Highly skilled and experienced attorney with extensive practice and knowledge at the national level. Background in tax, intellectual property, International Trade, employment law and commercial cases. Favourably resolved complex, cases through meticulous research, preparation, and deployment of group supported strategies. Practices before administrative boards, arbitrators, the Supreme Court of Mauritius and the Privy Council. Extensive government service in industrial relations and labor law, developing new national policies, increasing employment and creating additional protection for workers. Fluent in French, English and conversant in Hindi and Urdu.
Areas of Expertise include:
- Commercial/Corporate Law
- Tax Law
- Arbitration
- Intellectual Property Rights
- Trusts
- Labour Law
- Contracts
- Industrial Relations
- Civil Litigation
- Policy Development
Experience & Notable Contributions
MINISTER OF LABOUR, INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT (2010 to DEC 2014) Appointed May, 2010.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Represented the Government of Mauritius at International Labour Conference 2010 – 2013, Geneva.
- Established National Tripartite Forum to enhance tripartism and social dialogue in Mauritius.
- Brought new regulations under Occupational Safety and Health Act, providing additional protection to workers.
- Designed and implemented fundamental changes in employment laws, Republic of Mauritius.
- Launched National Employment Policy, Republic of Mauritius.
- Established new job portal to benefit job seekers, www.mauritiusjobs.mu
- Spearheaded changes to Minimum Wage Fixing Mechanism.
- Instituted innovative alterations to the work permit application process for expatriate workers and creating e-‐work permit portal.
- Worked closely with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Migration, Diaspora and Mobility issues.
- Key note speaker at IOM conferences in Geneva.
- Chaired mediation sessions during national industrial relations crisis in various sectors, successfully achieving consensus.
MEMBER, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, MAURITIUS (2005 to 2010)
Elected July, 2005. Deputy Chief Government Whip, 2008–2010. Member, Steering Committee of the Inter Parliamentary Union on WTO matters, 2005 – 2010, Geneva.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
- Panelist, WTO Public Forum on “Trade and Climate Change: Is trade killing our planet?”, 2008.
- Participated in “Realizing the Doha Development Agenda as if the Future Mattered”, a seminar convened by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation,
- German Marshall Fund of the United States, and Salzburg Seminar and presented paper, “The African Perspective”, February 2007.
- Invited presenter at Annual Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, delivering paper on “Lessons to be learnt from the history of multilateral trade negotiations under WTO auspices” December 2006, Geneva.
- Represented Mauritius at Parliamentary Conference on WTO, presenting on good practices of oversight by parliaments in the field of international trade, December 2005, Hong Kong.
MC LAW OFFICES • Port Louis, Mauritius • 1992 to date
MANAGING PARTNER
Practiced labour law in Industrial Court and Supreme Court of Mauritius. Advised offshore companies, offshore management companies, international companies and financial institutions on company law, tax issues and trusts law. Managed legal issues for corporate clients. Developed form contracts, resulting in well-‐drafted agreements with minimal turnaround time for client, while protecting the company’s interest. Assisted corporate clients in streamlining operations through development of contract forms. Prepared pleadings, agreements, deeds of trust, powers-of-attorney, wills, trusts, and other documents.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Defended and managed complex product liability and commercial litigation issues.
- Handled litigation for International Corporations involving loan transactions and lender liability issues.
- Provided counsel and advice in employment law.
- Successfully conducted trials in a variety of tax, intellectual property, International Trade, Employment law and commercial cases.
- Achieved favorable resolution of complex, difficult-to-win cases through meticulous work and deployment of group-supported strategies.
- Practiced before administrative boards and arbitrators.
- Attained numerous credits in all phases of civil litigation in the Supreme Court of Mauritius.
EDUCATION
Barrister, Middle Temple, London, England
Called to the Bar of England and Wales
LLB (Hons), European Law
European Law, French Contract Law, Competition Law and International Trade Law
UNIVERSITY OF BUCKINGHAM | Buckingham, England
LL.M, International Business Law
UNIVERSITE PANTHEON – ASSAS – PARIS 2
Certificate, French Civil Law
UNIVERSITÉ DE LILLE | Lille, France
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Bar of England and Wales
Mauritius Bar Council
NATIONALITY
French and Mauritian