Born December 1943, Ian was educated at Campion Hall Preparatory School and St. George’s College, (Jamaica) and London University (College of Law), (England).
Ian specialized in Corporate and Commercial Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Lending and Finance, Taxation, International Law, Conveyancing and Property Development, Copyright and Intellectual Property Law, Estate Planning, Hospitality and Hospitality Accommodation Law, Building and Construction. He was admitted to Practice in Jamaica and England.
Ian was a former Senior Partner of the prestigious Jamaican legal firm Myers Fletcher & Gordon.
During his stay at Myers Fletcher & Gordon, Ian was the Partner in charge of the Conveyancing and Housing Departments for twelve years, during which period (and subsequently) he acted, inter alia, for West Indies Home Contractors Limited in the Housing Developments of Harbour View, Duhaney Park and Portmore and the Urban Development Corporation and its subsidiary National Hotels and Properties Limited from their incorporation through the re-development of the Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Kingston Waterfronts including the reclamation and acquisition of property to facilitate same, and the acquisition, development and subsequent leasing of fourteen Hotels in Jamaica. He also subsequently served on the Government of Jamaica’s Divestment Committee and acted in relation to the sales of Hotels previously acquired.
Amongst the Clients Ian has represented are Beverley’s Records Limited, which Company and its Chairman Leslie Kong (deceased) was responsible for the initial discovery, signing and production of, among others, well-known Jamaican musical artists Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker and Millie Small. He also served as Chairman of the Government of Jamaica’s Copyright Law Committee, which initiated the re-writing of the Copyright Act of Jamaica.
In 1990, Ian left Myers Fletcher & Gordon to join the Hon. Gordon “Butch” Stewart’s ATL/Sandals Group of Companies as Group Legal/Administration Director. During his period of association, the Group went through rapid expansion from three Hotels in Jamaica to fifteen Hotels in Jamaica and other Islands in the Caribbean, and acquired Air Jamaica, the National Airline. The “Sandals” name now enjoys worldwide recognition in the Hospitality Industry.
Ian was the founding Partner of Phillipson Partners.