenge in the form of a new baby.Having a BABY and WORKING from home during COVID
30th July 2021 For most of us, the pandemic has been a time of change. Many switched to working from home with little or no notice; we were mandated to stay inside for most of the day and could not see the friends and family we rely on for support. But for three of the attorneys at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, there was an extra challenge in the form of a new baby.Legal Briefings
Commercial litigation focus: the Bahamas
Overview of the Bahamian legal system The Bahamas is a former colony of Great Britain, which attained independence on 10 July 1973 but acknowledges the Queen of England as its constitutional Head of State and maintains its identity as a common law jurisdiction. By the Declaratory Act passed in 1799, the English common law was …
- Dispute resolution
- Real estate
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Corporate law (including banking, finance and M&A)