Justine is a compliance consultant and heads Claritas’ compliance consultancy services for Cayman Islands entities. Justine possesses unparalleled in-depth knowledge and understanding of international standards and of the Cayman Islands regulatory framework relating to the regulation of financial services.

Prior to founding Claritas, Justine served as the Deputy National Coordinator for the Cayman Islands’ Anti-Money Laundering Steering Group, during which time she coordinated the remediation efforts of Cayman Islands’ supervisory agencies relating to the 2019 Cayman Islands Mutual Evaluation Report by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force. Justine contributed to the success of the remediation effort, which resulted in the International Cooperation Review Group finding the Cayman Islands had remediated 60 out of 63 Recommended Actions and that the Cayman Islands were compliant or largely compliant with all 40 Technical Compliance Recommendations.

Following her admission to the practice of law in Ontario, Canada in 2002, Justine worked as an associate in the corporate department of Stikeman Elliott LLP, focusing on securities law and mergers and acquisitions. In 2005, Justine joined the public sector as a regulatory officer at the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions in Canada.

Justine moved to the Cayman Islands in 2007 to take up the post of Chief Policy and Development Officer at the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. She served as Head of that Division from 2014 to 2019.

Justine’s career highlights include

• Developing financial services legislation in the Cayman Islands, including the Insurance Act, 2010 Revision, amendments to the Banks and Trust Companies Act relating to bank holding companies, amendments to the Special Economic Zones Act and amendments to the Mutual Funds Act and the Securities Investment Business Act relating to the implementation of the Alternative Investment Funds Management Directive and various amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations.
• Drafting a variety of guidance material including amendments to the Guidance Notes for the Prevention and Detection of Money Laundering in the Cayman Islands, including drafting the chapters on the Risk-Based Approach, Proliferation Financing and Targeted Financial Sanctions.
• Chairing the Technical Compliance and Effectiveness Working Group in the 2015 National AML Risk Assessment, and the Working Group on Risks of Legal Persons and Arrangements in the 2020 National Risk Assessment.
• Participating in the National Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment, the Risk Assessment of Non-Profit Organizations, the Risk Assessment of Virtual Asset Service Providers and the Risk Assessment of the Cayman Islands as an International Financial Centre.
• Co-chairing the Working Group on Shadow Banking of the Financial Stability Board’s Regional Consultative Group for the Americas and representing the Cayman Islands at the Global Shadow Banking Monitoring Group.
• Representing the Cayman Islands in various committees and working groups of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors.
• Leading the Cayman Islands’ preparations for the Cayman Islands Financial Sector Assessment by the International Monetary Fund.

Education

• Masters of Public Administration, University of Colorado, 2012
• LL.M (Law and Economics), University of Haifa, 2005
• LL.B, cum laude, University of Ottawa, 2001
• B.A (Communications) cum laude, University of Ottawa, 1999

Speaking Engagements

• ACAMS Cayman Islands Symposium, 2022 (“Risks of Legal Persons")
• Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants, 2021 (“FATF: A Look at Cayman’s Road Ahead")
• Cayman Islands Compliance Association, 2021 (“FATF Progress Update")
• Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, 2021 (“Counter-Proliferation Financing Obligations")
• ACAMS Cayman Islands Symposium, 2021 (“Hot Topics")
• Cayman Islands Risk Assessment Seminar 2020 (“Risks in the Special Economic Zone”)
• Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners Cayman Conference, 2019 (“Risk and Reward: Digital Assets for Trustees")
• Managed Funds Association Legal and Compliance Conference, 2019 (“Cayman Updates: New AML Legislation and Guidance")
• Mourant Regulatory Seminar, 2018 (“The Risk-Based Approach: What does it mean?")
• Caribbean FinReg Conference, 2017 (Keynote Speech: “How Effective Regulation can lead to Economic Growth")
• Cayman Captive Forum, 2015 (“Registering Portfolio Insurance Companies")