Christopher Wells is a leading real estate and commercial lawyer in the Turks and Caicos Islands, recognised for his calm, methodical approach to complex transactions and his deep understanding of the jurisdiction’s property and development landscape. As a Partner at Wilson Wells, Christopher advises on some of the Islands’ most significant real estate, financing and hospitality matters, working closely with investors, developers, lenders and private clients operating at the top end of the market.
Property, planning and precision
Christopher’s practice centres on real estate transactions and conveyancing, with a particular focus on high-value private client work and large-scale commercial developments. He advises on the acquisition, sale and structuring of property interests across the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas, guiding clients through transactions that often sit at the intersection of real estate, finance, planning and regulatory approval.
His interest in property law developed early. Growing up with a father who was one of the founding partners of the Bahamian law firm Graham Thompson, Christopher was exposed from a young age to discussions around development projects and complex transactions. Property and development matters were a familiar feature of family life, and he was drawn to work that produces tangible outcomes and shapes real communities, making real estate law a natural and enduring fit.
His experience spans mortgage-backed financing and loan transactions, title due diligence and opinions, title insurance, subdivision and master planning, resort and hotel development, and both commercial and residential leasing. He is also regularly instructed on related tax matters and on securing the wide range of governmental and statutory approvals required for major developments in the region.
Trusted adviser to developers, lenders and institutions
Christopher is frequently engaged by developers and investors operating in the tourism and hospitality sector, an area that continues to shape the economic fabric of the Turks and Caicos Islands. His work includes advising on resort planning and phased development, navigating planning and zoning requirements, and supporting projects from initial acquisition through to operation.
He also advises global financial institutions and debt funds on secured lending transactions, including complex, multi-jurisdictional financings involving international banking groups. One particularly notable transaction involved acting for the lender on the financing of the Andaz Resort – a high-profile project with multiple stakeholders and moving parts, and one that stands out for both its scale and complexity.
Across these matters, Christopher is valued for his ability to combine detailed technical knowledge with practical, commercially grounded advice. Rather than a single defining moment, it was this blend of legal analysis, commercial decision-making, and problem-solving that steadily confirmed real estate as the area of practice best suited to his approach.
Recognition and standing
Christopher’s work has been recognised by the prestigious London-based Chambers and Partners directory. He has consistently been ranked in the Chambers Global Guide for General Business Law under “Band 3”. Chambers describes him as “an esteemed lawyer in Turks & Caicos”, highlighting his strength in commercial property transactions and planning, particularly within the tourism and hospitality space.
Working across jurisdictions
Based in the firm’s Turks and Caicos Islands office, Christopher regularly advises on matters that span both the TCI and the Bahamas. He is accustomed to working alongside onshore and offshore counsel, lenders, professional advisers and government bodies, ensuring that transactions progress smoothly across jurisdictions while remaining firmly grounded in local legal requirements.
One aspect of practice in the Turks and Caicos Islands that particularly appealed to him is the jurisdiction’s registered land system. Its reliability and certainty around title provide critical reassurance for lenders and investors alike, enabling transactions to proceed with confidence and efficiency.
Outside the transaction
Outside work, Christopher values the balance that life in the Turks and Caicos Islands allows. The ability to maintain a demanding professional practice while enjoying access to the outdoors and the ocean is a key part of what makes the jurisdiction such an appealing place to live and work.
When not immersed in a transaction, he enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors. And if he were not practising law, he suspects he would have pursued life as a property developer — an interest that continues to run in parallel with his legal career and reflects the commercial and creative side of real estate that first drew him to the profession.
