WILLA TAVERNIER
Of CounselProperty & Business, Knowledge Management
PRACTICE AREAS
- Property & Business
- Corporate & Commercial
EDUCATION
- MLIS, Information Science Studies University of Iowa
- LL.M. (Hons) 2002 Washington College of Law at American University
- CLE (Hons) 2001 Norman Manley Law School
- LL.B. (Hons) 1999 University of the West Indies at Cave Hill
OTHER DISTINCTIONS
- Legal500 — “Recommended Lawyer” ‘Fantastic ethos in terms of service level.’
- Citywealth “Leaders List”
- Citywealth IFC “Powerwomen”
- “Willa is, in my opinion, knowledgeable, takes her clients instructions seriously, advises on complex issues clearly and concisely, and in a manner which my lay clients find they are able to readily understand. She is user-friendly but possesses a steely determination to see her arguments through to a satisfactory conclusion. She responds in a timely manner and it is a pleasure to do business with her and I would certainly recommend her to third parties.” -Client Commentary (Citywealth)
BIOGRAPHY
Willa Tavernier is Of Counsel to O’Neal Webster’s Property & Business Department and is responsible for Knowledge Management within the firm.
She has particular expertise in contracts, advising on joint ventures, specialty agreements, service agreements, and transactional real estate matters, developed over 15 years of experience, including seven years leading a team of client-focused attorneys, advising commercial and real estate investors and statutory corporations on complex matters; many with tight timeframes.
Her commercial portfolio also includes handling the voluntary dissolution of BVI Business Companies as well as their restoration to the Register of Corporate Affairs.
Willa manages internal knowledge management projects to enhance efficiency in delivering service to clients. She is committed to excellence and to the highest integrity and ethical standards in her work.
Prior to joining O’Neal Webster, Willa served as a Senior Legal Officer of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, dealing with banking and securities regulation and development finance. She was admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in St. Kitts in 2002, BVI in 2004, and Antigua & Barbuda in 2009. She pursued legal studies in Barbados, Jamaica, the United States, and Europe.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
- Through The Open Window – Leveraging Cross-Jurisdictional Opportunities For BVI Property Transfers
- Dealing with shares of a deceased shareholder in a BVI company
- Court of Appeal solidifies its position on fact-based appeals
- When Inspection Fails
- Selling Property 101
- Own a Home? Join the Club
- Across the Divide – Real Estate Representation in the Virgin Islands
- Investing in ONE Virgin Islands – A Practical Guide for Potential Purchasers
- A Country of Proud Landowners
- Owning Property in the BVI
RECENT ARTICLES
The Latest Developments in the BVI’s Business-Friendly Corporate Law Regime
The Business Licensing Act, 2022, which supplements the Virgin Islands Investment Act passed in 2021, has recently been enacted (August 2022). These two acts collectively aim to increase investment by... Read More
British Virgin Islands: A Country of Proud Landowners
By Willa Tavernier, O’Neal Webster BVI. What was once a group of islands thought to be settled by accident rather than by design, has now, rather aptly, been termed “the treasure under our... Read More
O’Neal Webster Attorneys Recognized for Six Consecutive Years on IFC Powerwomen Top 200 List
October 5, 2018 – TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands – The prestigious International Finance Center (IFC) Citywealth Powerwomen Top 200 List has been released for 2018, recognizing successful profess... Read More
Five O’Neal Webster Attorneys Named to Private Client Directory of Globally Recommended Wealth Managers and Advisers
TORTOLA, July 1, 2017 — O’Neal Webster is pleased to announce that five partners were named to Citywealth’s 2017 Leaders List, the private client directory of recommended wealth managers and adv... Read More