Marjorie Rawls Roberts, P.C.

Global Knowledge. Local Expertise.

Our experienced attorneys consistently deliver strong results for our clients. Our attorneys are integral members of the community, giving our clients insights into the local business environment along with expertise in multiple jurisdictions.

We have decades of experience representing companies and individuals in business, tax, and real estate matters, primarily in the US Virgin Islands. Our clients are based in the US Virgin Islands, the US, and international locations. We also provide comprehensive estate planning services for company executives and other high-net-worth individuals.

Doing business in the US Virgin Islands presents unique opportunities and challenges. From investing in the islands’ economic growth to facing multi-jurisdictional tax and securities law issues, navigating the legal landscape and local government channels requires significant expertise—and the lawyers at Marjorie Rawls Roberts, P.C have it.

We Have Been Practicing Law in the US Virgin Islands for More Than 30 Years

Our attorneys are leading authorities on doing business in the US Virgin Islands. We’ve helped companies establish and grow their presence in the territory for decades.

Our founding attorney, Marjorie (Jorie) Roberts, has practiced law in the US Virgin Islands for more than 30 years. After working in London and Washington, D.C. at a major international law firm, she moved to St. Thomas in 1988 to serve as Chief Counsel to the US Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue. In 1995, she became Vice President and General Counsel of a St. Thomas-based investment management company, the first hedge fund manager to move to the US Virgin Islands under targeted economic incentives for management companies. She entered private practice in St. Thomas in 1999.

We are known for our expertise in corporate, securities, and tax law. We advise clients of all sizes and across all industries in a broad range of complex legal issues. We also represent clients before the US Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority, the University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park, and other government agencies. From tax incentives to local securities-registration exemptions, our expertise enables our clients to navigate the US Virgin Islands’s rules and regulations so that they can launch, maintain, expand, and flourish in the territory. We also enjoy spending time with our clients and are glad to recommend hotels, restaurants, dive shops, and favorite fishing and surfing spots.

Solutions to the Challenges of Doing Business in the US Virgin Islands

Establishing business operations in the US Virgin Islands poses unique challenges. Companies seeking to conduct business locally must comply with both US federal law and US Virgin Islands law. There are exceptions, however. For example, corporations formed in the US Virgin Islands are exempt from the Investment Company Act of 1940. Another complexity is that the US Virgin Islands (and other territories) are not included in any US tax treaties. Other local factors come into play when setting up business operations, such as obtaining licenses, determining the best form of business entity, and figuring out the best island for a particular venture. For companies with a multinational presence, ensuring global compliance requires a strategic approach based on a comprehensive understanding of the issues.

Whether you are a registered investment advisor or a company executive interested in tax incentives for a new facility in St. Thomas or St. Croix, we can help you make informed decisions that foster long-term growth and stability.

We offer a broad range of services for businesses of all types:

• Business entity selection, formation, and reorganization
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Tax planning and compliance under US Virgin Islands and US law, and international tax planning
• Application and ongoing compliance and operations for Economic Incentive Programs in the US Virgin Islands
• Application and ongoing compliance and operations for beneficiaries of the US Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park
• Securities law compliance for public companies, private companies, and investment advisors
• Utilities law compliance
• Nearshore investment structuring
• Real estate transactions and commercial closings
• Advising in the Energy and Waste Management sectors

Our approach is to find favorable solutions without litigation, but sometimes outside factors make litigation unavoidable. For litigation other than tax-related matters, we refer clients to other counsel or bring in other lawyers as needed. Our goal is to work out disputes amicably without resorting to the courtroom.

Estate Planning

Our local experience and knowledge of cross-border tax and legal issues equip us to provide comprehensive estate planning services. Our services will benefit company executives and other high-net-worth individuals as well as small business owners. In many cases, our clients have assets in the US Virgin Islands and abroad, and we are able to tailor solutions that achieve our clients’ personal and philanthropic goals while providing peace of mind and mitigating overall tax liability.

Our estate planning and administration services include the following:

• Drafting and modification of wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents
• Asset-protection planning
• Charitable giving through trusts and foundations
• Estate tax planning and mitigation
• Estate and probate administration
• Advising on the unique estate and gift statutes applicable to persons born or naturalized in the US Virgin Islands

A Law Firm Committed to Growth in the US Virgin Islands

Our legal team has broad experience.

• A lawyer with more than 30 years of high-level legal experience in the US Virgin Islands in the public and private sectors and as in-house counsel
• A former law clerk for a federal judge at the US District Court of the Virgin Islands
• A former dean of the American University School of Law in Kabul
• A lifetime US Virgin Islands resident with substantial pre-law and legal experience
• An attorney with a master’s degree in tax from New York University
• A long-term US Virgin Islands paralegal who started law school at age 58
• Lawyers who worked at major law firms

Whether you are seeking economic incentives for your business or ways to preserve your assets, you will get results from Marjorie Rawls Roberts, PC.

With offices in St. Thomas, we represent companies and individuals throughout the US Virgin Islands, the continental United States, and worldwide. Our attorneys are admitted to practice in the US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, England and Wales, the Federal Courts of Puerto Rico, the Tax Court, the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals, California, Texas, Washington, D.C., New York, and Florida. We have affiliated offices in Texas and Alabama.

Schedule a Confidential Initial Consultation

Do you have questions about starting, buying, or selling a business in the US Virgin Islands? Do you need help securing tax-incentive benefits or a securities-law registration exemption? Is it time to prepare or update your estate plan?

Please contact us to schedule a confidential initial consultation. You can reach us at 340- 776-7235 or online.