Our History

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Our History

Our History

The practice was founded in the 1960s by Louis Camilleri Preziosi.  Since then, the firm has grown exponentially, but our distinguishing features remain a legacy of the original vision, that emphasised three important aspects of our practice: technical excellence; top quality of service delivery to clients; and a solution-driven approach to the practice of law, at the time aimed principally at servicing the local business community. 

We are proud of this legacy and continue to embrace these as our firm's core values and work ethic today.  This is a heritage that provides us with our position as the leading law firm within the local business community, and allows us to extend our services to the international market and international operators setting up business in Malta.

1960 - 1990

During this time the firm was composed of Louis Camilleri Preziosi and a few other lawyers who serviced principally the local business community in advisory and transactional work. LCP had just returned back from his Masters degree at University College London, and was intent on making his mark in the local market by focusing exclusively on transactional and advisory work, without conducting any litigation, a completely different approach to the rest of the profession at the time in Malta, which was almost exclusively focussed on providing litigation services. His view then was that he could only provide the service delivery and response times to clients in business if he was in complete control of those service delivery channels.

1990-2000

The next milestone was when Henri Mizzi and Louis de Gabriele joined the firm as associates. Henri and Louis had studied together at the University of Malta where they read law between 1983 - 1988, from where they graduated with a Doctor of Laws degree. Henri subsequently read for his Masters in law at Trinity College Cambridge, whilst Louis read for his Master's degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science. On his return, Henri joined Camilleri Preziosi in 1990 whilst Louis joined Bank of Valletta plc as in-house counsel. Louis, then joined Camilleri Preziosi in 1993 and in January 1995 they both became partners in the firm.

In the year 2000 Louis Camilleri Preziosi retired from the practice and Henri Mizzi and Louis de Gabriele took over the practice and its management. This led to a new dimension for the firm that started increasing its footprint in the local market as well as taking on new challenges and opportunities in the development of Malta's new positioning as an international business centre.

2000-2010

This was a time of significant growth for the firm. The firm embarked upon a significant recruitment drive and commenced its traineeship programme for law students, looking at organic growth as its mainstay for development, to ensure that its members will be moulded in the right culture and approach, recruiting people who could embrace the same vision of the partners. In 2010 the firm appointed its first two new partners, both of whom were the product of the firm's traineeship programme. Marisa Vella, one of the partners appointed in 2010, is currently the head of practice of the ADR and Dispute Resolution Team.

2013

Still a time of important growth, the firm appointed three new partners in January 2013, all of whom were originally recruited as trainees and imbued in the firm’s culture through the firm's traineeship programme.  All three are partners in the firm today. Donald Vella Heads the Corporate and Tax Team, Malcolm Falzon is head of practice of the Capital Markets and Insurance Team; whilst Ron Galea Cavallazzi heads the Public Sector, Competition, and Employment Team.

2018

In 2018 the firm appointed another two partners, recruited as trainees and developed within the culture and values of the firm. Both are still partners today, with Andrei Vella heading the Financial Services Team; and Steve Decesare the IP, Tech and Transport team within the firm.

2022

In 2021 Henri Mizzi retired from practice. In January 2022 the firm appointed 3 new partners, Andrew Caruana Scicluna (Financial Services); Kristina Rapa Manché (ADR and Dispute Resolution) and Kirsten Debono Huskinson (Corporate and Tax).

Over the course of the last 30 years the firm has been a significant player in the legal services market particularly in servicing business clients on a broad spectrum of areas and has always been at the forefront of important initiatives in the development of Malta as an international financial centre.

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