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Key contacts
Co-Founder and Managing Partner: James Scicluna
Quick facts
# Partners

Olga Finkel, James Scicluna, Ramona Cassar, Joseph F. Borg, Robert Zammit, Adrian Mallia, Davinia Cutajar, Fabrizio Speranza, Robert Skalina

# Other qualified practitioners

25

# Total number of practitioners

34

Practitioners (worldwide)

54

Languages

English, Maltese, Italian, Romanian, Polish, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovak, Croatian

Key practice areas
Financial and corporate
Firm overview
WH Partners is a multidisciplinary law firm supporting businesses across regulated industries, the digital economy and beyond. With offices in Malta, Italy, Romania and the UAE, dedicated Czech and Polish desks, and a global network of correspondent firms, the firm provides legal and strategic advice to clients operating in dynamic and rapidly evolving markets.


Our practice spans corporate and M&A, fintech and financial services, tax, gaming and gambling, dispute resolution, intellectual property, data protection, consumer protection and advertising, real estate, employment and immigration, sports, technology and media, and competition and state aid. As part of its integrated service offering, WH Partners also operates licensed corporate services businesses in Malta and the UAE.
Key practice areas

  • Asset finance
  • Capital markets: Debt
  • Capital markets: Derivatives
  • Capital markets: Equity
  • Capital markets: High yield
  • Competition
  • Financial restructuring
  • Financial services regulatory
  • Investment funds
  • M&A
  • Private equity
  • Private equity funds
  • Restructuring and insolvency
  • Other
  • For more information click here
Sector expertise

  • Accounting
  • Aviation
  • Banking
  • Consumer goods and services
  • Energy
  • Financial services
  • Gaming
  • Government and public policy
  • Investment management
  • Media
  • Oil and gas
  • Real estate
  • Technology and telecommunications
  • For more information click here
Other offices

BUCHAREST OFFICE

BrickLofts Building, Unit 26, 10A-10B Intrarea Chefalului Street, District 2

Bucharest

020333

Romania

T: +40 314 206 225

E: office@whsimionpartners.ro

ROME OFFICE

Via Torso

Rome

00198

Italy

T: +39 06 96701890

E: italy@whpartners.eu

ABU DHABI OFFICE

Unit 3701, Floor 37, Sky Tower Shams Abu Dhabi, Sky Abu Dhabi Al Reem Island

Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates

T: +971 4 453 2663

E: uae@whpartners.ae

Address:
Quantum House,
75 Abate Rigord Street,
Ta'Xbiex, XBX1120,
Malta
Tel:+356 2092 5100 Email:Contact Us Web Address:https://whpartners.eu/
2027 Edition
Financial and corporate
18 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Camilleri Preziosi
1 practice area
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Fenech & Fenech Advocates
1 practice area
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Ganado Advocates
1 practice area
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Mamo TCV
1 practice area
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Tier 2

David Zahra & Associates Advocates
1 practice area
View profile
WH Partners
1 practice area
View full profile

Tier 3

GTG Legal
2 practice areas
View profile
GVZH Advocates
1 practice area
View profile
Zammit Pace Advocates
1 practice area
View profile

Tier 4

Advocates Primei
1 practice area
View profile
Chetcuti Cauchi
1 practice area
View profile
InariLaw
2 practice areas
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VB Advocates
2 practice areas
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Notable

EMD
1 practice area
View profile
FFF Legal
2 practice areas
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Galea Salomone & Associates
1 practice area
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Refalo Advocates
2 practice areas
View profile
Zerafa Advocates
2 practice areas
View profile
Linked Reviews
Financial and corporate
Established in 2006, WH Partners is a full-service firm based in Ta’Xbiex. The firm has over 50 practitioners across Malta, Romania, Italy and the UAE, including nine partners. The firm is particularly strong in the gaming and fintech sectors and has an enviable record advising Malta-based gaming and gambling companies on large financing and M&A deals. In the fintech sector, WH Partners has developed a strong blockchain practice and often advises clients on the establishment of fintech structures and initial coin offerings (ICO) under Maltese law. Key clients include Lottomatica, Superbet and db Group.

Testimonials
‘They have good knowledge about the jurisdiction and good connections.’ (Financial Services Regulatory)

‘The firm is very responsive, clear, offers in depth involvement and attention, and is easy to work with.’ (Financial Services Regulatory)

‘They understand the sector and business very well, are very easy to work with, and delivery is fast and excellent; they are very flexible and assists with solutions.’ (M&A)

‘They are professional, solutions-oriented, they understand very well the industry, market practice and client's needs and instructions.’ (M&A)

‘WH Partners consistently demonstrates deep expertise in cross-border M&A transactions, with a team that combines strong technical legal knowledge with a genuine understanding of the fintech and digital assets sector.’ (M&A)

‘Their responsiveness and turnaround times are notably strong — the team is accessible, reacts swiftly to time-sensitive queries, and maintains momentum throughout the transaction without requiring client-side follow-up. Their advice is consistently practical and commercially oriented, offering clear recommendations rather than abstract legal analysis. This makes their input directly actionable for business and legal teams. Finally, their subject matter expertise in complex deal structures is evident, and they demonstrate the ability to anticipate issues proactively rather than reactively.’ (M&A)

‘They are responsive and diligent with a close working relationship with the relevant regulators.’ (M&A)

‘What we particularly value is WH Partners’ practical and business-oriented approach. They combine a solid understanding of the gaming sector with clear guidance on the steps required from a licensing perspective.’ (Restructuring)

‘WH Partners were responsive, well-coordinated, and able to involve a local expert where jurisdiction-specific input was needed. This helped make the process more efficient and gave us greater confidence that the application was being handled with the appropriate local context. Their ability to support cross-border regulatory matters in a structured and pragmatic way is what stands out for us.’ (Restructuring)

‘Galyna Podoprikhina is knowledgeable in her field, always positive and wants to help.’ (Financial Services Regulatory)

‘Joseph Borg is very knowledgeable and has a lot of connections in Malta. Very good contribution to have as a help in the processes!’ (Financial Services Regulatory)

‘Gaby Zammit is detailed and knowledgeable, fast to respond to queries.’ (Financial Services Regulatory)

‘Gaby Zammit brings solid technical legal expertise to every matter, underpinned by a strong sense of personal accountability. She is dependable and follows through on commitments without needing to be chased — a quality that is particularly valuable in the context of M&A transactions where multiple workstreams run in parallel. Her attention to detail and thorough approach to legal analysis instil confidence that matters are handled with the appropriate level of rigour.’ (M&A)

‘Robert Zammit has a great approach to regulatory advice.’ (M&A)

‘Robert Zammit has extensive experience, deep knowledge, and great responsiveness, consistently delivering practical and insightful advice.’ (M&A)

‘Robert Zammit is a trusted partner. He is able to handle complex matters with absolute professionalism and strong commercial awareness. I highly recommend Robert for any high-stakes legal work.’ (M&A)

‘We appreciate Christina Borg DeBono’s attention to detail in complex projects, all options presented to the client clearly and concisely.’ (M&A)

‘Christina Borg DeBono has high legal knowledge with a very practical, client-friendly approach. She is very skilled, business-minded and a professional negotiator.’ (M&A)

‘Olga Finkel has extensive knowledge in the online gambling sector.’ (M&A)

‘Robert Skalina is very cooperative, solution-oriented, experienced and knowledgeable. He is a solid lawyer with deep market understanding.’ (M&A)

‘Rachel Vella Baldacchino is an outstanding legal partner. She brings deep legal expertise to the table and balances it with incredible efficiency— highly meticulous with details but work fast to hit tight deadlines. Her professionalism is top-tier.’ (M&A)

‘Adrian Mallia combines strong technical legal knowledge with excellent client communication skills. He is reliable and consistently available throughout an engagement — responsive to queries without requiring follow-up, and clear in how he explains complex legal issues in a commercially accessible way.’ (M&A)

‘Adrian Mallia takes ownership of matters and demonstrates personal accountability for outcomes, which builds confidence from the client's perspective. His ability to balance legal rigour with pragmatic, business-oriented advice is a particular strength.’ (M&A)

‘Donna Bugelli is responsive, diligent and clear in her advice.’ (M&A)

‘Donna Bugelli combines strong regulatory expertise with a practical and commercially aware approach. She explains complex licensing and regulatory requirements in a clear and structured way, which makes it easier for us to understand the key issues, assess priorities, and take the necessary internal steps. What stands out is her positivity, responsiveness, attention to detail, and ability to coordinate the work effectively. We also value that her advice is not purely technical but takes into account the practical realities of our business and the need for clear, actionable guidance.’ (Restructuring)

‘James Scicluna brings strong unmatched partner-level expertise and a clear understanding of the gaming regulatory environment. His involvement provides confidence that the advice is well-grounded, commercially sensible, and aligned with the broader strategic context of our business. We value his ability to look beyond the purely technical aspects of a matter and consider the wider regulatory and business implications.’ (Restructuring)

‘What stands out about James Scicluna is his experience, judgment, and ability to provide direction on complex or cross-border matters. His input helps ensure that the work is approached in a structured and practical way, with appropriate attention to both regulatory requirements and commercial realities.’ (Restructuring)
8 results8 results
Deal Highlights
7 results7 results
Deal Name Deal Date Firm Name Jurisdiction Deal Type Lawyer Names Client Names Client Role
Aspire Global plc - M&A
2022-02-24
WH Partners
Malta
M&A
Olga Finkel
Aspire Global plc
Target
Dlocal Group Limited - Restructuring
2021-02-06
WH Partners
Malta
Restructuring
Davinia Cutajar
Dlocal Group Limited
Management
Dlocal Group Limited - IPO
2021-02-03
WH Partners
Malta
IPO
Davinia Cutajar
Dlocal Group Limited
Issuer
Dlocal Group Limited - M&A
2021-01-04
WH Partners
Malta
M&A
Davinia Cutajar
Dlocal Group Limited
Acquirer
Entain PLC - M&A
2022-07-02
WH Partners
Malta
M&A
James Scicluna
Entain PLC
Acquirer
Hiro Capital LLP - M&A
2022-01-20
WH Partners
Malta
M&A
James Scicluna
Hiro Capital LLP
Investor
Lottomatica SPA (Apollo Global Managament) - M&A
2021-09-13
WH Partners
Malta
M&A
James Scicluna
Lottomatica SPA (Apollo Global Managament)
Acquirer
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