Canadian Lawyer InHouse

7 CANADIANLAWYERMAG.COM/INHOUSE MAY 2015 "I've got a lot of internal e-mails volun- teering to set up an offi ce in Varadero," jokes Peter Lukasiewicz, Gowlings' fi rm manag- ing partner, external. Due to the regulatory structure in Cuba, foreign law fi rms are not permitted to prac- tise law in the country. That is not peculiar to Cuba — many countries have restrictions on non-domestically owned law fi rms prac- tising law in their jurisdiction. "At the moment, the Cuban legal mar- ket is restricted to Cuban law fi rms, how- ever we have had for some time a subsidiary company — Gowlings Consulting Inc., and we have over the years delivered services through it through both lawyers and non- lawyers," says Lukasiewicz. The initiative will draw on a number of Gowlings partners, including Ralph Lean and Olley, who have experience in helping clients with Cuba-related business activities across a range of industries, such as energy, construction/infrastructure (private and public), real estate, telecommunications and hospitality-tourism, and transportation. "If Cuba is opened up to the United States, it is anticipated there will be a sig- nifi cant increase in transportation — par- ticularly shipping," he says. "As Cuba enters the world economy there will be signifi cant opportunities for traditional import/export trade, in terms of products, goods and ser- vices between Cuba and Canada." Lukasiewicz declined to name specifi c cli- ents that have expressed interest in the island nation, but says the fi rm has already been re- tained by several signifi cant Canadian com- panies looking to enter Cuba, demonstrating a rising interest in this emerging market. Gowlings expects between six and 12 lawyers will be actively involved in the ini- tiative. It has also recently welcomed Span- ish-speaking transactional lawyer France Tenaille, whose Latin American background will be a strong asset to the initiative. The fi rm will tap the expertise of Greg- ory Biniowsky, a Canadian lawyer based in Havana whose on-the-ground experience as a consultant to foreign businesses operating in Cuba spans two decades. Biniowsky's ex- tensive local knowledge and experience will help Gowlings explore ways in which it can best deliver service to clients through its Cuba initiative. "He's working with us to explore the regulatory options for us, but we have iden- tifi ed one of those which is to work with a Cuban law fi rm," says Lukasiewicz. "We are in the process of identifying law fi rms and then will enter into discussions about de- veloping a relationship so we can work with them so we can provide Cuban law advice to our clients." "Cuba's current trade climate offers a unique window of opportunity for Canadian and international companies to strategically position themselves in an emerging econo- my," said Scott Jolliffe, Gowlings chairman and CEO. "Through our Cuba Initiative, we look forward to helping our clients take full advantage of Cuba's expected rapid eco- nomic growth." IH A roundup of legal department news and trends From one team of professionals to another, when you or your clients are talking audit, tax and advisory solutions, the right counsel is essential. With offi ces from coast to coast, Collins Barrow professionals offer you the insights and opinions you need, combined with objective, actionable advice, to help maximize opportunities in virtually every area of business. For clarity you can call to the stand, call Collins Barrow. Expert testimony shows The motive is clarity Untitled-2 1 2015-04-09 11:32 AM

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