First Commonwealth case to be heard outside London

The Bahamas has made it into The Privy Council’s history books becoming the first place where the Judicial Committee have sat to hear cases outside of England.

In the council’s 700-year history, many meetings have been held in Commonwealth and affiliated countries, such as New Zealand and Australia. However, these have been in the Council’s advisory role on issues such as recommendations on the British government exercising prerogative powers.

Never before have cases been tried outside of London.

The week-long sitting will hear four cases by the five-strong Law Lord committee - all are Bahamian matters.

Of these, the most prominent is that of the former Colina Financial Group president James Campbell, in which representations are being made by four barristers from 7 King’s Bench Walk.

Former directors of Colina Financial Group Emanuel Alexiou and Anthony Ferguson, have appealed an earlier decision that they had to pay a fixed $B 9m (£4.6m) when buying Campbell’s stake in the finance group instead of the market value.

From 7KBW, Gavin Kealey QC is leading counsel for Alexiou, with Andrew Wales as junior. Stephen Hofmeyr QC leads for Ferguson, with his junior Marcus Mander. Simon Kemp of Clyde & Co, was the London Agent acting on behalf of the Bahamian Law firm, Alexiou Knowles.