Dr Richard Sladden

Leading Authority & Contract Law In Malta

With over 30 years of experience, Dr Richard Sladden is recognised as a seasoned Contract lawyer in Malta with a long track record acting for public bodies, private companies & individual clients. He is a partner at Sladden-&-Sladden Advocates in Valletta, where his practice focuses on commercial contracts, procurement disputes & complex civil litigation arising from contractual relationships. Clients and peers alike turn to him for high-stakes tender challenges, contract interpretation disputes & advisory work that requires both courtroom experience & practical commercial judgment. His profile in local legal directories and firm listings underscores his standing within Malta’s legal community.

Professional Background & Credentials

Dr Richard Sladden regularly appears before the Superior Courts and the Court of Appeal and has been appointed by the Superior Courts of Malta to act as a Legal Expert in cases in which he does not form part of counsel, demonstrating long-standing courtroom experience in civil & contractual matters. Dr Richard Sladden has also been appointed on numerous occasions by Inquiring Magistrates to act as a Court Expert in said inquiries.

Beyond private practice wherein he has represented some of the foremost private businesses in the country, Dr Richard Sladden has been entrusted with a series of public appointments and adjudicative roles. In 2009, he was appointed as a Director on the Malta Stock Exchange plc, the body responsible for regulating the listing & trading of financial instruments in Malta, reflecting recognition of his commercial & regulatory competence by public authorities. Furthermore, he has served as a Board Secretary for the Public Transport Authority, the Lotteries & Gaming Authority, and Maltapost plc, as well as a Board Member of the Housing Authority. These roles involve governance, regulatory oversight, and ensuring compliance with statutory and administrative frameworks.

These roles demonstrate his experience in governance, regulatory oversight & quasi-judicial decision-making, attributes that benefit complex contract work, particularly where public law, compliance & commercial regulation intersect.

In the past Dr Richard Sladden has presided over the Licensing Appeals Board and the VAT Appeals Board. He has also served as personal assistant to Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Dr Sladden also serves as a Prosecutor in Local Tribunals and continues to preside over the Consumer Affairs Tribunal. Dr Richard Sladden currently chairs the Malta Football Association’s Protests Board. Dr Sladden is also the Honorary Secretary of Malta’s foremost private club, Casino Maltese.

Practice & Depth Of Expertise In Contract Law

As a Contract lawyer in Malta, Dr Richard Sladden advises on the full lifecycle of commercial agreements; from negotiation & drafting through to enforcement, remedies & dispute resolution. His practice covers procurement contracts, service agreements, public sector tenders, lease & property contracts, and commercial sale & supply arrangements. He routinely prepares contractual documentation, negotiates settlement terms, drafts pre-emptive dispute-resolution clauses and represents clients in litigation or administrative review proceedings when disputes arise. He has also drafted contracts and represented some of the major businesses across the island on significant projects nationwide.

Notable Public Procurement & Contract Disputes

Dr Richard Sladden has substantive experience in public procurement and tender-related disputes, having acted as legal representative in appeals before the Public Contracts Review Board and related administrative hearings. These procedures have dealt with issues across the entire gamut of the public procurement and tendering sphere, including alleged delays in evaluation, cancellation of tenders & disclosure of financial offers. He is therefore well-versed in the procedural, statutory & evidential issues that shape procurement litigation in Malta. His courtroom and administrative advocacy in these matters is a recurrent feature of his practice.

What Sets His Contract Practice Apart

Clients instruct Dr Richard Sladden when matters demand both rigorous legal analysis & practical commercial solutions. Local council procurement files and municipal records show he provides targeted legal opinions, drafting services & representation to public authorities, reflecting a dual capability to advise contracting authorities and private tenderers. His approach emphasises risk allocation, enforceable drafting and early identification of procedural pitfalls that commonly derail procurement exercises. Practical experience in both advisory work and contested proceedings gives him an advantage in resolving contractual disputes efficiently.

Contract Law In Malta: Landscape & Key Challenges

The Maltese contract practice sits at the intersection of civil law doctrine and EU-derived public procurement rules. Common challenges for contracting parties include interpretation and enforcement of contractual obligations, strict public tender timelines, the rise in administrative review and PCRB appeals, and the need to align contractual drafting with EU funding & compliance requirements. Specialist legal expertise is essential to craft dispute-resolution mechanisms that operate within Maltese procedure, and to manage cross-border commercial exposures. Experienced counsel familiar with both tribunal practice & court litigation therefore materially reduces execution risk for business clients.

Who He Advises & When To Instruct Him

Dr Richard Sladden’s clients include local authorities, some of the foremost private companies in the country, service providers and individuals confronted with high-value contractual disputes. Businesses that need bespoke drafting for complex service or construction agreements, face procurement litigation or require a strategic litigator for contract enforcement commonly instruct his office. His practice is positioned to assist parties seeking pre-litigation risk management, negotiated settlements, arbitration or court representation. For organisations operating in regulated sectors or those tendering for public contracts, instructing a Contract lawyer in Malta with proven tribunal experience is particularly advisable.

Summary

Dr Richard Sladden brings a blend of adjudicative experience, courtroom advocacy & commercial contract advisory that positions him as an authoritative Contract lawyer in Malta. His expertise is evidenced by his representation of some of the foremost private businesses in the country, as well as his appointments as a legal expert within judicial and tribunal settings. His work in procurement disputes, public appointments & client advisory demonstrates an ability to manage complex contractual problems across the public & private sectors. Businesses & individuals seeking experienced counsel for contract drafting, procurement challenges or disputed commercial obligations will find a pragmatic, legally rigorous adviser in Dr Richard Sladden and the team at Sladden-&-Sladden Advocates.

FAQS

Who is Dr Richard Sladden?

Dr Richard Sladden is a partner at Sladden&Sladden Advocates in Valletta, recognised in Malta as an experienced Contract lawyer who acts for public bodies, private companies and individuals in commercial contracts, procurement disputes and complex civil litigation.

What areas of contract law does he specialise in?

He advises on the full lifecycle of commercial agreements, including service agreements, public sector tenders, lease and property contracts, sale and supply arrangements, enforcement, remedies and dispute resolution and procurement contracts.

What experience does he have in public procurement and tender disputes?

He has acted in appeals before the Public Contracts Review Board and related administrative hearings, representing clients in contested tenders involving issues like evaluation delays, tender cancellations and disclosure of financial offers

What public appointments and roles has he held?

He was appointed a director of the Malta Stock Exchange in 2009 and has served as a Board Secretary for the Public Transport Authority, the Lotteries & Gaming Authority, and Maltapost plc, as well as a Board Member of the Housing Authority. In the past Dr Richard Sladden has presided over the Licensing Appeals Board and the VAT Appeals Board. He has also served as personal assistant to Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Dr Sladden also serves as a Prosecutor in Local Tribunals and continues to preside over the Consumer Affairs Tribunal. Dr Richard Sladden currently chairs the Malta Football Association’s Protests Board. Dr Sladden is also the Honorary Secretary of Malta’s foremost private club, Casino Maltese.

What sets his contract practice apart?

Clients value his combination of rigorous legal analysis and practical commercial solutions, his experience advising private persons and businesses, contracting authorities and private tenderers, and his focus on risk allocation, enforceable drafting and early identification of procedural pitfalls, all of which stem from over 30 years of experience.

When should an organisation instruct him?

Organisations should instruct him for bespoke drafting of complex contractual  agreements, pre-litigation risk management, negotiated settlements, procurement litigation, arbitration or court representation, especially when operating in regulated sectors or tendering for public contracts.