ABOUT MELISSA
- Partner
- Notary Public
- Trade Mark and Patent Agent
- MCIArb
- melissa@balderamosarthurs.com
Education:
- May, 2023 International Visitor Leadership Program, US IPCA Judicial Practices, United States Department of State, Washington, D.C.
- March, 2022 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Certificate in Banking and Financial Institutions
- May, 2017 Certificate of Completion, Effective Advocacy and Management in Domestic Arbitration Training Course
- December, 2016 University of the West Indies (UWI), Certificate in Family Mediation
- October, 2016 Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Advanced Certificate International Arbitration
- 2003 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), General Course on Intellectual Property
- 2000–2002 Norman Manley Law School, Legal Education Certificate
- 1997–2000 University of the West Indies (UWI), Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours)
- 1993–1995 Saint Leo University, Bachelor of Arts Degree (Sociology) (Summa Cum Laude)
Experience:
- 2014 – Present Partner, Balderamos Arthurs LLP
- 2012–2014 Partner, Musa & Balderamos LLP
- 2002–2011 Associate, Musa & Balderamos LLP
- 1997–1998 Executive Director, Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Belize
- 1995–1997 Education Director, Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Belize
Awards and Accolades:
Saint Leo University
- Elected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges
- Merit scholar
- Member of Delta Epsilon Sigma, National Scholastic Honor Society
Norman Manley Law School
- Arthur Scholefield Memorial Prize
- Beresford Hay Prize
Professional Activities:
- Corporate Secretary, Belize Telemedia Limited
- Board Director, St. Catherine Academy
- Board Director, World Pediatrics Belize
- Committee Member, Belize Cancer Society
- Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
- Member, International Trademark Association (INTA)
- Member, Asociación Interamericana de la Propiedad Intelectual (ASIPI)
- Member, Bar Association of Belize
Professional Recognition:
- Ranked in Chambers Global for General Business Law
Contributor:
- World Justice Project, Rule of Law Index (2015)
- World Justice Project, Rule of Law Index (2016)
- Women, Business and the Law (2018)
Practice
Melissa comes from a family of legal minds, the most notable being her father, Lawrence Randolph Balderamos, former Magistrate and Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court.
Melissa was admitted to practice in Belize in 2002 and, during this time, has amassed extensive experience in civil litigation, commercial and banking law, conveyancing and real property law, debt collection, estates and succession. She is also a strong litigator who is known for her attention to detail, meticulous and precise drafting and keen analysis of legal issues. She is known for her work in contentious estate matters.
Despite her experience in civil litigation, Melissa is an advocate for alternative dispute resolution. She has acted as arbitrator in several arbitration matters and disputes and is also a trained and experienced mediator who is well known for her expertise in family matters and matrimonial disputes. She has litigated and facilitated out of court settlements of countless family disputes. She has garnered considerable experience in local and inter-country adoptions under the Hague Convention and applications under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.
She has been a pioneer in the area of intellectual property in Belize and has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area, including the registration, protection, and enforcement of clients’ intellectual property rights. Melissa has worked closely with the Customs Department in the seizure and destruction of counterfeit goods and anti-counterfeit efforts and has served as local counsel for various anti-counterfeiting networks and brand protection service providers.
She currently serves as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in Belize.