Member Profiles

LL.B (HONS), LL.M, TEP Liza Harridyal Sodha is the Principal of Harridyal Sodha & Associates (LizaLaw). In 1994, Liza graduated with honours, from the law faculty at the University of Manchester, England and then articled in London, England. Thereafter, she completed a professional training course in Jamaica to qualify as a Caricom lawyer, prior to being called to the Bar in Barbados in 1996. In 2001, Liza earned a Masters Degree in the Law of International Trade & Finance from the University of Wolverhampton and London.  Shortly after being accepted to the Barbados Bar, Liza worked for a private, Barbados based wealth management international bank as in-house Counsel and Trust Officer and then for a leading law firm in Barbados. Harridyal Sodha & Associates (LizaLaw) was formed in 2002 and has gained recognition in international circles.  Liza is an Executive of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Barbados Branch), a Director of the Barbados International Business Association, and the Deputy Chair of the Joint Working Policy Group, which advises the Ministry of International Business in Barbados.

Nigel Bennett is an attorney-at-law and member of Barbados Bar Association and the Law Society of England and Wales (Int’l. Division). His primary practice areas include Corporate and Commercial Law, Int’l. Financial Services, Real Estate, Property Development and Banking, Governance, and Regulatory matters. He previously taught business law at BIMAP. Nigel previously served as Legal Officer (Governor’s office) at the Central Bank of Barbados as well as Legal Counsel to an int’l. subsidiary of RBC Royal Bank of Canada with responsibility for legal, corporate secretarial and governance matters. More recently, Nigel worked in the capital markets department of a “magic circle” law firm in London, England, prior to resuming private practice in Barbados. LANGUAGES: English & French JURISDICTIONS CALLED: Barbados Bar Memberships Barbados Bar Association Law Society of England and Wales (Int’l. Divsn.) Articles “Legal issues relevant to property transactions in the Caribbean” A Place in The Sun Magazine “Legal issues relating to the sale & purchase of property in the Caribbean” The Good Property Guide – London, England “Financial services regulation in B’dos.-the changing dynamic” Business B’dos 2007 “Int’l. insurance developments in B’dos.-SCC’s” Offshore Finance Canada “Offshore banking in the Caribbean” BWIA Caribbean Beat magazine “VAT & real estate transactions” Broad Street Journal “Quality first–the evolution of offshore banking in B’dos.” Offshore Finance Canada

Karen has over 28 years’ experience as a practicing Attorney at Law, in the Caribbean. She spent her first seven years in the field of law in her native country, Guyana, South America at the law firm deCaries Fitzpatrick and Karran where she became a partner. In the year 2000, she migrated to Barbados and joined the law firm Aequus Chambers in Bridgetown Barbados where she specialized in banking, property, offshore and trust and estate matters. She then merged with Hastings Attorney-at-law until 2011 when she started her own firm, Perreira Law that in 2015 rebranded and is now known as InterCaribbean Legal. Karen has developed a very large commercial litigation and international business practice. She has attracted a clientele of individuals, family businesses and private and public companies. She works for various financial institutions advising on banking law and loans for both domestic and offshore borrowers and private investors. Her portfolio of clients includes international insurance companies, large construction companies, property developers, and HNWIs seeking investment opportunities in Barbados. Her area of specialties are Trust and Estate Planning, Compliance (AML), Securities; Private Banking; Loan Documentation; Mergers & Acquisitions; Real Estate Transactions and Construction Contracts; Intellectual Property; Commercial Contracts; Procurement; Commercial and Trust Litigation; Licensing (regulatory and compliance); Maritime Law and Arbitration and Mediation. She obtained a Diploma in International Trust and is currently the only practicing Attorney in Barbados who can boast of holding a STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes. This invaluable qualification has equipped her with the expertise to advise and safeguard international clients and investors in the preparation of trust instruments, structuring and administration of trusts. She is also a certified anti-money laundering specialist with the Association of Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS) and has obtained a Fellowship CIArb membership. She is a member of the International Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, and an executive Committee member of the Barbados Branch. She joined the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In 2015 she also became a member of the Barbados International Business Association and the Barbados Bar Association.

Alain Strowel is a member of the Brussels Bar Association since 1988 and a Senior Partner, member of the Intellectual Property & IT law department, at Pierstone Brussels. He is also a Professor at University Saint-Louis – Brussels since 1993 and at UCLouvain since 2013. Alain is a native French speaker and is fluent in English, German and Dutch. Professional experience: As avocat at the Brussels bar since 1988, Alain provides legal advice, drafts contracts and litigates in intellectual property, technology and media law matters. From 2001 to 2014, he was of Counsel with a U.S. leading firm, Covington & Burling LLP. During his years at Covington, he closely followed the European legal developments in IP/IT law and advised several major clients in the tech and software industry on law reforms throughout Europe. Prior to Covington, Alain worked as counsel in the IP department of NautaDutilh (1996-2001). As sole practitioner (2014-2020), he focused on legal advice and worked jointly with other law firms for litigation matters. In 2020, he joined Pierstone Brussels as Senior Partner. His practice focuses on digital copyright and tech law. Academic experience: Alain is professor at UCLouvain and at University Saint-Louis – Brussels, where he teaches several courses in intellectual property, tech and media law. He also gives courses in two advanced masters in IP and IT law at the KULeuven and at the Munich IP Law Center. Since the 1990s, he has conducted several studies for the European institutions in the field of intellectual property and the digital economy. He is an arbiter for the domain names dispute resolution system run by the WIPO and the CEPANI. He has been appointed as a trustee of the European Law Academy (ERA, Trier, 2012-2019) and was elected to the Academia Europaea in 2012. Since 2019, he chairs the Intellectual Property working group of All European Academies (ALLEA) to which he contributed since 2012. Today his research focuses on the regulation and governance of data, artificial intelligence and online platforms. Education: Alain graduated in law, economics and philosophy at the UCLouvain and the University of Amsterdam. He holds a PhD in Law from UCLouvain. Publications: He has authored more than 250 articles and a few books including : Droit des médias et de la communication (with F. Jongen & E. Cruysmans, Larcier, 2017, 896 p.) ;Quand Google défie le droit (De Boeck-Larcier, 2011, 238 p.) ;Droit d’auteur et copyright, Convergences et divergences (Bruylant and L.G.D.J., 1993). He has directed several collections of essays including: Des voitures autonomes à l’intelligence artificielle. Entre droit, politique et éthique (with C. Lazaro), 2020, 258 p ;Les droits intellectuels, entre autres droits. Intersections, interactions et interrogations (with Cabay), Larcier, 2019, 304 p. ;Net Neutrality in Europe – La neutralité de l’Internet en Europe, Bruylant, 2013, 178 p.;Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Secondary Liability in Copyright Law, Edward Elgar, 2009;Of Authors and Origins (with B. Sherman), Cambridge UP, 1991.

Industries Banking and financial law Contracts and business relationships Debt recovery Energy European, Chinese and competition law Gaming and betting Insurance and tort Litigation, Arbitration & Mediation Merger and acquisition, corporate and restructuring Training Degree in Law, Catholic University of Louvain, magna cum laude, 1976 DESS in European Law, University of Utrecht, magna cum laude, 1977 Degree in Economic Sciences, Catholic University of Louvain, magna cum laude, 1978 Doctor of Law, Catholic University of Louvain, summa cum laude, 1983 Activities Within the bar Belgian expert for European contract law from the CCBE Outside the bar Professor at the Catholic University of Louvain and at ICHEC Lecturer at the University of Paris X Nanterre Visiting professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (V.U.B.) (Arbitration law) Member of the Jury for the thesis defense of Mr. Dave Mertens “Vrije en eerlijke mededinging en de bescherming van inspanningen buiten het (intellectuele) eigendomsrecht” at the University of Antwerp (October 4, 2010) Editor-in-chief of the Business Law Review (DAOR) Member of the Editorial Committee of the Revue de Jurisprudence Liège, Mons, Brussels (responsible for the Civil Liability column) Member of the editorial committee of the Handeslcontract series of the Larcier Group Member of the Editorial Committee of the Revue Générale de Droit civil (Contracts and Obligations) Member of the scientific committee of Businesslawtele.net 2000 – to date: Associate Lawyer, “Philippe & Partners”, member of the Brussels Bar and the Luxembourg Bar 1999 – 2000: Associate lawyer, “Simonet, Kelder, Philippe, Domont, Lories, Mertens”, Brussels 1984 – 1999: Associate lawyer, “Balon, Buyle, Maingain & Philippe, Brussels 1977 – 1984: Lawyer at the Brussels bar, collaborator of Professor R.O. DALCQ (Janson Baugniet association) Member of the council of the Institute of European Law Member of the French group “Transeurope Experts” Participation as a lawyer in the “Forum on specifications for sustainable food for communities” (Bioforum – Gembloux) – March 9, 2009 Member of the coordinating committee of the von Bar commission on the standardization of contract law, a commission comprising university professors from different countries of the European Union and a commission whose work is financed by the European Union. Participation in the seminar in Warsaw on May 19, 2004., in Milan in December 2004, in Berlin in June 2005 and Tartu (Estonia) in December 2005, in Luzern December 2006; in Prague December 2007. Assistance since 1960 to Central European countries in the transposition of directives (All Central European countries, management of a team of lawyers and university professors between 1999 and 2000 in Slovakia). Member of the International Contracts group led by Professors Fontaine and de Ly. Administrator of the Belgian Nuclear Association Chairman of the board of directors of the Huyghebaert company (since 2002) 2001 – 2002: director of the company Vandemoortele (Kortrijk) Member of the examination committee of the Institute of Company Auditors