A.J. Mark Pettingill J.P

SCARS Director

Mark is currently Managing Director of Chancery Legal Ltd Bermuda, Chairman of the Trinity Group of Companies (a licensed trust and corporate service providers business ) and is an active Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of Bermuda and has been a Justice of the Peace since 1998.

Mark specializes in litigation and advisory work and is considered a senior and high-profile advocate and barrister at the Bar in Bermuda.

In addition to periodic work as a Judge he is the senior member of the Bermuda Bar Council and an appointed member of the Bermuda Law Reform Commission which was established by the current Government to review and modernize Bermuda legislation.

Mark is a former Attorney-General of Bermuda and spoke internationally in several countries about Bermuda as a jurisdiction, key legislation, compliance, and business structure.  He is also a former Board member of SCARS who provided valuable guidance in setting up the charity. 

He attended and presented at several Financial Action Task Force events during his tenure as AG including the Ukrainian asset recovery conference in London in 2016. He was invited in part by the former US Attorney-General Eric Holder to form the Bermuda Asset Recovery Authority which is now an integral part of the Jurisdictions Compliance Regime. In addition, he has advised on other key legislative changes.

In his capacity as a private attorney Mark has regularly advised on compliance, business development, legal procedure and process both locally and overseas and most recently presented and was a panelist in Dubai at the Asian Outbound Summit 2022.

He has an extensive International Network of business contacts, colleagues and associates and is regularly retained in an advisory capacity in relation to business development, compliance, legislative change and the working structure of the Bermuda legal process. Mark is a Director of numerous local Companies.

Mark was educated in the United Kingdom and holds degrees in law from City University London (1991) and is a member of Grays Inn London where he was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1992. He also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree (History & English) and a Bachelor of Education (1986-1987 Mount Allison University, Canada).

Mark is a fourth-degree black belt in Goj Ryu Karate and conducts classes and practical self-defense seminars. His hobbies include fitness, shooting, chess, painting, and cooking. He is also an avid skier.  He is married to Erin and has four children. The family is largely based on Island but divide their time between homes in Bermuda and Vermont in the USA.

Mark is interested in participating in business development and legal advice in other jurisdictions where the “Bermuda model” may have applicability and contribute to business growth.