MEET OUR TEAM

Debbie Fraser is the principal and founder of Fraser Law which concentrates on a commercial law practice. Debbie has been in practice since 1992 and is qualified to practice in Barbados and Jamaica. She is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica where she received the Legal Education Certificate of Merit. Up to April 30, 2021, Debbie was a partner and head of the Commercial Department of one of the principal law firms in Barbados. She left the firm at the end of April 2021 to start Fraser Law.

Debbie’s recent practice has concentrated on mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, energy law, securities law, secured lending, project finance and both international and domestic capital markets for debt financing. Prior to relocating to Barbados in 2003, Debbie was a partner in one of the leading law firms in Jamaica where her practice at the time covered various areas of law including securities law, copyright law, banking and corporate finance, telecommunications, and commercial litigation.

Debbie was also a part-time lecturer at the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus, Jamaica) and the Mona Institute of Business (an affiliate of the University of the West Indies) in securities law, contract law and business law. She is a former Chairman of the Copyright Tribunal of Barbados and is a Commissioner of the Financial Services Commission of Barbados which is responsible for regulating the financial sector other than banking services. She is a director of a commercial bank, a trustee of the Barbados Diabetes Foundation and a member of the Sub-Committee of the Barbados Cancer Society Breast Screening Programme.

Debbie Fraser

PRINCIPAL

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Commercial

  • Securities

  • Debt/Equity Financing

  • Energy law

EDUCATION

  • LEC. (Merit) – Norman Manley Law School, Jamaica, W.I. (1992)

  • LL.B. (Hons.) – University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, W.I. (1990)

ADMISSIONS

  • Jamaica (1992)

  • Barbados (2003)

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Barbados Bar Association

Joanna M. Austin,
LL.B., LEC.

SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Joanna M. Austin joined Fraser Law as a senior associate in May 2023 and has been in practice since 2010.

Prior to joining Fraser Law Joanna worked at two large Barbados law firms specializing in international business and commercial law. Her current areas of practice are general commercial advisory, corporate restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, insurance law, corporate regulation and compliance, banking and finance, cross-border finance, secured lending, capital markets and securities matters. Joanna has a keen interest in condominium sales and purchases and transactions with Environmental, Social and Governance considerations.

Joanna obtained her Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Wolverhampton, England, subsequently completed Post Graduate Diplomas and was called to the Bar of England & Wales at Grays Inn in 2010. She then obtained the Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad & Tobago. Joanna has also completed loan and security documentation and international taxation courses and is a graduate of the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada.

Joanna served as secretary of the Barbados International Business Association for the period 2022 – 2023 and is currently the 2nd Vice President for the period 2023 – 2024.

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Commercial and Corporate

  • Capital Markets & Securities

  • Banking & Finance

  • Insurance

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Grays Inn, London (2010)

  • Barbados Bar Association (2010)

EDUCATION

  • Legal Education Certificate, Hugh Wooding Law School (2011)

  • Pg Dp – Bar Vocational Course, City Law School (2010)

  • Pg Dp – Legal Practice, DeMontfort University (2006)LL.B. (Hons.) –

  • University of Wolverhampton (2004)

Makela Harrison-Yarde,
LL.B., LEC, LL.M.

ASSOCIATE

Makela joined Fraser Law in January of 2022 as an associate following her admission to the Bar of Barbados in October of 2021.

Prior to joining Fraser Law, Makela was awarded a Bachelor of Laws Degree with Honours from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in 2019. She subsequently obtained her Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in 2019 where she engaged in her legal training. Makela was a member of the Welfare Committee at the Hugh Wooding Law School which aimed to promote the welfare and safety of the student body as well as the public at large. Since joining Fraser Law, her practice has mainly focused on areas of corporate and commercial law including mergers and acquisitions, securities law, contract law and intellectual property law. Makela’s legal interests also include wills and estate planning law. 

Makela completed a Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property Law from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in July of 2022.

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Corporate

  • Commercial

  • Intellectual Property

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Barbados Bar Association

EDUCATION

  • LL.M. (Hons.) – University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, W.I. – (2022)

  • LEC. (Merit) – Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad and Tobago – (2021)

  • LL.B. (Hons.) – University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, W.I. – (2019)