Experienced
Qualified
Experts
A Wealth of Local and International Experience
Our Team
Sol-law, Lawyers combines the insight, expertise and experience of Solomon Islands based lawyers with lawyers from an Australian background. We understand the commercial community in the Solomon Islands; we appreciate its needs, and how to best provide and service those needs.
Rodney Wariahu Kingmele
Partner
Rodney is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, USP).
He is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Fiji and has held the office of President of the Solomon Islands Bar Association for the past two terms. His role within the firm is principally in the commercial litigation field both in the High Court and the Court of Appeal and as the firm’s main liaison with the Solomon Islands legal fraternity.
Eran Soma
Partner
Eran is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, USP). Eran is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Fiji.
In addition to his qualifications, he has substantial experience in conveyancing, intellectual property law, mining and resource law, customary land owner issues, company law, and commercial litigation.
Eran is the current President of the Solomon Islands Bar Association. He has held that post for the past two terms and is the firm’s main liaison with the Solomon Islands legal fraternity.
Silverio Lepe
Managing Partner
Silverio is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, USP).
Silverio has substantial experience in mining law, customary land owner issues, and commercial documentation as well as litigation.
John Finau Jnr
Associate
John is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (The Institute of Justice and Applied Legal Studies, USP).
John has gained substantial experience in intellectual property law, industrial relations law, company law, and commercial litigation.
Jason Wale
Solicitor
Jason is a conditionally admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws (USP) and a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (USP Law Faculty).
Jason has gained substantial experience in industrial relations law, resource law and commercial litigation.
John George Katahanas
Consultant MQLS, MQSN
John is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, the High Court of Australia, and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands. John is also a Notary Public for both Solomon Islands and the State of Queensland.
He holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws with Honours (QUT). Within the firm his role includes supervising general and complex commercial matters, drafting complex contractual and security documents and advocacy in the High Court of Solomon Islands.
He has acted for a number of international clients from various countries including Japan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore and the United States of America.
John Sullivan
Special Counsel KC
John is a King's Counsel, Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Solomon Islands and Barrister of the Supreme Courts of Queensland and New South Wales and of the High Court of Australia. He is also a legal practitioner of the High Court of Kiribati. John is also a Notary Public for Solomon Islands. John has also been a member of the disciplinary committee of the Solomon Islands Bar Association.
He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours (University of Queensland, Australia) and Bachelor of Arts (University of Canterbury, New Zealand).
John specialises in commercial law (including company law, corporate restructuring, contract, banking and finance, resource law (mining and forestry) trade practices, equity and trusts, maritime law, insolvency and taxation). He has a special knowledge of forest resource law in Solomon Islands particularly with regards to customary law.
John’s role in the firm is both as in house counsel conducting major commercial litigation matters, drawing and settling pleadings and other court documents, providing formal counsel’s opinions as well as specialist commercial legal advisory services and drafting complex legal documents.