Siv Potayya





















The Lawyer

Siv Potayya graduated from the University of Aix-En-Provence and was admitted to the Mauritian Bar in 1991. He founded Wortels Lexus in June 2010 after 13 years with a previous partner. Siv has worked at the Mauritius Commercial Bank for 14 years and got to familiarize himself with Banking laws. The drafting of various documents pertaining to securities at the bank led him to the writing of several books, the most recent, published in 2008, being "Guide to Decisions of the Supreme Court of Mauritius affecting Banking (1861 - 2007)" with a foreword by the Chief Justice of Mauritius. The book entitled "Manuel de droit bancaire mauricien" recently launched by the MCB Ltd has largely made reference thereto. He was the first prize winner in a competition organised by the Indian Ocean Lawyers' Association (L' A J O I') in 1991 with his book "Le droit bancaire dans votre pays". In 1994, he wrote another book "Pour un réglement rapide des cheques sans provisions à Maurice".


Employment record

  • 1981-1983 Chambers of late Sir Gaetan Duval Q.C., Mauritius
  • 1983-1988 Officer, Recovery Department, Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd, Port Louis
  • 1988-1996 In house Lawyer, Senior Executive Officer and Assistant to the Manager at the Legal Department, Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd, Mauritius. Work consisted in mainly drafting of banking securities documents and tendering advice to the Management and the 40 branches the bank had at the material time.


Other relevant experience

  • Pupillage at Doughty Street Chambers, London WC 1N 2PG, from October to December 1990.
  • Training Course at Lloyd's Bank Legal Department, Lombard Street, London, from January to February 1991.
  • Stood as candidate for the Labour Party in the 2000 General Elections in constituency No.13.
  • Former member of the Politburo of the Mauritius Labour Party.
  • Former Chairman of the Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care, a parastatal body under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life.
  • Former active member of the Rotary International.
  • Part of Board of Investment of Mauritius delegation and delivered a Speech at (CILPS) China International Luxury Properties Show 2007, Pudong, Shanghai on issues revolving around the legal, fiscal and financial matters pertaining to Mauritius real estates investments.
  • Former Director and Chairman of the State Investment Trust Property Development Ltd, a subsidiary of the Sugar Investment Trust under the aegis of the Ministry of Agro Industry & Food Security.
  • Former Member of the Independent Review Panel May 2014 to March 2015.
  • Part time lecturer at the University of Mauritius on the following subjects: Law relating to Financial Services , Legal Aspects of Finance, Matrimonial Regimes and Security Interests.
  • Part time lecturer at the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce on banking law, labour law and law relating to ICT.


Membership of Professional Bodies

Mauritius Bar Association, International Bar Association, Inter Pacific Bar Association
Fellow member of the Mauritius Institute of Directors


High Profiles Local Cases.


  • He appeared before the Court of Assises of Mauritius for Mr Paul Philibert where the latter who pleaded guilty to the charge of murder was inflicted the mandatory sentence of 45 years imprisonment. The case went on appeal, before the Supreme Court, where the constitutionality of the mandatory sentence was challenged and the appeal was allowed in view of the principles of separation of powers enshrined in the Mauritius Constitution.
  • He appeared, before the District Court of Port Louis, for Mr Clovis Azie, a political activist, who stood charged with the offence of Contempt of Assembly for having assaulted the then Minister of Environment & National Development Unit at the National Assembly. The Director of Public Prosecutions, after the Honourable Minister was lengthily cross-examined elected to enter a nolle prosequi in that matter.
  • He appeared, before the District Court of Souillac, for Mr Feng Chow who was charged with illegal betting under the Gaming Act. The validity of the arrest, search and detention of the accused was challenged and the motion for a stay of proceedings was upheld.
  • He appeared, before the Intermediate Court of Mauritius, where Mr Devanand Gopal a Bank Manager, along with a co accused, a bank's client, was charged for aiding and abetting in the commission of a crime. Rs 16.5 million were embezzled to the detriment of the Union International Bank Limited and following which the bank had to close down. That case was dismissed.
  • He appeared, before the District Court of Curepipe, for taxi owners to whom the National Transport Authority has been granting Taxi Licences to non existing Taxi Stands.


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