GS ADVOCATES - Key Persons
André is a consultant to the firm and is involved primarily in matters involving litigation. He read law at the University of Malta and obtained his Degree in Doctor of Laws in 2010, following the completion of a Bachelor's Degree in Law and European Studies, as well as a Diploma in Notarial Studies. He submitted a Doctoral Thesis entitled 'The Basis of the Prohibition in Article 34 TFEU' and was subsequently also called to the Bar of the Superior Courts of Malta in January 2011. He subsequently also read a Masters' Degree in European Law at the University of Malta, where he graduated following the submission of a Thesis entitled 'The Relationship between The Free Movement of Goods and the Free Movement of Services - An Internal Market Perspective'.
Dr. Eliza Borg Rizzo joined GS Advocates as an associate in 2015. She carried out her post-secondary education at St Aloysius College and graduated as a lawyer from the University of Malta in 2013 (LL.D.), subsequently being awarded a full scholarship by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to pursue a Masters degree in Maritime Law (LL.M.) at the IMO International Maritime Law Institute. Eliza completed the Masters degree with distinction in 2014 after having written a dissertation entitled "Climate Change and its Effect on the Arctic", while also drafting a legal implementation of the OPRC and OPRC-HNS Protocol into Maltese Law.
Dr. Keith Farrugia, B.A.; LL.D. is a Doctor of Laws and holder of a warrant to practice as a lawyer in Malta. Keith has been working in the Corporate, Commercial and Financial Services Industries since graduating, back in 2009. In fact, Keith has worked with top-tier legal, corporate, commercial and financial services firms in Malta as Legal Counsel and In-House Lawyer, Head of Legal and Corporate; Trust Manager and also served as Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer for several Investment Services Companies, Trust Vehicles, Funds and Investment Services Licensed companies. Keith is knowledgeable in both the local and EU legislation in relation to corporate, regulatory financial services, compliance and anti-money laundering. He is also recognised with the Malta Financial Services Authority.
At present, Keith acts as Compliance Officer and, in some instances, as MLRO to various Company Service Provider licensed companies, SICAVs and Payment institutions. He also represents companies and acts as legal counsel to clients in general commercial, business, regulatory and corporate matters.
Dr George Said was educated at St. Edward's College between 1982 and 1993 and St Aloysius' College between 1993 and 1995. In 1995 he entered the University of Malta where he obtained a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts in Legal and Humanistic (International Relations) Studies in 1998. In 1995 he obtained a Diploma in Notarial Studies and graduated as Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) in 2001.
Having submitted a dissertation in the Maritime Law area to the effect of drafting and proposing a Single Act for the Law regulating Harbour Pilotage in Malta. In 2001 he was awarded a full British Council Chevening Scholarship to pursue post graduate studies in the United Kingdom. He then entered the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom in 2001 where he specialised in Admiralty Law, The Law of Carriage of Goods by Sea and The Law of International Trade and finally submitted a dissertation in the Maritime Law field on the Rights of the Lawful Holder of the Bill of Lading where the Goods have been Transhipped under the Contract of Sale, the Letter of Credit and the Contract of Carriage. He graduated from the University of Southampton with a Masters (LL.M.) in Maritime Law.
George Said specialises in maritime, commercial, and international law. He is also an examiner at the Facilty of Law at the University of Malta and is an officer of the Civil Protection Department of Malta where he is in charge of legal affairs.
Stanley Portelli joined GS Advocates as a partner in April 2013. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Authority for Transport in Malta (Transport Malta), having overseen the amalgamation in 2010 of what were previously three distinct transport regulatory entities, namely the Malta Transport Authority, the Civil Aviation Department, and the Malta Maritime Authority where Dr. Portelli also served as CEO from 2009. Under his leadership, Transport Malta implemented various national road and marine infrastructural programmes, the public transport sector was fully liberalised and the Authority achieved record numbers in both ship and aircraft/Air Operating Companies registration, Malta having gained the top place in the EU in terms of ship gross tonnage registered under its flag.
Between 2001 and 2009 he held the position of Executive Director for Human Resources, Legal and Corporate Affairs as well as Company Secretary at Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd. where he was also on the Board of Directors from 1999 to 2004. These were years of tremendous growth in activity for the Malta Freeport which was eventually privatised in 2005 after having been acquired by the shipping line CMA-CGM, a process in which Dr. Portelli was deeply involved.
From 1994 to 2001, Dr. Portelli was employed with the Financial Services Unit at Coopers & Lybrand and eventually PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was a director of Malta Investment Management Co Ltd (MIMCOL) and Malta Government Investments Ltd between 2004 and 2008. In 2007 he was appointed member of the Port Workers Board representing Malta Freeport Terminals, and in 2008 was appointed member of the Board of the Lotteries and Gaming Authority, a post he held until April 2013.
He was also a local councillor elected for a term between 1993 and 1997.
He was educated at De La Salle College and the New Lyceum. He graduated as Notary Public (1993) and Doctor of Laws (1995) at the University of Malta.
Dr.Portelli's practice focuses on corporate matters and company law, ports-related legislation, as well as employment law, and he sits on the board of a number of internationally-owned companies operating from Malta. He is a member of the Chamber of Advocates and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.