Ms. Karuna Ramsaran was admitted to the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago in 2010. Prior to joining this Firm, Ms. Ramsaran worked as an Attorney-at-Law at a large state-enterprise providing legal advice on commercial and corporate affairs, industrial relations as well as public administration and conveyancing.

It is on this diverse corporate foundation that she joined the Firm in 2013 where she has grown as an exceptional Corporate Litigation Associate working under the supervision of Senior Litigation Partner Mr. Prakash Deonarine for the past six years. Her experience at the Firm includes dealing with a dynamic and demanding portfolio which mainly entails the management and settlement of insurance policy claims, actions for negligence, employer’s liability, occupier’s liability, breach of contract, motor vehicular accidents, personal injuries and property damage.

Ms. Ramsaran is adept at advising and achieving the best results for her clients having settled and successfully litigated more than 100 matters for her clients at the Firm to date. She is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution techniques having attended several mediation and court mandated judicial settlement conferences on behalf of her clients. She is adaptable and wears the cap of both Instructing and Advocating Attorney in her continuing role.

Ms. Ramsaran is a valued member of the G&D team with her personable disposition, her commendable reasoning skills as well as her experience in interacting with personnel from both the public and private sector proving to be advantageous assets in the conduct of her portfolio at the Firm. She is currently developing her training and management skills with Mr. Deonarine to mentor the Junior Associates at the Firm. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

2008            LLB (Hons) – University of the West Indies

2010            LEC – Hugh Wooding Law School

2010            Admitted to Practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago

Ms. Ariel Moonsie was admitted to the bar of the Trinidad and Tobago in 2014. Prior to joining the firm in August 2017, Ms. Moonsie completed her Masters in Corporate and Commercial Law and worked as a Legal Officer at a Corporate Association whose main focus was the development of corporate legal skills and the training of exceptional Corporate Attorneys in the Caribbean.

It is on this foundation that she joined the Firm in 2017 where she has grown to be a skillful Instructing Attorney, working under the supervision of our Senior Litigation Partner, Mr. Prakash Deonarine. Ms. Moonsie’s portfolio currently includes matters mainly based on Fédération Internationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils (FIDIC), construction contracts, commercial contracts, fraud, trespass to land, and defamation among others.

In recent times (2017-2019), Ms. Moonsie has instructed Mr. Prakash Deonarine in the management and obtaining of twenty-nine (29) judgments (excess of 300 million dollars) pertaining to breach of contract under FIDIC and, under the lead of Mr. Deonarine, successfully undertook potentially the largest attachment of debt (garnishee) proceedings in Trinidad and Tobago.

She is currently in the process of expanding her portfolio as a certified Mediator and, to date has completed over one hundred (100) hours of Mediation and Mediation Advocacy training.

It is her past management experience and her keen alternative dispute resolution skills that often places her as an organizer in her department and a valuable member of the G&D team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

2012                LLB (Hons) – University of the West Indies

2014                Hugh Wooding Law School

2014                Admitted to practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago

2016                Master of Laws (LLM) (Corporate and Commercial Law)

Mr. Jerome Maxime was admitted to the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago in 2015. Shortly thereafter Mr. Maxime began his journey in the legal profession at the Firm as a Corporate Litigation Associate.

Over the past four years Mr. Maxime has quickly grown into a promising and competent Advocate Attorney working under the direct supervision and guidance of the Senior Litigation Partner, Mr. Prakash Deonarine. His litigation experience is based in the fields of insurance (Running Down Actions), employer’s liability, occupier’s liability, trespass to land and adverse possession.

Mr. Maxime, working closely with Mr. Deonarine, performs the role of both Instructing and Advocate Attorney.  In recent times, Mr. Maxime has extended his advocacy skills by appearing as Advocate in trials and assessments of damages. He continues to gain the respect of the legal community from his peers and in Court, building an exceptional legal reputation. To date, he has settled over fifty insurance matters. His personable nature allows him to advise and achieve the best results for the Firms’ corporate clients.

Mr. Maxime has a keen interest in the amicable resolution of matters. He serves as an example to his peers and continues to add value to the overall culture of the G&D team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

2013                LLB (Hons) – University of the West Indies

2015                LEC – Hugh Wooding Law School

2015                Admitted to practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago

Ms. Varlene Mewalal joined the Firm in October, 2015 as a Junior Associate and works under the guidance of the Firm’s Senior Partner, Mr. Vishnu Deonarine and Senior Attorney, Mr. Michael Kalliecharan.

While Ms. Mewalal’s portfolio mainly includes conveyancing and mortgage transactions, she also reviews and advises on contracts and agreements for the Firm’s corporate and commercial clients. Ms. Mewalal also provides legal services through legal opinions on a variety of topics including the Law of Property, Trust, Probate, Wills and Company Law.

Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Mewalal worked as a Secondary School teacher for five (5) years. Her personable disposition and excellent interpersonal skills have all proved to be advantageous in the conduct of her portfolio and enables her to act both efficiently and effectively in meeting her clients’ goals.

Ms. Mewalal’s enthusiasm and respect for the Law is evident in the quality and standard of her work, making her an integral member of the G&D team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

2007                B.A. (Honours) University of the West Indies

2013                LLB (Honours) University of London

2015                LEC (Honours) Hugh Wooding Law School

2015                Admitted to Practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago

Ms. Kai-Leigh Phillip began working at Firm in 2015 seeking to complete her six-month internship after completing the Legal Practice Course (LPC) in Birmingham, United Kingdom at BPP University.

She was subsequently admitted to the Roll of Attorneys-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago in 2016 and officially joined the Firm as a Junior Associate of the Conveyancing Department working under the guidance of the Firm’s Senior Partner, Mr. Vishnu Deonarine and supervision of Senior Attorney, Mr. Michael Kalliecharan.

Ms. Phillip works with many of the Firm’s major commercial and private clients throughout all three (3) of the Firm’s offices. She provides general legal advice and services related to, inter alia: contracts; bills of sale; leases; conveyances; agreements for sale; and mortgages. Her main transactional experience includes the purchase, sale, lease and mortgaging of real property and the incorporation of profit and non-profit companies.

She has previously represented a major Credit Union at dispute hearings held before the Co- operative Development Division and routinely provides legal opinions on such varied topics as the interpretation of different aspects of the Co-operative Societies Act Chap. 81:03, general conveyancing, contracts, powers of attorney, mortgages, Wills and Probate and Company Law.

Ms. Phillip’s personable disposition makes her an excellent liaison with the Firms’ clients and

the other members of the G&D team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

2014 Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Hons. — University of London (Trinidad)

2015 Legal Practice Course (LPC) — BPP University (United Kingdom)

2016 Admitted to the Roll of Attorneys-at-Law in Trinidad

Ms. Anisa Baksh was admitted to practice law in Trinidad and Tobago in 2016 and subsequently joined the Firm in 2018 as a Junior Attorney in the Conveyancing Department under the guidance of Mr. Vishnu Deonarine and Mr. Michael Kalliecharan.

Ms. Baksh’s steadily increasing portfolio includes, inter alia: general Contracts; Bills of Sale; Leases; Conveyances; Agreements for Sale; Mortgages and Company Acquisitions.

Most recently she has, under the guidance of Mr. Vishnu Deonarine, undertaken a large portfolio of Leases and the management of the sale of over two hundred housing units in a new private housing development.

Ms. Baksh’s eagerness to learn and keen attention to detail makes her a valuable member of the Girwar & Deonarine team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

2014 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – University of the West Indies
2016 Legal Education Certificate – Hugh Wooding Law School
2016 Admitted to practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Trinidad and Tobago
2018 Master of Laws (LL.M) in Corporate and Commercial Law – University of the West Indies