Hi, I’m
DANIELLA O'CONNOR
Santa Cruz
Summary
Driven Legal and Corporate Secretarial Assistant with seventeen years of experience, eight of those years having been spent in the regulatory environment. Highly skilled at multitasking and prioritizing tasks to complete projects on time and determine appropriate courses of action. Committed to streamlining processes to facilitate growth in financial regulation.
Overview
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Trinidad & Tobago Securities & Exchange CommissionPort of Spain
Legal Assistant
11.2017 - Current
Job overview
- Developed manual containing all procedures of the Commission's Corporate Secretariat
- Provided administrative and general support to Board of Commissioners
- Drafted routine correspondence and revised and finalized letters, briefs, and memos.
- Produced legal documents such as briefs, notices and orders.
- Prepared and drafted correspondence and legal forms to maintain smooth communications.
- Researched statutes, decisions, legal articles, and codes.
- Attended meetings of Board and Audit, Finance and Tenders Committees, prepared meeting packages, recorded and finalized minutes, prepared action item lists, resolutions and decisions and maintained repository of these documents
- Notified stakeholders of decisions of Board of Commissioners and Committees
- Managed administrative arrangements for Board and Board Committee Meetings by scheduling, preparing agenda, posting documents to Board Document Management Site and making other logistical arrangements
- Proof-read Orders submitted by other Divisions of the Commission and arranged execution and publication of orders in accordance with Securities Act
- Maintained Orders Registry within Corporate Secretariat
- Prioritized and managed projects in consultation with Corporate Secretary and followed up on tasks assigned to other members of staff
- Maintained filing system within Corporate Secretariat and monitored movement of files/documents
- Completed monthly compliance checklist for submission to Internal Audit Department
- Coordinated meetings between General Counsel/Corporate Secretary and internal and external parties, ensuring that relevant documents were prepared and available, and coordinating logistical arrangements
- Prepared monthly report of assignments completed by Corporate Secretariat for submission to Chief Executive Officer
- Prepared and updated attendance reports for Human Resources Department
- Conducted legal research and prepared reports or summaries for use by General Counsel/Corporate Secretary
- Coordinated proceedings under Securities Industry (Hearings and Settlements) Practice Rules, 2008 by preparing notices, drafting correspondence, preparing briefs and speaking notes for Pre-Hearing/Hearing Panel, notices for publication, and coordinating logistical arrangements
- Ensured that all Statutory Requirements placed on the Commission were fulfilled by providing necessary assistance to General Counsel/Corporate Secretary
- Assisted General Counsel with developing the Commission's legislative agenda by reviewing existing legislation, conducting research, assisting with drafting proposed new guidelines, by- laws and rules
- Participated in various committees and coordinated activities of these committees
- Assisted General Counsel with preparing strategic deliverables for Corporate Secretariat and submitting relevant updates
Trinidad & Tobago Securities & Exchange CommissionPort of Spain
Legal Researcher
07.2014 - 11.2017
Job overview
- Conducted legal research based on case law, relevant legislation and other sources and preparing dossiers for use by Division
- Drafted of orders of the Commission, contravention letters and other correspondence
- Filed submissions, orders and other documents in High Court in behalf of the Commission
- Assisted Legal Officers in the Division with preparation for Court proceedings and meetings
- Proof-read documents prepared by staff of the Division
- Assisted with maintenance of divisional records such as minutes, files, memoranda and other documents
- Arranged and coordinated internal/external meetings and conference calls
- Provided administrative support to the Division, including preparation and collation of documents, eg meeting and case documents, correspondence, etc
- Assisted with administration of Divisional events
- Served as point of contact for general enquiries for the Division
- Assisted with taking minutes and preparing reports
- Maintained database of work assigned to staff of the Division and followed-up on assignments
- Coordinated payment of Law Association Fees for Attorneys-at-Law employed with the Commission
- Performed other duties as required
Elvis E. O'Connor & CoPort of Spain & Chaguanas
Office Manager/Legal Assistant
06.2006 - 02.2014
Job overview
- Independently drafted standard and legal correspondence
- Independently drafted legal documents for Criminal, Civil and Family proceedings such as: Bail Applications; Letters before action; High Court and Petty Civil Summonses and subsequent documents; Divorce Petitions; Paternity Applications; Maintenance and Custody Applications; Industrial Court Claims and Defences; Caribbean Court of Justice Applications and subsequent documents; Writs of Execution, etc
- Independently drafted legal documents for Contract, Land, Mortgage and other transactions such as: Agreements; Deeds of Mortgage, Gift, Conveyance etc.; Bills of Sale; Powers of Attorney; Deeds Poll; Applications under Real Property Ordinance; Wills; Trusts, etc
- Independently conducted legal research for above-mentioned matters
- Independently drafted legal opinions
- Reviewed Contracts, Deeds and other legal documents
- Oversaw registration and filing process for aforementioned legal documents thereby becoming familiar with procedures and requirements of various courts as well as Ministry of Legal Affairs, Stamp Duty, Commissioners of Affidavits and Notaries Public, etc
- Independently prepared Business Registration, Annual Returns and other statutory filings
- Interviewed, selected, trained and supervised employees
- Generally managed legal practice by performing – minor accounting, maintaining business and staff records etc
- Attended Court with Attorney-at-Law to take and transcribe notes when necessary
- Interacted with clients (individual and corporate) to receive instructions, provide updates etc;
- Developed office policies and employee handbook;
- Prepared proposals for potential corporate clients and invoices for work done;
- Performed other Administrative functions
Education
University of BedfordshireUnited Kingdom
MBA from General Management
2024
International Monetary Fund Online LearningOnline
Certificate from Foundations of Central Bank Law
04.2023
International Monetary Fund Online Learning Online
Certificate from Cyber Risk Supervision
04.2023
University of LondonUnited Kingdom
LLB
11.2022
University Overview
- Degree Awarded with [2nd Class Honors]
University of LondonUnited Kingdom
Diploma in Law from Law
2009
Skills
- Policy/Procedure Development
- Critical Thinking
- Corporate Governance
- Communication and Organization
- Legal Research and Compliance
- Legal Document Preparation and Filing
- Database and Case Management
- Cross-Functional Communication
- Written, Oral and Cross-Functional Communication
- Contract Oversight
- Westlaw and LexisNexis
- Organizational Efficiency and Project Organization
- Confidentiality Understanding
- Office Management and Administrative Support
- Assisting Legal Professionals
- Task Prioritization and Deadline Monitoring
Working Groups & Memberships
- Member of the TTSEC Procurement Working Group
An internal working group responsible for the development of the Procurement Framework for the TTSEC.
- Member of the Working Committee for the Review of the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Governance Code
A Committee consisting charged with the responsibility of reviewing the Trinidad and Tobago Corporate Governance Code 2013. This Committee reports to a Steering Committee consisting of members of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute, the Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission and the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Training
- CCGI's Managing Board Conflict Series- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - January 2023
- Identification, Seizure and Storage of Digital Evidence - November 2022
- Fraud, Typology and Investigation Techniques - November 2022
- Legislative Drafting - June 2022
- Regulatory Perspectives on Virtual Currencies - May 2022
- Company Secretary Drafting Skills - April 2022
- Cybersecurity during the pandemic and beyond - April 2022
- Fire Warden Training - February 2021
- First Aid/ CPR - February 2021
- Securities Market Oversight for the Caribbean Groups of Securities Regulators - October & November 2020
- Taking Notes and Producing Accurate Minutes in Quick Time - July 2020
- Fintech Online Training - June - July 2020
- The Role of the Company Secretary- Core Responsibilities - May 2020
- The Role of the Company Secretary- The Governance Role - May 2020
- 6-Step Business Continuity Planning and Safe Return to Work - May 2020
- NASAA 2019 Public Policy Roundtable - May 20, 2019
- Risk Assessment - January 2019
- The Role of the Health and Safety Committee - December 2018
- First Aid/CPR - November 2018
- Business Writing and Grammar Essentials - October 2018
- Finance for Non-Financial Professionals - October 2018
- Capital Market Oversight and Development in the Caribbean (USSEC – TTSEC) - May 2018
- NASSA 2018 Fintech Forum - May 2018
- NASSA 2018 Public Roundtable - May 2018
- The Identification, Seizure and Storage of Digital Information - February 2016
- IT Training Microsoft Project 2013 - January 2016
- TTSEC/USSEC Training - November 2015
Accomplishments
Ms. Marsha Richards
Senior Human Resources Officer
Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission
Phone: 1-868-735-5832
Mr. Brian Peters
Lead Counsel, Enforcement
Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission
Phone: 1-868-689-6694
Timeline
Legal Assistant
Trinidad & Tobago Securities & Exchange Commission
11.2017 - Current
Legal Researcher
Trinidad & Tobago Securities & Exchange Commission
07.2014 - 11.2017
Office Manager/Legal Assistant
Elvis E. O'Connor & Co
06.2006 - 02.2014
University of Bedfordshire
MBA from General Management
International Monetary Fund Online Learning
Certificate from Foundations of Central Bank Law
International Monetary Fund Online Learning
Certificate from Cyber Risk Supervision
University of London
LLB
University of London
Diploma in Law from Law