Mr. Philip Hamel-Smith has been a practicing solicitor since 1971. He is a former Government Senator and served as Vice President of the Senate over the period 1995-2000. In this capacity, he actively participated in drafting and amending legislation pertaining to Trinidad & Tobago and served as a member of the Government’s Legislative Review Committee. He also was a member of the Government’s Committee that negotiated with Cable & Wireless relative to the terms of the new Telecommunications Act and played an active role in the passage of the legislation through Parliament.

Bar Admissions:
Trinidad & Tobago 1971
United Kingdom 1975
St. Kitts & Nevis 2003

Practice:
Philip specializes in international business transactions and Investment Syndication Law. He has extensive experience in these areas and also has been involved in numerous inward Foreign Investment initiatives both in the energy sector as well as other non oil projects. He has advised a wide variety of clients on business structures and corporate operational models and, on several occasions, has spoken to visiting trade and investment missions on “Doing Business in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Selected Professional and Business Activities:
Member of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts & Nevis Bar Association, as well as the American Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the Law Society (United Kingdom).

He is also an External Examiner on Business Law for The University of the West Indies (Institute of Business).

He is a founding director of the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago as well as being a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce and the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association. Previously served as a Director of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading Association of Independent Law Firms.

Directorships:
Guardian Holdings Limited
Carillion Caribbean Limited
EOG Resources Trinidad Limited
The Neal & Massy Foundation

Publications:
Author of: "Financial Systems in Trinidad & Tobago," Euromoney Publications, 1991; "Trinidad & Tobago a Place to Invest" and "Investment in the Trinidad & Tobago Energy Sector," - Investors Guide to Trinidad & Tobago - available on the Internet at http://www.trinidadlaw.com In August 2002, he presented a paper on "Hospitality, Tourism & Resort Development: Legal and Business Trends in the Caribbean” at the Caribbean Law Conference – Bahamas.

Source (photo and content): American Chamber of Commerce website, www.amchamtt.com