Aliya Allen is a Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Financial Services, Private Client, Trusts and Estates Practice Groups. Aliya re-joined Graham Thompson in February 2016, following four years as CEO and Executive Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board.

Aliya’s practice is primarily focused in banking, investment funds, securities, securitisation and capital markets, technology, FinTech, blockchain and digital assets and regulatory matters such as FATCA, CRS, AML/CFT. She has played a leading role in the development and revision of industry defining legislation including the Investment Funds Act, 2019, the Investment Condominium (ICON) Act and in crafting and promoting policy initiatives on FinTech, Blockchain and digital assets.

Recent engagements  include:

• Advising a global investment manager on the impact of economic substance requirements on its operations.
• Acting for a global bank in a large-scale independent AML/CFT compliance audit.
• Acting for a global bank with AUM in excess of $300 million undertaking a significant regulatory and compliance audit for the purposes of a global compliance project.
• Acting for a syndicate of lenders in a $100 million facility to a utility company taking security over assets and revenue streams.
• Acting for a major global bank as lead arranger in a billion-dollar facility to a company with global oil and gas assets taking security over local assets.
• Advising one of the largest technology investment companies in the world valued at over 100 billion in connection with Bahamas cross border securities issues.
• Advising a banking conglomerate in connection with the issuance via its Bahamas holding company of over 100 million in debt securities.
• Structuring a crypto-focused investment fund for a significant asset manager.
• Advising one of the major operating companies of one of the largest shipping and logistics companies in the world on the Bahamas’ economic substance requirements.

Bar Admissions

• Bar of England and Wales
• The Bahamas Bar

Education
LL.B (Hons) University of Buckingham, UK
Bar Vocational Course, Manchester University, UK

Recognized by IFLR 1000 – Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms –  as a “Notable Practitioner”, 2023.

Recognized by IFLR 1000 – Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms –  as a “Notable Practitioner”, 2022, 2021-31st Edition, and 2020.

Citywealth IFC Power Women Top 200, 2016, for outstanding contributions to the financial services industry.

The Bahamas Bar Association

The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn

• Legal Requirements Under The Bahamas' Digital Assets and Registered Exchange (DARE) Bill, 2019

  By Aliya Allen |June 2019

• Bahamas Regulatory Initiatives Driven by Compliance and Innovation

  By Aliya Allen |September 2018

• The Bahamas' Place in a Cryptographic World: A Whitepaper

  By Aliya Allen |June 2018

The Bahamas Gets Real About Climate Finance, International Investment, July 7 2023

An Update on the Impact of Regulatory Developments in The Bahamas on Digital Asset Businesses, GT News & Insights, Vol 4, Issue 4, April 2022

15 FAQs on the Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges (DARE) Act, 2020 ,GT News & Insights, Vol 3, Issue 1, January 2021

Legal Requirements Under The Bahamas’ Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges Bill, 2019 [May 2019], GT News & Insights, Vol 1, Issue 3

Investment Funds Global Practice Guide. “Law and Practice” in The Bahamas [April 2019]

Legal Update: New Bahamas Legislation to Satisfy EU Economic Substance Requirements [February 2019], GT News & Insights, Vol 1, Issue 2

Bahamas Regulatory Initiatives Driven by Compliance and Innovation [October 2018]

The Bahamas’ Place in a Cryptographic World. A Whitepaper. Released at the International Business and Finance Summit (IBFS), Nassau, The Bahamas, March 2018.