Henri Mizzi

Henri Mizzi is an advocate, admitted to practise law before the Superior Courts of Malta.

Before setting up a practice as an Independent Arbitrator and Mediator and joining ArbDB Chambers, Henri was senior partner at Camilleri Preziosi, one of Malta’s premier commercial law firms. Apart from his advisory and transactional responsibilities, he was responsible for the firm’s dispute resolution practice, and he handled the firm’s most important cases. His work spanned several economic sectors including banking and financial services, construction, communications, shipping, insurance, and energy. The branches of the law he covered were varied and included banking law, company law, communications law, construction law, insurance law, intellectual property law and shipping law. During the last ten years or so of his practice, Henri dealt increasingly with administrative law issues, given their growing importance in the commercial world.

Several of his cases had an international dimension, taking him to London, Paris, Strasbourg, Stockholm, Düsseldorf, Naples and New York, among others.

Having chaired and sat on several arbitral tribunals and participated in mediations led him to set up as an independent neutral and to become a member of ArbDB Chambers. This enabled him to dedicate himself to handling the resolution of disputes in the role of arbitrator or mediator, both locally and internationally.
Henri is a member of the Committee for Advocates and Legal Procurators, the regulatory body for the legal professions in Malta. He graduated from the University of Malta and from the University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall) and is a CEDR Accredited Mediator.

Professional Experience

2021 – Independent arbitrator and mediator
1995 – 2020 Camilleri Preziosi (Partner)
1989 – 1994 Camilleri Preziosi (Associate)

Education

University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall), 1988
University of Malta, 1988
CEDR Accreditation, 2021

Recognition

In Chambers Europe, Henri has been described as "one of the most important legal minds in Malta”. Clients have described him as "very articulate in the way he reasons things out" and ‘’very insightful and effective in court’’ (2020). As a commercial lawyer he is considered to be ‘’one of the best on the island’’ (2021) and he has been commended for his "very commercial mind" and for being "very sound in his advice” (2020).

Henri was praised by clients as being "a safe pair of hands," and for being "always available and really good." He is also highly commended for his expert knowledge and as "a first-class lawyer" who is "really top-notch" (2019). Henri was known for representing clients in complex commercial and finance disputes (2019).

In 2020 Legal 500 recognized Henri as a go-to person for high-value, complex, business critical disputes. Clients commented that he stands out for his “integrity and strong work ethics” and he also provides “exceptional levels of service”.
Henri has also been ranked regularly as a leading lawyer in Legal 500, Chambers Europe and Chambers Global.

Experience

Henri has extensive experience, locally and internationally, as counsel and as arbitrator, both under civil law and common law. Coming from a jurisdiction which has a mixed system of law and having studied law both in Malta and in the United Kingdom, he has little difficulty in understanding and appreciating both legal traditions.

His cases were varied, both in terms of the industry sectors covered and the legal issues involved, and included the following:

Banking and Financial Services: A major claim by a foreign state agency against a bank for shortcomings in its role as custodian, settled via international mediation; and a larger claim by foreign curators of a bankrupt conglomerate against a bank which acted as trustee for the conglomerate’s UBOs.

Communications: For some 25 years, Henri was lead outside counsel to one of Malta’s major communications companies. He oversaw its development from a fledgling cable tv operator into a 4-play company and during that journey he handled various disputes involving the incumbent telco and the regulator, mostly concerning competition and regulatory issues.

Construction: A major international arbitration involving the construction of a national hospital; and a large arbitration regarding the construction of an internationally-owned business hub.

Energy: A large local arbitration regarding the grant of a concession to install photovoltaic panels on the roofs of government-owned properties; and an inquiry that investigated the grant of a concession to build a power station.

Entertainment: A dispute concerning the ownership of a well-known international brand, which was litigated in several jurisdictions; and a dispute concerning the grant of exclusive casino concessions.

Insurance: Various large claims on the London market in connection with underlying disputes against banks and financial services providers; and defending a large claim against a broking firm, in which the court accepted a novel form of security advanced by Henri, without which the firm would have become insolvent.

Manufacturing: A family dispute concerning the control of Malta’s largest family-owned enterprise.

Professional Services: Defending accounting firms against charges of participating in fraudulent trading, negligently failing to detect a fraud, negligently drawing up a valuation, unethical conduct and breaches of anti-money-laundering legislation.

Retail: Malta’s first, and precedent-setting, successful fraudulent and wrongful trading proceedings in the context of the failure of a supermarket chain.

Shipping: Several enforcement and ranking proceedings, including a leading case in which he prepared the court’s ruling as court expert.

Henri was also privileged to represent the Commission for the Administration of Justice – the constitutional body entrusted with the supervision of judges – in a case concerning the impeachment of a judge; and the Ombudsman in a case concerning government’s refusal to provide him with information.

September 2021