Insights

A number of legal experts from around the world met in Malta in June for The Fifth Worldwide Congress of the World Society of Mixed Jurisdiction Jurists. The Congress was hosted by the Faculty of Laws through its Departments of Civil Law and European Law and supported by Ganado Advocates. Organised between the 14th and 16th of June, the congress revolved around the theme of mixity, investigating its prevalence across diverse legal systems.

During a plenary session held on the 16th of June entitled ‘The Evolving Mixity of Maltese Private Law: From Commercial Law to Human Rights’, Prof David Edward Zammit, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Laws and Head of its Department of Civil Law, presented a paper co-authored with Dr Max Ganado on the subject. The paper traces the influence of common law and the importation of legislation from the common law world, while exploring the implications of changing perspectives on legal mixity for human rights protection. The paper acknowledges the influential work of the late Maltese jurist Prof Joseph M Ganado, particularly his papers from 1950 to 1996, in understanding the evolution of Malta’s post-war legal mixity.

In his contribution, Max Ganado shares his firsthand experience with a mixed legal system, drawing on his 40-year career in legal practice that involved numerous opportunities for legislative drafting. The paper revolves around the mixing of legislative sources in the process of development in which he participated, initially under the guidance of Prof Ganado. Max played a pivotal role in shaping the firm into a cross-border practice, helping the firm navigate through the complexities of international legal landscapes while supporting academic initiatives aimed at enhancing Malta’s offering.

“The firm is very proud to have formed part of this congress, that was held in Malta for the very first time”, Andre Zerafa, Managing Partner at Ganado Advocates, said. “Malta, with its interwoven and rich legal and cultural history, harbours a legal profession that adeptly navigates the complexities of diverse rules and regulations. We are honoured to have played a leading role in the development of this profession over the years.”