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Managing Partner

Michael Psaila

Michael Psaila

Michael Psaila is the Managing Partner at Mamo TCV Advocates and also co-heads the firm’s Corporate and Banking practice groups.  He graduated Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta in 2004 after submitting a doctoral thesis titled ‘The Raising and Maintenance of Capital’. Michael furthered his studies at Kings College London, where he obtained an LL.M in Corporate and Commercial Law.

Michael was called to the Bar in January, 2005 and was a partner at Simon Tortell & Associates since the firm was founded in May 2009 until it merged with Mamo TCV in July 2016.

He regularly advises a range of clients that include public authorities, banks, fund managers, insurers, multinational companies and local businesses on corporate law, M&A transactions, banking and finance and insolvency.

Michael has been managing partner of the firm since November 2017 and also plays a key role in the firm’s business development activities.

He is a member of the Chamber of Advocates, the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners and the International Bar Association.

Dr Michael Psaila - Managing Partner

Education

  • B.A. Legal and Humanistic Studies (2001, University of Malta)
  • Doctor of Laws (2004, University of Malta)
  • LL.M. (2005, Kings College, University of London)

Representative Experience

  • Acted as local counsel in Malta for Doordash Inc. in connection with the acquisition of Wolt Enterprises OY, which included a subsidiary with operations in Malta
  • Acted as local counsel in Malta for Evos BV in connection with the acquisition of Oiltanking Malta Limited, a company that owns and operates an oil storage facility in Malta
  • Acted as local counsel in Malta for Bain Capital in connection with the acquisition of aero engine manufacturer ITP Aero
  • Acted as local counsel in Malta for Stonehage Fleming in connection with the acquisition of the private client and corporate services business of a Maitland, a privately owned global advisory, administration and family office firm having operations in a number of jurisdictions, including Malta
  • Acted for the ex-shareholders in a Maltese company that owns significant photovoltaic assets in Greece in high-value arbitration proceedings involving various claims in connection with a share purchase agreement
  • Acting for BCRS Malta Limited, a company incorporated by the major stakeholders in the Maltese beverage industry for the purpose of setting up and operating a beverage collection refund scheme in Malta
  • Acted for the minority shareholders of a company that was listed on the Malta Stock Exchange in unfair prejudice proceedings that resulted in the company being put into liquidation (Calamatta Cuschieri Investment Services Limited et vs Pefaco International plc.)
  • Acted as Maltese counsel for the acquirer of an integrated supplier of secure and highly engineered banknotes used by central banks over the world and having operations in a number of jurisdictions, including Malta
  • External counsel to a retail bank on a variety of matters including regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering, product structuring, credit facilities, security agreements and other day-to-day matters
  • Regularly acts lenders and borrowers in syndicated finance transactions involving Maltese companies
  • Maltese counsel to the acquirer of a company specialising in technically complex active pharmaceutical ingredients with an operation in Malta
  •  Advised on the Maltese law aspects of an initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange of a company having a Maltese corporate holding structure
  • Acted for a public authority in connection with the procurement process for a major PPP project in the tourism sector
  • Acted for the vendors of a significant minority stake in a credit institution registered in Malta and listed on the Malta Stock Exchange

Memberships

  • Admitted to the Maltese Bar, Superior Courts of Malta (2005)
  • Malta Chamber of Advocates
  • Institute of Financial Services Practitioners
  • International Bar Association

Get In Touch

Address

MAMO TCV Advocates
Palazzo Pietro Stiges
103, Strait Street
Valletta, VLT 1436
Malta

Stay updated with our latest insights

News

Mamo TCV confirmed as one of Malta’s Top Law Firms by Chambers Europe

Mamo TCV’s position as one of the leading Maltese law firms was recognised again in this year’s Chambers Guide for Europe, which ranked the firm  as a “Band 1” law firm for “General Business Law” and “Band 2” for “Shipping”. Moreover, a number of our partners and associates were recognised as notable practitioners in their respective areas of practice. While Chambers described Mamo TCV Advocates as a stellar law firm with an acclaimed corporate and dispute resolution practice, the following members of our team were also singled out for their work: Andrew Muscat (Star Individual – Corporate/Commercial) Joseph Camilleri (Band…
Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Malta to Apply the 2019 Hague Judgments Convention by 1st September 2023

Malta, as a European Union (‘EU’) Member State, is bound to apply the 2019 Hague Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters, also known as the Hague Judgments Convention, from the 1st of September 2023. This Convention, concluded on the 2nd of July 2019 by the Hague Conference on Private International Law, pertains to one of the three fundamental pillars of private international law, that is, the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. The main objective of this legal instrument is to enhance cross-border transactions, ensure legal certainty and improve access to justice on…
AI systems are ultimately complex computer codes whose output reflects their input. If the inputted data contains human bias, the AI system tends to produce results which exacerbates existing biases. In this insight briefing, we analyse the effect that human bias in AI could have on EU investment funds.
Investment Services & Funds

AI & Funds #5 – Human Bias

In an underground burial temple located within the EU’s southernmost State, one can find a primitive drawing of a spiralling never-ending red tree. Archaeologists opine that the millennia-old Saflieni Hypogeum’s ‘Tree of Life’ was painted to give meaning to death. There is no evidence that the Maltese prehistoric biosphere sustained red spiralling trees. If archaeologists did not inform us about this pictorial human bias, one might have assumed that never-ending trees did exist in Malta. Humans understand that trees are not never-ending and the red artefact is merely an imaginary depiction. On the other hand, Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) knows that…
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Data Protection and Privacy
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Corporate and M&A
Corporate Legal Update for the Month of February 2023
The legal obligation to disclose information is a frequent occurrence in investment services laws. The draft framework for regulating artificial intelligence in the EU also puts vigorous emphasis on transparency. In this insight briefing, we compare the transparency obligations under the AIFMD with Article 52 of the draft EU AI Act to analyse the former’s adroitness for AI utilisation.
Investment Services & Funds
AI & Funds #4 – Transparency Obligations

Awards & recognitions

Mamo TCV Advocates is a popular choice for private and public companies, financial institutions, insurance companies, investment funds and public authorities. The group frequently acts on privatisations, M&A transactions, cross-border structured financings, syndicated loans and restructurings. The practice’s leadership is split between project and M&A financing expert Andrew Muscat and Michael Psaila, whose expertise spans capital markets products, insolvency law and M&A deals.

The Legal 100 - Commercial, Corporate and M&A (Tier 1)2022

Michael Psaila is highly praised by interviewees, who comment: "He is a joy to work with and an excellent lawyer," while one source highlights that "he is very thorough and provides very comprehensive advice." He advises clients on commercial agreements, as well as assisting public and private sector clients with regulatory changes.

The Legal 500 (Band 3)2021

Michael Psaila is highly praised by interviewees, who comment: "He is a joy to work with and an excellent lawyer," while one source highlights that "he is very thorough and provides very comprehensive advice." He advises clients on commercial agreements, as well as assisting public and private sector clients with regulatory changes.

Chambers Europe - Band 32021

Interviewees report that Michael Psaila is "very statesmanlike" and describe him as a "can-do person." Psaila assists clients with corporate restructuring and re-domiciling matters. Clients add that he is "extremely diligent and very knowledgeable of the law.

Chambers Europe - Eminent Practitioner2020