1. The following terms of business relate to all services provided by companies within the Cariconsult Group. References below to “the Company” are to the company providing the relevant service.
2. The Cariconsult Group consists of Cariconsult International Limited, a Barbados registered company; Cariconsult International Commercial Services Limited, a Barbados registered company; Cariconsult ABC Islands N.V. a Curacao registered company; Cariconsult Antigua Limited, an Antigua & Barbuda registered company; Cariconsult Canada Limited, a company registered in British Columbia, Canada; Cariconsult Guyana Incorporated, a Guyana registered company: Caribbean P&I Jamaica Limited, a Jamaica registered company: Cariconsult Suriname N.V., a Suriname registered company; Cariconsult Trinidad Limited, a Trinidad registered company, and all other companies incorporated as part of Cariconsult Group. The Barbados Office is operated by Cariconsult International Limited. “Steers International Legal Consultants” is a trading name of Cariconsult International Limited.
3. Legal services: all legal services are provided by Cariconsult International Limited.
4. Non-legal services: crew claims, correspondent, survey, and other commercial services are provided by the local operating company where applicable or generally by Cariconsult International Commercial Services Limited.
5. The group company providing any particular relevant service will be exclusively responsible for the proper provision of such service, irrespective of whether this is performed and/or invoiced in conjunction with services provided by, or through, another group company.
6. The Company has various arrangements in place with contract service providers who are treated as in-house for all purposes.
7. Where the Company provides services involving the engagement and/or instruction of third party service providers (including but without limitation: attorneys, surveyors, experts, ship agents, doctors, hospitals, medical personnel, and others whatsoever), the Company acts as the agent of the client in making such appointment and does not accept any liability whatsoever or howsoever arising for the errors or omissions of such third party service providers. The client is responsible for all costs and fees
   incurred on their behalf with third party service providers, although collection thereof will customarily be arranged through the Company.
8. The Company’s fees are calculated in accordance with fee schedules current at the time that the work is performed. Terms and conditions included on fee schedules provided to the client are deemed to form part of the Company’s Terms of Business.
9. Invoices may be denominated in pounds sterling, United States dollars, Euros or Netherlands Antilles Guilders. Please advise if you have a preferred currency for invoicing. Fee rates as shown in published fee schedules and disbursements will be charged converted into the currency of billing converted at the rate of exchange for buying the billing currency prevailing at the invoice date adjusted to allow for potential variations pending payment. Fee rates are subject to periodic review and are not guaranteed to apply throughout the conduct of any matter. Disbursements are charged in addition to published fee rates. Local taxes will be charged in addition where applicable.
10. Invoices are due for payment within 30 days from invoice date. Interest will be charged at the rate of 2 per cent per calendar month or part thereof on all overdue charges from the invoice date. Any request for further detail of an invoice or dispute over items appearing in an invoice must be notified to the Company within the 30 day payment period, whereafter the invoice and all amounts and disbursements stated therein will be deemed to have been accepted and agreed by the client. Funds received where multiple invoices are outstanding and/or following the accrual of interest will be applied in the order of the longest outstanding first, with charges and accrued interest being settled pro rata.
11. The Company may deliver interim invoices at intervals during the conduct of any matter.
12. The Company may ask for advance payment of anticipated costs and disbursements at any time throughout the conduct of a matter.
13. All invoices are believed complete and correct at the time of delivery, but the Company reserves the right to raise subsequently any charges omitted or corrections.
14. Following delivery of an invoice or a request for payment on account being made, responsibility for timely payment rests exclusively with the client. The Company reserves the right to cease work on any matter and/or not to incur disbursements pending receipt of payment. All payments should be made promptly in order to avoid disruption of services. Payments received will be held on a designated Client account pending allocation in settlement of invoices or sums due to third parties, or return to the client of any unexpended portion.
15. An instruction to any group company to proceed with any service will constitute agreement to these Terms of Business, and an undertaking by the party giving the instruction to pay all fees and disbursements arising in connection therewith, save only as expressly agreed in writing signed by a director of the Company.
16. All instructions are accepted and work performed on behalf of the Company. No personal liability is accepted by any individual for acts performed on behalf of the Company, or howsoever arising out of or in connection with services provided by the Company.
17. The liability of the Company for any claim (inclusive of interest and costs) howsoever arising is limited for legal services to the amount of available professional indemnity insurance cover held by the Company in respect thereof. The policy held by the Company may include a cumulative maximum amount, which may be affected by prior claims in the same year, thereby reducing the available amount as referred to in this clause. The liability of the Company for any claim (inclusive of interest and costs) howsoever arising out of or in relation to correspondent, survey or other non-legal services is limited to five times the fee charged in respect thereof (exclusive of disbursements). The Company will not be liable for consequential or indirect loss or damage under any circumstances whatsoever.
18. The courts of Barbados have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all claims against the Company, and these Terms of Business shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of Barbados. Any provision of these Terms of Business which is for any reason null, void or contrary to public policy shall be severable and the remainder of these Terms of Business shall be given full force and effect.
19. These Terms of Business may be updated or revised from time to time. The Terms of Business relevant to any particular service are those appearing on the Cariconsult Group website, www.cconsult.com.bb or www.steers.com.bb on the date of provision of the service.
20. Cariconsult International Limited observes the SRA Handbook of the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales insofar as applicable to overseas practices.
21. Cariconsult Group aims to provide an efficient service at all times. If you have any questions or complaints about the service provided, please contact Mr. Rupert Steer on telephone + 1 246 423 6412 or by e-mail to rupert@cconsult.com.bb to discuss these in the first instance.

Revised April 2021