Bahamas Law Firms

As a Commonwealth country, the Bahamas' political and legal traditions parallel that of the United Kingdom.

The Bahamian legal system is derived from British common law and colonial legislation, although American and other models have been used for some business legislation enacted since independence. 

The judiciary is independent, and conducts generally fair, public trials with the ultimate right to appeal judicial decisions to the Privy Council in London. 

A large legal community, most of which has received its training in the United Kingdom and the Caribbean, is available to assist foreign business clients.
 

Law Firms: Attorneys at Law in the Bahamas

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The Judicial Process

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, "While generally fair, the Bahamian judicial process tends to be much slower than the norm in the United States and the Embassy has received occasional reports of malfeasance on the part of court officials.  There have been instances of Bahamian businessmen attempting to take advantage of delays in the judicial process and their physical proximity to gain advantages in commercial disputes with foreign firms, but there is little evidence that the Bahamian judiciary has favored local firms over foreign ones in its adjudication of disputes."

The Bahamian government generally follows a hands-off approach to business, but the U.S. Department of Commerce reports that "discretionary issuance of business licenses can result in a lack of transparency in decisions to authorize or to renew the authority of a business.… Obtaining required permits, especially immigration permits, can take an inordinate length of time." Labor laws can be burdensome, especially for domestic business. According to the U.S. Department of State, "allegations of improper conduct on the part of Government officials surface regularly…."