Graham Thompson

Ryan Pinder is a partner in the firm’s Financial Services, Private Client, Trusts and Estates Practice Group.

Ryan’s practice focuses on private client planning and structures, and regulatory and licensing matters for financial services institutions.  His private client practice includes specialization in financial services solutions, planning and wealth management, and comprises banking, corporate and commercial law, investment funds, securities law, capital markets, taxation, trusts and estate planning and structuring and regulatory matters including license applications, inspections and investigations, and cross-border inquiries and commercial transactions, including reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions.

Recent engagements include:

• Lead counsel for the licensing and formation of the first digital bank in The Bahamas.
• Advising a Bahamian family office on the wealth structure of the family’s underlying business operations and financial asset management.
• Lead Government relations counsel for investment groups in hospitality and property development, ensuring the project obtains all required Central Government approvals in order to invest and operate in The Bahamas.
• Representing one of the largest hotel resorts in The Bahamas in a recent change in ownership and obtaining Government approvals and concessions for the investment, including obtaining the first casino license to be issued under the Gaming Act, 2014 and coordinating with The Gaming Board for The Bahamas on regulatory compliance matters.
• Designing and implementing bespoke family office structures, incorporating Bahamian structures and products to achieve unique estate and tax planning for clients with multi jurisdictional family business operations.
• Coordinating regulatory licensing and compliance for global financial services firms looking to do business form within The Bahamas.
• Representing investors looking to do business in The Bahamas, including:
  • Securing Government approvals and concessions for projects in The Bahamas valued at hundreds of millions of dollars of investments.
  • Negotiating and reaching agreement on Government concessions and the entering into of Heads of Agreements with The Government of The Bahamas.
• Advising clients on compliance with the changing regulatory requirements of financial services and cross border structures utilizing The Bahamas.
• Assisting clients in obtaining successful conclusions, and in some cases complete reversals, of tax assessments imposed by The Department of Inland Revenue.

Bar Admissions

• Admitted to the Bahamas Bar
• Admitted to the Florida Bar as a Board Certified as Tax Attorney

Education

LL.M, Masters of Law in International Taxation, JD Juris Doctor, University of Miami
Masters of Business Administration (Finance Concentration), University of Miami
Bachelor of Business Administration, University of Miami

Significant Accomplishments

Chambers and Partners, ranked lawyer in the High Net Worth (HNW), Offshore Trusts Sector, 2020

Recognized by IFLR 1000 – Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms –  as a 2020 “Notable Practitioner”.

Chambers and Partners, ranked lawyer in the High Net Worth (HNW), Offshore Trusts Sector, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

Professional Associations

The Bahamas Bar Association

Professional Activities and Experience

Presentation on the "Threats of Correspondent Banking and De-Risking" at the Permanent Council of Organization of American States (OAS) meeting, to discuss Finance and Banking Services Challenges to Development in the Americas, April 2016.  Additional information available from the Bahamas Financial Services Board.