BLC Robert & Associates Ltd

Our Corporate & Commercial Practice serves numerous multi-faceted specialty practices, ranging from multinational companies, banks, financial services, hotels and government-linked bodies. As specialists in diverse sectors, we understand the needs and requirements of our clients, provide sound legal advice and tailored services that help them achieve their business outcomes.

Our cross-border strength is reflected in the fact that our lawyers are conversant and attuned to the business climate, economy, laws and practices in the region and internationally, especially for those companies who would like to use Mauritius as a springboard to invest in Africa.

As we seek to build long-term relationships with our clients, we take care of the legal side of things and let you focus on running your business smoothly.

Our Expertise

• Corporate services
• Commercial agreements / Joint ventures / Foreign Direct Investment
• Employment and compensation
• Tax
• Foundation / Philanthropy

In an increasingly evolving economy coupled with the fast-paced nature of commercial transactions, our approach to dispute resolution is founded on the ability to handle commercial disputes in a commercial manner whilst ensuring technical excellence in adversarial proceedings.

At BLC Robert & Associates, our lawyers understand the commercial realities of clients and proactively engage with the clients at advisory stage and with opponents where there is a possibility of preventing or settling disputes by way of negotiation or mediation. Our team, which includes a Senior Counsel and a Senior Attorney, also has extensive experience in appearing before arbitral tribunals and all courts of Mauritius in high-value commercial disputes in a variety of industry sectors such as Banking & Finance, Insurance, Hospitality, Real Estate, Leisure, Construction, Private Equity & Investments, Telecoms, Media and Technology.

Our Expertise

• Contractual disputes
• Corporate governance disputes such as shareholder disputes
• Property disputes
• Trust and estate management
• Corporate insolvency
• Employment disputes
• Building and construction
• Intellectual property

Through this ever-changing employment law landscape, employees are no doubt a company’s greatest asset, which makes it vitally fundamental to have the right guidance on the latest law and how it impacts your business.

BLC Robert & Associates has been cited as a leading employment law firm in Africa for finding best-of-breed solutions to employment and compensation issues for a wide range of clients, from international corporations to senior executives. As a full-fledged business law firm, we have a proven track record of successfully managing employment disputes, assisting clients’ diverse needs and backgrounds domestically and regionally.

As specialists in our field, our lawyers handle the whole range of employment disputes in courts and arbitration settings.

Our Expertise

• Employment laws, policies and pension schemes in Mauritius
• Employment appointment and termination
• Expert advice to boards and senior management of listed and privately-held companies on sensitive employment issues, as well as the latest corporate governance and executive remuneration requirements.
• Employee compensation
• Restructuring, reorganisation and retrenchments, including complex sensitive trade union relations and industrial action
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Advice on complex and sensitive issues involving accelerated terminations, discrimination, whistle-blowing, and restrictive covenants.
• Assistance in disciplinary proceedings and acting as counsel in court cases

Acting for leading Mauritian and global brands, our team advises on regulatory compliance, drafting IT contracts and assisting clients with their problem solving when there are disputes. We also support our clients to identify and manage risks when they decide to outsource part of the activities using cloud-based services.

With our extensive experience in protecting the brands and other intellectual property rights of businesses across a range of sectors, including banking, fashion, hotels, technology and pharmaceuticals, we regularly act for high-profile clients in these sectors.

We also act for our clients before the Industrial Property Office, ranging from trade mark opposition proceedings and in IPRs breach and breach of confidence cases before the Supreme Court through to liaising with the Customs enforcement with respect to import and export of goods in contravention of clients intellectual property rights.

In addition, we have a wealth of experience advising on data protection law compliance, including on international data transfers, privacy and data security. We assist clients handling data breaches, including cyber security incidents and advising them on their reporting obligations.

Our Expertise

• Disputes covering the full spectrum of intellectual property rights - ranging from complex patent actions to all forms of dispute relating to trademarks, passing off, copyright, database rights, design rights and breach of confidence claims.
• IP related agreements - includes trademark licensing, distribution agreements, sponsorship agreements and franchising deals.
• Transactional work - includes advising on M&A, disposals and joint ventures where technology or brands are integral to the transaction, structure or value.
• Expert advice on practical implications of the Data Protection Act

As the needs and requirements of property developers, investors, governments, funders and owners evolve quickly with market volatility, it is imperative to understand the dynamics of the real estate industry to be able to provide an end-to-end solution. At BLC Robert & Associates, we are conversant with latest market practices and have an in-depth knowledge of commercial drivers, financing structures as well as other practice areas such as construction, insolvency and tax to help clients navigate successfully their most complex real estate issues.

Our Expertise

• Construction and engineering
• Investment management
• Real estate - acquisition, investment, development, setting up and marketing of properties in Mauritius and abroad
• Real estate financing and restructuring of both real estate and hospitality assets
• Real estate tax
• Private client property

At BLC Robert & Associates, our insolvency practice encompasses a team of insolvency experts who provide comprehensive and tailored advice to clients, domestically based and cross-border, across a spectrum of industry sectors in a constantly evolving legal market.

Our practice serves a diverse client base, including credit funds, sponsors, financial services, corporate borrowers, boards of directors and insolvency practitioners. Our seamless approach and robust relationships with other specialist team members - corporate, commercial, regulatory, M&A, funds enable us to craft innovative, sound and customised solutions to clients.

Our Expertise

• Cross-border insolvency
• Advice to administrators and liquidators in collective proceedings on the sale of assets, conducting creditors’ meetings, preparing reports to creditors, formulating complex restructuring plans and making ancillary court applications
• Potential acquirers of businesses and assets from insolvency practitioners and directors on their duties in situations of actual insolvency
• Receivership
• Compromises and schemes of arrangement