Nicola is an attorney-at-law, arbitrator and the principal of Berrys Attorneys & Arbitrators. Prior to launching Berrys, Nicola was a partner in the largest law firm in Barbados where for thirteen years she provided advice to local, regional and international clients on a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters including banking, fintech, corporate finance, financial regulation, securities, trust, mergers and acquisitions, merger control, aviation, energy regulation, competition law, employment law, and arbitration. She continues to advise on these areas in her current practice.
During the early stage of her career, she practiced in the litigation and international law divisions of the Jamaica Attorney General’s Chambers where she represented the Government before the courts (including the Court of Appeal), and advised on matters relating to CARICOM and trade law.
Nicola earned her LL.B from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus and obtained her Legal Education Certificate in 2002 from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica. She has been admitted to the Bar in both Jamaica and Barbados. In 2007, as a British Chevening Scholar, she earned her LL.M (merit) in international business law from the University College of London.
Nicola has served as an arbitrator and has advised on various issues relating to arbitrations including the establishment of jurisdiction under bilateral investment treaties, enforcement of awards, the legal effect of the seat and choice of arbitral rules. Nicola is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (London) (“CIArb”) and a member of its approved faculty for International Arbitration, Law, Practice & Procedure and Law of Obligations: Contract and Tort courses. She has served as a member of the CIArb Caribbean Branch’s Barbados Chapter executive committee and is a member of the CIArb Caribbean Branch’s newsletter sub-committee.
Nicola serves as an arbitrator with the Arbitration Commission of the Barbados Olympic Association Inc. and the Arbitration and Mediation Court of the Caribbean (Barbados). She has served on the panel of the Jamaica International Arbitration Centre. She is a member of the BVI Arbitration Group which is associated with the BVI International Arbitration Centre.