Vaia Legal

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Privacy Policy

At Vaia Legal, our client’s privacy is valued heavily and thus we are committed to the protection of your personal data, which ultimately refers to any information that defines you.

When an organisation processes your personal data, notice must be given along with details and the purpose for such handling of data. This is one of the many rights granted under the GDPR.

Within this privacy policy, one may find a description of our practices vis a vie your personal data as a user of Vaialegal.com. Thus, we guarantee that usage and disclosure of such data will be done so in accordance with the policy set out as follows.

For the data collected through and the maintenance of our website, the data controller is Dr. Katrina Abela, and may be contacted at [email protected]

Information Gathered

Personal information gathered by our website is done so as per the choice of our users, such as when filling in a particular field or else through the information they wish to disclose to us via email.

Additional information collected by our website pertains to the device used to access our website (phone or laptop). Some other information is collected solely because an individual accessed this site such as logs, recorded through cookies.

Usage of data collected

Personal information is used in various ways, depending on the purpose for collection of such data, as specified further below;

Name and contact details - purpose for using such data:

Fraud prevention and detection, with the purpose of; preventing and detecting fraud against either you or us – unfortunate, but absolutely essential. Knowing what you, and other users alike with the purpose of; ensuring that we are providing users with what is desired, as well as to stay ahead of competing firms.

Contact History - purpose for using such data:

This refers to any information you may have provided us with, for example via email.
To provide user service and support with the purpose of ensuring that any queries users may have, have been answered from our end.

To Train our staff with the purpose of ensuring that the team is well trained in giving clients the best possible service.

Information regarding device utilised - purpose for using such data:

This refers to data which is given to us when a user makes use of our website, such as device IP address and type along with how our website was used by our users.

Improvement of the website with the purpose of giving users a quality experience when making use of our website.

Website protection with the purpose of preventing fraud against us or users themselves as well as to fulfil legal obligations pertaining to user data.

Whilst disclosing your personal data is optional, not doing so may limit your usage of our website, including any services offered via such site.

We also anonymize and aggregate personal information (so that it does not identify you) and use it for purposes including testing our IT systems, research, data analysis and improving our site. We also share this anonymised information with third parties – but don’t worry, they cannot identify you.

With regard to gathering and usage of such personal data, legal basis is established by virtue of various data protection laws. We also use consent as a legal basis in order to process your query when you contact us, provide customer care and support services to you.

How long is your data stored?

information is kept for no longer than what is necessary, in terms of purpose for the date collected.

Data may be stored in order to meet necessary legal requirements or regulatory requirements, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and abuse, or enforce our terms and conditions. Certain legal requirements may dictate that various data is kept on for a specific period of time.

Unless necessary, personal data may be kept until the user opts to stop all communications.

Sharing of personal data

We guarantee that any and all personal data will be safeguarded and thus not sold to any form of third party. On this note however one must be informed that information may be shared with the following;

  • Internal third parties I.e., other companies within the group
  • External third parties I.e., service providers, professional advisors, Credit reference agencies, law enforcement as well as fraud prevention agencies.

Whilst most circumstances dictate that data is only shared having obtained consent, several situations may arise where this is not the case. This would be in the event of a court order, fulfilment of legal requirements / legal requests, facilitation of proper administration of justice, protection of clients’ interests, a dissolution or similar event involving us and/or our subsidiaries and related entities.

However, when data is shared, we guarantee that it is done so with proper care and assurance that the other entity utilizes such data for its intended purposes.

We may also provide third parties with aggregated but anonymised information and analytics about our customers and, before we do so, we will make sure that it does not identify you.

Anonymous information means it is anonymous and you will not be identified through this data.
If we ever have to share data with entities that are outside of the EEA, we will be sure to do so in a manner that complies with the requirements established by the GDPR.

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Yanika Ciantar-Barbara

Lawyer

Dr. Ciantar-Barbara is an experienced lawyer specialising in corporate and commercial law. She graduated with a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Malta in 2012 and went on to obtain a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Corporate and Commercial Law from Queen Mary, University of London in 2014.

With over a decade of experience at a leading Big Four firm, Dr Ciantar-Barbara has advised a wide range of local and international clients on complex company law matters. Her practice covers all stages of a company’s lifecycle, including formation, continuation, restructuring, cross-border mergers and divisions, acquisitions, and liquidations. She also assists clients with their day-to-day corporate governance and compliance obligations, including beneficial ownership requirements and statutory reporting.

In addition to her core focus on corporate law, Dr Ciantar-Barbara has handled various employment law matters, offering guidance on issues such as employment contracts and
workplace policies.

Proud member of the Chamber of Advocates and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.

Yanika Ciantar-Barbara

Legal Consultant

Dr. Ciantar-Barbara is an experienced lawyer specialising in corporate and commercial law. She graduated with a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Malta in 2012 and went on to obtain a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Corporate and Commercial Law from Queen Mary, University of London in 2014.

With over a decade of experience at a leading Big Four firm, Dr. Ciantar-Barbara has advised a wide range of local and international clients on complex company law matters. Her practice covers all stages of a company’s lifecycle, including formation, continuation, restructuring, cross-border mergers and divisions, acquisitions, and liquidations. She also assists clients with their day-to-day corporate governance and compliance obligations, including beneficial ownership requirements and statutory reporting.

In addition to her core focus on corporate law, Dr Ciantar-Barbara has handled various employment law matters, offering guidance on issues such as employment contracts and workplace policies.

Proud member of the Chamber of Advocates and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners.

Valeriia Simutina

Valeriia Simutina

Office Administrator

As the Office Administrator at Vaia Legal, Valeriia ensures that the firm’s operations run smoothly and efficiently. She specializes in administrative coordination, office management, and business support, allowing the legal team to focus on delivering top-tier services to clients.

Holding a degree in Marketing from Kyiv University, she brings strong organizational and communication skills to her role. Since moving to Malta in 2022, she has been actively involved in office administration, supporting the firm with structured processes and strategic planning. Her ability to anticipate operational needs and implement effective solutions makes her an invaluable part of the Vaia Legal team.

Giovana Cauchioli

Legal Administrator

Giovana Cauchioli joined Vaia Legal as a Legal Administrator, bringing a strong background in legal operations and compliance. She graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie in 2019 and was admitted to the Brazilian bar in the same year. With several years of experience in litigation and general contracts, Giovana has developed a solid understanding of legal frameworks and regulatory processes.

Her professional experience covers various legal sectors, allowing her to provide valuable support in legal administration, contract management, and compliance-related matters. Throughout her career, she has refined her ability to assist in structuring efficient legal processes and ensuring that regulatory requirements are met.

At Vaia Legal, Giovana plays a key role in facilitating legal operations, ensuring that the firm’s work is carried out smoothly and efficiently. Her analytical approach, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence contribute to the firm’s ability to deliver high-quality legal services to its clients.

Dr. Katrina Abela

Founder

Seasoned Lawyer, specializing in Maritime and Aviation Law, having graduated from the University of Malta in 2013. Experienced in yacht and aircraft sale and purchase transactions as well as ownership structures, customs importations, and registration. Successfully assisted several companies in acquiring a Maltese Air Operator’s Certificate, as the key link between the applicant and local authorities, while also consulting on regulatory matters.


Specialties: Commercial Agreements, Sale and Purchase Transactions for Vessels and Aircrafts, Regulation of Aircraft Customs and VAT Status, Importation and Registration matters, AOC applications, Ownership structures and others



Proud member of the Chamber of Advocates, Malta Business Aviation Association, Malta Maritime Law Association and the Advocacy Committee of the European Business Aviation Association.