The Malta Chamber of Advocates, il-Kamra tal-Avukati, represents the corps of warranted advocates admitted to the Bar of Malta. It is a voluntary non-political non-Governmental organisation funded by the fees paid by members and by funds raised from the activities it organises. It is recognised at law as the consultative and participatory representative of advocates in matters related to the organisation and administration of justice. The Chamber acts as a professional association, a lobbyist, an educator, and to a degree, as a regulator, as well as being available to provide guidance to advocates and to the public at large on matters of professional ethics and the proper exercise of the function and office of advocates.
The Chamber of Advocates, through its foundation The Malta Law Academy, organises lectures, seminars, and conferences in order to update the legal profession on matters both of substantive and of procedural law, as well as participating, either as a lobbyist or as a direct participant, in initiatives to amend and consolidate legislation. The Council of the Chamber of Advocates, il-Kamra Tal-Avukati, is elected every three years. The Council for 2020-2023 is currently made up of 11 members as follows:
Dr Louis de Gabriele
PRESIDENT
Dr Louis de Gabriele was born on the 29th February 1964 and is a senior partner at the law firm Camilleri Preziosi Advocates, where he has practised law since 1993. Louis graduated Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta in 1988, after which he read for a Masters’ degree in Corporate and Commercial law at the London School of Economics and Political Science from where he graduated in 1989. He was admitted to the local Bar in that same year and has practised the profession for the last 30 years, predominantly in corporate law; corporate finance; banking and capital markets. Louis has formed part of the Council of the Chamber of Advocates for the last several years and was appointed President in November 2018. His role as President of the Chamber was reaffirmed, following elections held in 2020.
Dr Stephen Tonna Lowell
VICE PRESIDENT
Dr Stephen Tonna Lowell was born in 1970. He was called to the Bar in 1996 and has since practised as a criminal lawyer, first as a public prosecutor and, since 2007, as a defence lawyer. He is a senior lecturer in Criminal Procedure at the University of Malta. He has formed part of the Council of the Chamber of Advocates since 2016 and was appointed Vice-President of the Chamber in 2020.
Dr Stefan Camilleri
SECRETARY GENERAL
Dr Stefan Camilleri was born in 1973 and was called to the bar in 1997. Stefan is a partner in the law firm Camilleri Cassar Advocates. He was first elected to the Council of the Chamber of Advocates in 2000 and has been re-elected by his peers ever since. From 2005, Stefan has been a member of the Committee for Advocates and Legal Procurators within the Commission for the Administration of Justice since 2005, whose function is to hear complaints brought against lawyers. Stefan regularly lectures law students on legal ethics and is appointed by the University of Malta’s Faculty of Laws to act as an examiner on legal ethics. Since 2008, Stefan has represented the Chamber of Advocates on the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE).
Dr Peter Fenech
FINANCIAL OFFICER
Dr Peter Fenech was admitted to the Bar in 1994 and co-founded Iuris Malta Advocates in 2011. His focus lies predominantly in civil and commercial law, particularly litigation. Peter also regularly advises various public entities on matters ranging from public procurement to administrative law. He has lectured at the University of Malta and the Richard Clarke Academy and has held chairmanships in various public entities. Today, Peter is the chairman of MelitaUnipol Insurance Brokers Ltd and is also a member of the Broadcasting Authority.
Dr Jesmond Manicaro
CHAIRMAN OF AUDIT COMMITTEE
Dr Jesmond Manicaro BA, LL.D., LL.M. (IMLI), LL.M (Lond) is a sole practitioner at JM Legal. Jesmond was born in 1978 and obtained his doctoral degree in law from the University of Malta in 2003, following which he was awarded a scholarship by the Government of Malta and the United Nations International Maritime Organisation to read a Masters degree in International Maritime Law. He was called to the bar in 2004, was awarded a Chevening Scholarship by the British Council and read a Masters degree in Telecommunications Law, IT Law, International Air Law and Cultural Property Law at University College London. Jesmond also holds a Diploma in Notarial Studies and a BA in Legal and Humanistic Studies (Phil.) from the University of Malta. He has ample professional experience in commercial and corporate law.
Dr Anna Mifsud Bonnici
EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICER
Dr Karl Briffa
MEMBER
Dr Karl Briffa was born in 1979 and graduated as a Doctor of Laws in 2003. Karl joined GVZH Advocates as an Associate in 2008 and was made partner of the firm in January 2018, within the firm’s Civil and Commercial practice. Karl has extensive experience in commercial, corporate and civil law disputes, including those involving property and conveyancing, construction and development, aviation, land transport, shareholder relations, fiduciary obligations of company officials, bodily injuries and insurance cover, among others. He has also garnered considerable knowledge and experience on development planning matters, representing developers before the competent fora on various planning-related disputes. Karl was first co-opted to the Council of the Chamber in 2017 and following re-election, has recently been appointed as Ethics Officer within the Council until 2023.
Dr Matthew Brincat
ACADEMIC/EDUCATION OFFICER
Dr Matthew Brincat is a Partner at GANADO Advocates, whose practice mainly revolves around Employment and Pensions. He was admitted to the Bar in 2001, obtaining a Masters in Labour Law from the LSE in 2002. Matthew is a co-founder and the General Secretary of the Malta Association of Retirement Scheme Practitioners (MARSP) and the president of the Malta Employment Lawyers Association. He was heavily involved in the formation of GANADO Advocates’ Employment and Pensions law department and gained valuable experience of Industrial Tribunal and OAFS proceedings. Matthew represents the Chamber of Commerce on the Employment Relations Board. He also delivers lectures at the MEA and other private organisations on Employment Legislation and has co-authored the Malta volume of the Kluwer Encyclopaedia on Labour law.
Dr Timothy Bartolo
LIAISON OFFICER for COURT and REGISTRY
Dr Timothy Bartolo obtained his Doctor of Laws degree in 2015 from the University of Malta and was called to the Bar in 2016. Timothy specialises in civil litigation practice, regularly representing private clients in complex disputes before the superior courts. He has also acted as defence counsel in serious crime cases and frequently represents clients before the family courts and through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Timothy has authored articles published in international peer-reviewed law journals and attends various legal conferences and seminars. He also has a keen interest in the arts and is a member of the Casino Maltese.
Dr Keith Borg
ETHICS OFFICER
The Chamber of Advocates has permanent staff responsible for administration and day-to-day running of the office.
The Chamber is also responsible for dealing with complaints made against Lawyers and refers such complaints to the Committee for Lawyers and Legal Procurators which is set up within the Commission for the Administration of Justice.
AFFILIATIONS
The Chamber of Advocates is affiliated to the International Bar Association (IBA), and the Conseil des Barreaux de la Union Europienne (CCBE)/the Council of Bars and Law Societies of the European Union.
