Reflecting on the ‘road travelled’ by the legal firm WH Partners that he co-founded in 2012 with Olga Finkel, Managing Partner James Scicluna, says “we started off with a handful of people and have now grown into one of Malta’s leading business law firms." Indeed, from its modest beginnings as a team of six lawyers and two support staff, WH Partners has evolved into an outfit of almost 90 people offering a broad range of legal services.

The firm has twice won the "Business Law Firm of the Year for Malta" award from Who's Who Legal (hosted by global legal research platform, Lexology). “The integrity and stature of Who’s Who Legal, coupled with being recognised alongside top ranking international firms made this award that much more special to us,” Dr Scicluna shares.

While the firm initially focused on "assisting clients in the gaming & gambling industry”, it has since diversified its client portfolio, now catering to numerous industries which fuel Malta’s economy. Leveraging the collective expertise of its skilled professionals, WH Partners offers a comprehensive suite of legal services across a spectrum of disciplines. “2023 was an excellent year for all the areas we assisted on but we were particularly active in M&A transactions, tax matters, fintech, private client matters with a focus on residency & citizenship. Our dispute resolution team was also busy and we estimate this trend will continue throughout 2024,” Dr Scicluna says.

This versatility has solidified the firm’s standing as a full-service business law firm that provides clients with complete and seamlessly coordinated solutions. It also reflects a holistic approach to legal practice that prioritises an astute grasp of business dynamics and deep understanding of clients' business needs. Rather than being mere dispensers of legal theory, the focus is on training lawyers to think of themselves as strategic allies to business who “understand the financial consequences of every bit of advice they give" and provide implementable and commercially viable solutions to clients.

As Malta has steadily grown as a digital hub, WH Partners has recognised the digital reality’s potential: "Although for years now we have been active across newer and more traditional sectors of the economy, our main strengths lie in digital and emerging industries," says Dr Scicluna. This strength has “enabled them to ride the wave of new investors and business in Malta and also to help [these clients] to expand their operations to other jurisdictions".

However, Dr Scicluna points out that this "lead in technology-related industries and newer areas has not come at the expense of instructions in more traditional, non-digital areas of commerce which have also increased significantly in recent years".

Expanding its reach across borders, WH Partners announced the opening of their UAE desk, based in Dubai to serve as its central base in the Gulf and Middle East. The desk offers corporate services, project consulting and business advisory services on matters such as company incorporation, structuring, gaming, software licensing, private client matters, residency and immigration, visa, financial services licensing, digital banking, cryptocurrencies and other digital asset services licensing and real estate investments.

More recently, WH Partners announced the opening of a new office in Bucharest, Romania, through a strategic alliance with Bucharest law firm Simion & Partners. Dr Scicluna comments, “This alliance enhances our capability to provide top tier legal and regulatory services and reinforces our commitment to expanding our firm in Europe and beyond in a manner which strategically benefits our clients.”

Despite widening its footprint to serve a broader clientele, WH Partners remains rooted in its Maltese origins. The recent opening of an office in Valletta has provided the firm with “an operational base for the dispute resolution team which has experienced steady growth and handles disputes relating to intellectual property, shareholding, insolvency, tax, breach of contract, employment, property and various other commercial matters.”

Having a global mindset, understanding local nuances and cultural sensitivities means the firm assuredly assists its clients in navigating the complexities of international business transactions, cross-border regulations, and compliance. “What is important to note,” Dr Scicluna points out “is that we always strived to manage our expansion into new territories and business areas without diluting the quality of our work. We believe this is the way we will thrive in 2024 and well beyond”.

While acknowledging industry accolades and broad international reach as undeniable milestones, Dr Scicluna emphasises the firm’s true measure of success lies “not in awards, rankings, number of new offices and desks but most importantly in the long-term relationships we have cultivated with our clients”. The client-centric mindset has enabled WH Partners to establish itself as a trusted advisor, accompanying businesses through every phase of their growth journey including guiding startups with their initial funding rounds to navigating the complexities of IPOs to acquisitions and beyond. “A client’s continued confidence in our ability to assist them to grow their businesses is our biggest endorsement,” he affirms.

Turning to Malta’s legal sector, Dr Scicluna firmly believes that "the law firm of the future needs to be able to adapt to the “disruptive technological developments” of the digitised business world. Constantly keeping up with trends and embracing new technologies is essential but needs to be done whilst maintaining client relationships and delivering premium quality work," he insists.

From its own operational standpoint, WH Partners is "constantly exploring ways to leverage technology to provide more efficient services". Optimising internal processes including evaluating artificial intelligence options for research and analysis and integrating other technologies into its functionality, the firm has become an adaptive, future-ready entity. “Thinking ahead is part of our DNA; in the way we handle our client work, deliver, and look towards the future of our business,” Dr Scicluna confirms.

Passionate about the development of Malta's legal sector, WH Partners is an advocate for robust industry governance. Dr Scicluna highlights the importance of a clearly defined regulatory framework, noting that the lack of a comprehensive Lawyers' Act has been a longstanding concern for Malta’s legal community. Select elements in the police code, articles in the code of civil procedure, and a lawyers' code of ethics are the only provisions in this area. He emphasises that a more structured and transparent legal ecosystem is required to uphold the highest professional standards and contribute to the overall growth of Malta's economy.

Directly reflecting these ambitions for an exceptionally well-run industry, WH Partners champions a culture of excellence and continuous improvement within its own business, including a meticulous recruitment process and professional development. Viewing human capital as the major driving force in its success, WH Partners has implemented a comprehensive training program to nurture the next generation of legal professionals. Over two years, the programme immerses new joiners in several areas of practice including Corporate/M&A, tax, dispute resolution and fintech.

The training is designed to encourage growth, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing as well as cementing essential soft skills like communication, teamwork, project management skills and agility. Mr Scicluna explains "academics are important but what's more important is people who are a good fit with the firm, who are driven and are open to learning." This ethos has ensured that WH Partners attracts and retains a rich talent pool that “continues the focus on clients which has been the hallmark of WH Partners since [they] started”.

A reputation as a trusted partner serving diverse businesses. A strong track record in delivering pragmatic, actionable counsel across different territories. And a genuine interest in the advancement of the legal sector. All these are attributes that epitomise WH Partners’ mission and represent what a modern law firm can achieve.