Narissa Leander

Dedicated legal professional offering expertise in Criminal Law, Civil Law, Constitutional Law, Employment and Administrative Law, Corporate Law, Conveyancing and Estates and Family Law. Proven success in building trusting rapport with clients and offering sound legal advice in clear and universal terms. Hardworking and dedicated to client advocacy.

-Appointed Acting Head of Criminal Law Department (Jan 2023 – Present)

- Lead Prosecutor tasked with the overall responsibility, coordination and supervision of the investigation into a Multi-Million Dollar fraud which was committed on a local Financial Institution; and the presentation of the evidence in the Magistrate’s Court

- Preparation of Claims, Appeals, Legal Arguments and Pleadings challenging multi-billion-dollar assessments of Corporation tax, excise tax and customs tariff by the Guyana Revenue Authority

- Mentoring of Junior Associates, enhancing team capabilities and supporting professional development.

-Supervision, and provision of advice and guidance to Associates in the conduct of trials, appeals and other legal matters

-Review of Correspondence, Pleadings, Submissions, Procedural Applications and other documents prepared by Associates

-Appointed Head of the Criminal Appeals and the Conveyancing and Estates Departments of Hughes, Fields and Stoby.

-Created and led professional initiatives that enhanced the knowledge and skill set of the Associates in the Criminal Practice Group, and improved criminal litigation tactics thereby positively impacting the firm's success rate in criminal matters.

-Represented clients, both individuals and Corporate in the courts of Guyana in litigation matters inclusive of civil and commercial, family law, criminal, tax, constitutional and administrative law, and land law.

-Provision and preparation of legal advice and opinions to clients, both individuals and corporate in the areas of Labour, Criminal Law, Conveyancing, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Civil Law, Tax, Local Content Act, Company Law, data privacy and cybercrime, National Covid-19 guidelines and requirements, Securities, etc.

-Drafting of Correspondence, Pleadings, Submissions and Procedural Applications.

-Drafting and Review of service agreements, commercial contracts, mortgages, agreements for sale and purchase.

-Successfully represented clients charged in the Magistrates Courts and the High Court of Guyana in criminal matters against the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Special Organised Crime Unit, the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit, etc.

-Successfully prosecuted several matters on behalf of the state via a fiat obtained from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Magistrates' Court and the High Court of Guyana

-Formulated and presented successful legal arguments against conviction and sentence, in criminal appeal cases before the Full Court of the High Court of Guyana, the Court of Appeal of Guyana, and the Caribbean Court of Justice, with one such appeal being reported in the West Indian Law Reports of Guyana.

-Assisted the Managing Partner and Junior Partner of the firm in the preparation for trial matters.

-Conducted legal research that aided in the dismissal of criminal charges in key cases and resulted in favourable outcomes in civil proceedings for the firm.