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American Counsel Association President Tom Bolt welcomed the delegates to the European Circuit Annual Conference in Rome at opening reception at the Hotel de la Ville.  Bolt with Gerard McDermott, Q.C., President of the European Circuit of England and Wales, and Andrew Colvin of Studio Coggiatti, the co-sponsor of the opening reception.

In opening remarks, ACA President Bolt noted that each of the delegates were a part of history in the first meeting of the American Counsel Association, the oldest association of independent law firms, and the European Circuit.  "I pledged to build bridges throughout the legal community upon entering office as President of the ACA, and building bridges is what we are doing," Bolt said.Continue Reading ACA President Welcomes European Circuit

As I entered Paris Saturday morning, I could hear the bells from Notré Dame.  I had returned to the "City of Lights" – I remembered the words issued by U.S. Army Colonel C. E. Stanton, signaling  the arrival of leading elements of the United States forces, newly engaged in the deadly struggle of the Allies against the Central Powers in the First World , "Lafayette, we are here!"  For centuries, the French have been close-knit allies of the United Statesand only recently, has that alliance been questioned by some of my countrymen as to the commitment to the Franco-American alliance.  Some Americans even abandoned one favorite American food – french fries, in favor of freedom fries.  Others went beyond merely questioning the Franco-American alliance.  Television personality Homer Simpson taunted our allies calling them "cheese-eating surrender monkeys".  Such is not the case.
Continue Reading “Lafayette, We are Here!”

Tom Bolt, Managing Attorney of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands law firm of Tom Bolt & Associates, P.C. addressed the Association of European Attorneys (AEA) at their Annual Meeting in Paris on Friday.  Citing the need to adhere to rule of law, Bolt said that "it is incumbent upon attorneys throughout the world to speak out against transgessions to law.  If the lawyers of the world do not speak out then who? "  Bolt said.

Almost 200 persons were in attendance at the 2nd Annual  Meeting of AEA.  Currently AEA has representatives from over 180 countries throughout the world.  Bolt, who is the President of the American Counsel Association, the world’s oldest association of independent law firms, invited the participants at the AEA Annual Meeting to join the ACA.Continue Reading Bolt Addresses World Legal Forum

Tom Bolt, Managing Attorney of the St. Thomas law firm of Tom Bolt & Associates, P.C. and President of the American Counsel Association met Thurday evening in Paris with representatives of the Association of European Attorneys (AEA) at the opening dinner of the AEA’s Annual Meeting. 

"It was unbelievable the diversity in the room," Bolt said.  "At my table alone there were attorneys from Belgium, Cyprus, France, Japan, Lebanon and Spain.  Our Belgian dinner partner, Dominique Grissay, has been an active member of the legal team at the trial of former Iraqi President Sadaam Hussein.  It is evident to all that lawyers throughout the world need to speak out in favor of the rule of law.  No one is above the law, not Sadaam Hussein…nor George W. Bush.  Lawyers are our last hope for advocacy in favor of rule of law"Continue Reading St. Thomas Attorney Meets with European Bar

As an unincorporated territory of the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands does not conduct its own foreign affairs. The United States Congress is the only body that has the authority to engage in international agreements and treaties on behalf of the Territory.  

Not many U.S. treaties are applicable to the United States Virgin Islands and those that are applicable have for the most part, only been informally confirmed as applicable to the Territory. For example, these include the bilateral investment treaties and treaties of friendship, commerce and navigation and other international conventions dealing with international commerce. Their application to the United States Virgin Islands has been confirmed through informal correspondence between officials of the U.S. State Department and members of the Virgin Islands Bar. This informal practice raises uncertainties among global corporations, which are reluctant to do business in the U.S. Virgin Islands and would rather do business in a foreign country where the rules are clear and, potentially, more beneficial.Continue Reading Foreign Investment in the Islands