Valletta Legal

Valletta Legal is a Maltese law firm working from the capital itself, a few streets from the courts, ministries and banks that clients often need to deal with. The firm was established in 2009 and acts for people and organisations based in Malta and abroad, so it is as comfortable with a Maltese family dispute as with an overseas company that is planning to trade on the island.

The practice covers a wide spread of work: litigation, arbitration and mediation, property conveyancing, bank advisory services, commercial and corporate law, compliance, consumer protection, employment, family law, inheritance, intellectual property, leases, debt collection, residency and citizenship, trusts and foundations, and payroll and bookkeeping. UK readers will find the firm listed among our lawyers in Malta, and those moving to the islands may want to read our guide to relocating to Malta from the UK before a first conversation.

About the firm

At the centre of the organisation is a law firm made up of lawyers with experience across many areas of Maltese law. Alongside it sits a fully licensed trustee and corporate services company, which means a client can arrange legal advice and fiduciary or company administration with one group of professionals instead of coordinating several.

The firm's values are integrity, innovation and inclusivity, and it puts openness at the heart of how it deals with clients: clear and straightforward advice, personalised strategies and a collaborative way of working. Another theme is local knowledge with a global perspective, a useful combination for anyone who is buying property, forming a company or settling a dispute in Malta while living elsewhere.

The names shown on the firm's pages include Reuben Balzan, who is listed as a partner, with Mark Bencini and Anna Maria Zammit also featured prominently. The wider team comprises Marija Farrugia Caruana as Senior Associate, associates Manuela Xuereb, Cristina Schembri, Naomi Galea and Leanne Scicluna, Claire Eddleston as Head of Accounts, Eftali Spagnol, Adriana Baldacchino as Corporate Administrator, Dorianne Tanti as Paralegal, Erica Zammit as Office Administrator and Pia Mifsud as Legal Intern.

One of the firm's founding members practised in the Maltese courts for more than thirty years, and the firm values its roots in a profession with strict ethical standards. For a visitor or investor with little knowledge of how Maltese law works, that mix of courtroom experience and corporate administration is the main reason to consider the practice.

Disputes: litigation, arbitration and mediation

When a disagreement cannot be settled informally, the firm offers several routes. Litigation is one of its listed practice areas, and so is mediation, in which the parties try to reach an agreement with the help of a neutral person rather than a judge.

Arbitration gets a fuller description. It is a private process in which a neutral arbitrator weighs the evidence and the arguments and then issues a binding decision. The firm points to speed compared with a crowded court list, flexibility through the Malta Arbitration Centre, confidentiality, arbitrators who often know the sector well, and costs that can be lower than a long court case.

On the practical side, the arbitration lawyers draft, review and negotiate arbitration agreements, represent clients from the first filings to the hearings and the enforcement of awards, and help clients either enforce or challenge an award. Both domestic and international disputes are covered, and the work spans a range of industries.

Debt collection sits alongside these services for creditors who need to recover money owed to them. The firm also handles consumer protection matters, including product liability, reviewing consumer contracts, unfair business practices, consumer rights advocacy and group claims for people affected by the same problem.

Mediation can be a sensible first step for neighbours, business partners or family members who want to keep a relationship intact, while litigation remains available if talks fail. The firm's lawyers can explain which route suits the dispute in front of you and what each stage involves.

Property, conveyancing and banking work

Buying, selling or financing a home in Malta involves a sequence of legal steps that differs from the English system. Valletta Legal explains it as vetting and conveyancing: the process begins with negotiating and signing the promise of sale agreement, known locally as the konvenju, moves on to an examination of the root of title and the legal and mortgage position of the parties, and ends with the signing and registration of the final deed of sale.

Its conveyancing services include title searches to confirm ownership and legal status, review and drafting of purchase agreements, leases and sale contracts, due diligence on documents, permits, zoning rules and any encumbrances, and ongoing advice during the transaction. If you are weighing a purchase as part of a wider move, our guide to Malta tax for UK nationals is a sensible companion read.

A separate department offers bank advisory services to credit and financial institutions. It helps banks compile and review standard documentation and manuals, advises on regulatory compliance, examines property titles and public registry searches for real estate lending, and assists with public deeds. Related work includes succession services, pre-litigation studies and regulatory advice. Lease and rent matters are another listed specialism, relevant to landlords and tenants alike.

Companies, compliance and trusts

Corporate services and commercial law are core strengths. The commercial team supports start-ups, mid-sized companies and multinationals with contracts, intellectual property, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, employment, real estate and dispute resolution. For wider context on the sector, see our overview of financial services in Malta and our explainer on Malta's corporate tax structure.

Compliance is handled through Valletta Trustees Ltd. Its work covers anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules, identifying and verifying beneficial owners in complex structures, keeping the register of beneficial owners, reporting deadlines, collecting information on source of funds and source of wealth, sanctions screening, checks on politically exposed persons and risk assessments of proposed business relationships. It also helps clients meet the requirements of local and foreign banks.

Trusts and foundations, payroll and bookkeeping, and residency and citizenship are further services. Anyone who wants an alternative route for company, tax and relocation support can also look at CLA Malta, our featured partner, which offers a different mix of services.

People who split their time between the UK and Malta often have documents in both countries, so it helps to say at the outset where you live, where assets are held and which authorities are involved. A clear picture lets the lawyers tell you what they can do and what other advisers you may need.

Personal and employment law

Individuals can turn to the firm for family law, including child law, as well as inheritance, where the lawyers deal with the law of succession and estates. Employment law is available for both employers and employees, and the intellectual property team helps protect creative and commercial assets.

Residency and citizenship is a further practice area. The firm does not detail specific programmes, so if you are considering a move, mention your circumstances in your enquiry. The firm's spread of services is helpful for relocating families, who often need help with a lease, a property purchase and a will at around the same time.

The Maltese capital is also a fine place to spend a day around any appointment. Our guide to the Knights of Malta explains the history behind the fortified streets you will walk through.

Visiting the office in Valletta

The office is at No. 4, St Andrew Street, in the heart of the walled city. Valletta is compact and best explored on foot, so a meeting here fits easily with a morning wandering the capital. Our Valletta guide covers the city, and sights such as St John's Co-Cathedral and the Upper Barrakka Gardens are within a short walk.

If you are travelling from the UK for a meeting, our listing of hotels in Valletta shows where to stay in the city. The firm's opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 17:30.

How to get in touch

The firm does not print fees on its website, so start with a short description of what you need: a property purchase, a dispute, a company matter, an estate or a move to Malta. Include your timescale and whether you are in the UK or already on the island.

Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to Valletta Legal, who will reply to you directly.