Sensing a market demand and hoping to provide quality service to smaller clients, two law firms have opened their doors in the past month.
Maximea & Co. and ThortonSmith plan to offer a variety of legal and related services to Virgin Islands community members and potentially to international clients.
Jamal Smith, an attorney who spent eight years practising commercial law at a large firm, said that he decided to open his firm primarily to cater to VI companies’ and clients’ needs.
“A mix, I think, needed to be put in place to provide the quality service that is provided by the major international firms. [It] needs to be provided across the board,” he said.
Ruthilia Maximea, a former trust company manager originally from Dominica, said she got into the law field after seeing how legal work fit into the financial services industry.
“I realised there was a need for more expertise on the island and for me to explore the field,” she said.
See the May 12, 2011 edition for full coverage.