Senior tax and legal adviser Ruth Agius Scicluna Buttigieg has been admitted as a partner of independent financial services provider Francis J. Vassallo & Associates Limited with effect from last month.

Dr Agius Scicluna Buttigieg joined the firm in 2002 as a tax consultant. She has since been involved in international tax planning for a portfolio of international clients.

Dr Agius Scicluna Buttigieg read Law at the University of Malta, graduating with a first class Bachelors degree in Legal & Humanistic Studies in 1999. She obtained her Diploma in Notarial Studies in 2000 and Doctorate of Law in 2002.

She undertook her law traineeship with Ganado & Associates, focusing on corporate and financial legislation, including undertaking legal research, and assisting in the drafting of legislation. She then joined the corporate tax and legal department of KPMG Malta, focusing on both local and international taxation, including tax consultancy, tax planning and compliance.

Since joining Francis J. Vassallo & Associates, she has also represented clients with the securities unit at Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) in relation to investment services licence applications. She has followed courses on Trust Law and Management, Taxation of Trusts and Malta’s Double Taxation Treaty Network.

Apart from being a director of FJV Fiduciary Limited and FJV Management Limited, Dr Agius Scicluna Buttigieg is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), the Chamber of Advocates and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners (IFSP).

Dr Agius Scicluna Buttigieg joins Francis J. Vassallo and Adriana Camilleri Vassallo, who together set up the firm in 1998.