Irene Joy Siva Kaumi
Honiara,Solomon Islands
Summary
Accomplished legal professional with extensive experience at Day & Associates, Dirua Lawyers, and NRT Limited, as well as roles in the Registrar General's Office and the Ministry of Women Youth Children & Family Affairs and the National Hosting Authority. Demonstrates expertise in legislative interpretation and statutory compliance while leading high-impact projects. Known for strong negotiation skills and the development of effective case strategies in corporate, commercial, and land law, alongside a commitment to advancing gender equality. Recognized for enhancing team efficiency through mentoring junior lawyers and streamlining legal processes.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Private Lawyer & Consultant
Irene Kaumi Legal Services & Consultancy
Honiara, Solomon Islands
01.2025 - Current
- Reviewed legal materials for compliance to correct issues.
- Used in-depth knowledge of legal precedents to analyze probable outcomes of cases.
- Negotiated with opposing parties to remedy disputes.
- Explained technical aspects of legal matters in an understandable manner to client.
- Counseled clients on various matters related to their legal rights and obligations.
- Conducted in-depth research in order to write effective Advice, Report, proposals, agreements, and contracts.
- Worked closely with other professionals such as Valuers, Land Consultants and real estate agents in order to provide comprehensive advice to clients.
- Drafted wills, powers of attorney, trusts and estate planning documents.
- Advised clients regarding legal matters, business transactions and claim liability.
- Drafted pleadings for use in court proceedings.
- Conducted legal research and analysis to draft legal opinions, studies and reports.
- Interpreted legal instruments, agreements, memoranda of understanding and internal policies for governing bodies.
- Approached customers and engaged in conversation through use of effective interpersonal and people skills.
- Provided excellent service and attention to customers when face-to-face or through phone conversations.
- Reviewed and drafted legal documents, such as contracts and wills.
Legal Counsel
2023 Pacific Games National Hosting Authority
Honiara, Solomon Islands
08.2023 - 12.2025
- Provided expert advice on legislation related to the administration of the 2023 Pacific Games to Board Chair, SPM, and members.
- Handled contracts related to broadcasting overlays, transport, volunteers, utilities, Federations SINIS SIFF Team Solomons.
- Contributed to collaborative sessions with multiple stakeholders in business, governmental sectors, and public enterprises.
- Developed structured staff agreements ensuring compliance with organizational standards.
- Managed meeting attendance and communications to ensure smooth operations.
- Reviewed legislative framework of the 2023 Pacific Games Act 2017 in partnership with legal authorities.
- Coordinated closely with diverse Games Committees, Project Management Unit, and external parties.
- Handled various responsibilities as instructed by the NHA Executive Director.
- Involved in the ceremonial transitioning of premises for 2023 Pacific Games preparations.
- Reviewed contracts to ensure full compliance with standards post Games.
Women in Leadership Technical Assistant/Coordinator
Ministry of Women Youth Children & Family Affairs
06.2021 - 12.2023
- Facilitated finalization, launch, printing and distribution of Affirmative Action Strategy.
- Formulated Women in Leadership National Taskforce (WILNTF) by creating tools for monitoring and reporting Gender Equality and Women's Development Policy Outcome 3.
- Managed WIL NTF meetings by supporting Chair and ensuring follow-up on action items.
- Collaborated with the Solomon Islands National Council of Women to advance Women's Development Division advocacy efforts.
- Joined forces with SINCW and WRAM to drive forward the agenda for increasing female participation in Provincial Assemblies through Temporary Special Measures.
- Advanced the Women in Leadership initiative by forming strategic connections with various stakeholders at both national and provincial levels.
- Compiled and maintained leadership-related data for Women's Development Division database.
- Engaged in discussions representing senior officials at meetings focused on women in decision-making roles.
- Delivered monthly briefing updates to Permanent Secretary of MWYCFA via Director of Women.
- Enhanced integration of cross-cutting themes such as disability.
- Facilitated strategic advice ensuring compliance with laws relevant to Women in Leadership initiatives.
- Delivered initiatives consistent with objectives outlined in DFAT's Gender Policy.
- Prepared and delivered presentation of caucus paper before government officials.
- Collaborated on creating and presenting Cabinet Papers to government officials.
- Delivered engaging awareness programs to enhance knowledge retention.
Legal Consultant
Kaumi Consultants
Honiara, Solomon Islands
10.2020 - 05.2021
- Pro – Bono Legal Services in Honiara, SI to various women requiring legal advice and guidance on issues relating to Passport and Visa, Divorce and matrimonial Property claim, maintenance claims, Project Proposal Writing, Business Registrations, Land registration processes, General Matters
- New Passport Issued – Joy Satu
- Satisfactory Lease Rental Negotiations – Delmae Lovi
- Economic Stimulus Package Award - Abba Fishing Project
- Information Pack Compiled on Business Registration, Company Registrations, Insurance, Buying Land – Michael Leong
Partner/Legal Consultant
Kaumi Consultants
Olevuga Village, Solomon Islands
04.2020 - 09.2020
- Pro-Bono/Community Service
- House of Chief administration
- Olevuga Women’s Association administration and Water Tank Request for Assistance from DAP (Australian High Commission)
- Participated in Pre- Enquiry hearing conducted by the Customary Lands Recording Group into the Nata Customary Land
- Church activities
- Participated in the Local enquiry in the village court hearings on boundary and ownership of village area
- Village boundary identification programs
Caregiver
01.2017 - 02.2020
- Caregiver to my late father, James Vaukei, OBE
- Put my career on hold and devoted my time to looking after my aging father upon my return from PNG in December 2016
- He died on March 10, 2020 and I remained in the village after his death to experience village life and help out my women folks
Consultant
Kaumi IP Consultants (PNG)
Kokopo, PNG
12.2007 - 12.2016
- Manage the documentation process for Trademark and Patent filings.
- Coordinated international payments to cover filing fees using various banking services.
- Managed logistics for sending applications to different Pacific countries' IP Registries.
- Managed online interactions with clients of international Trademark and Patent Agents.
- Ensured accurate and up-to-date record keeping.
- Renewed registrations and implemented changes for UK, USA, Italy, New Zealand, and Australia-based clients.
Consultant Advisor
Kaumi Consultants
Honiara, Solomon Islands
05.2004 - 11.2007
- Recording of all incoming Trademark and Patent applications and coordinate file distributions for appropriate Pacific country filing
- Payment of Filing Fees at Ministry of Finance Cashier
- Facilitate International Banking transactions for Bankers Draft
- Filing of Trademark and Patent applications at the Registrar General’s Office, Honiara
- Coordinate courier of applications for overseas filing at various Pacific countries’ IP Registries
- Responding to all overseas Trademark and Patent Agents (clients) email queries and reporting on status of client’s registrations via internet
- General Reporting and file maintenance
- Successfully registered an assortment of new Trademark and Patents in the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Samoa, Kiribati and Vanuatu, renewed registrations, registered new changes for overseas clients based in the UK, USA, Italy, New Zealand and Australia
Registrar General – SS1
Registrar General’s Office
04.1999 - 04.2004
- Enhanced inter-ministerial coordination involving Lands, Housing, Surveys as well as Commerce departments.
- Directed operations under the Business Names Act to ensure compliance.
- Administered the Land & Titles Act, overseeing registration processes.
- Supervised registration processes and maintained proper documentation for all charitable organizations.
- Managed and supervised company registration under the Companies Act for local and foreign entities.
- Handled administration and oversight of the Bill of Sale Act.
- Overall Administration of the Securities Act and ensured all Bank Mortgages and Securities were registered in a timely manner
- Overall Administration of the Foreign Deaths, Births and Marriages Act and maintained an updated record of all Foreign Deaths, Births and Marriages entry applications
- Overall Administration of the Public Trustees Act relating to Deceased Estates and unrepresented estates
- Carried out duties of the Public Trustee stipulated in the Act including, High Court attendances to obtain grant of probate or administration of deceased estates
- Overall Administration of UK Trademark & Patent Act and ensured correct process followed in the registration of all UK Trademark and UK Patents
- Administration of Copyright Act
- Administration of the UK Industrial Designs Act and maintained proper records of registered UK Industrial Designs
- High Court Appearances to confirm company documents maintained by the Registrar, Land cases where the Registrar of Titles was summoned on registration process
- Signatory to Public Trustee’s Treasury Imprest Account and facilitate payments to beneficiaries of deceased estates in consultations with Ministry Finance Officials
- Companies Act Review Group member and attendance at preliminary meetings
- General supervisory/leadership roles
- Accurate and current Records/File Maintenance and storage
- Coordinate and supervise Counter Service to ensure clients receive maximum service
- Staff Appraisals on individual staff and provision of work assessment report
- Provision of Monthly Reports to Supervising Ministry
- Provision of Weekly report to OPMC Special Task Force
- Correspondence distribution supervision
- Staff Supervision and Strict Code of Conduct Adherence
- Provision of Legal advice and interpretations on various laws to the general public and clients and Minister and Permanent Secretary on all matters handled by the Registry
- Consultation/Meetings with Departmental Heads of Ministry and all stakeholders including financial institutions, insurance offices, private law offices
- Executive Member of Solomon Islands Strengthening of Land Administration Project (SIISLAP) funded by AUSAID and involved in the implementation of the Project, Divisional Head weekly meetings, co-facilitate at all staff training
- Attend all stakeholder meeting
- Attend international conference, workshop, seminar and meetings on Intellectual Property related issues
- Evaluation of Divisional Work Plan and Recurrent Budget and provision of Report to the Head Ministry
- Monitoring of performance of Staff and conducting staff appraisals
- Drafting of Recurrent Budget and monitoring of Revenue collected by the Registry
- Mentoring of staff
- Ministry of Justice & Legal Affairs, Ministry of Lands, Housing & Surveys, Ministry of Commerce, Labour & Immigration
- Successfully assisted the general public in their various applications for registrations of various matters, successfully launched SISLAP land management Project, Maintained the office during the Ethnic Tension in the early 2000 with limited staff, improved counter image, improved customer service, clearance of past years work backlog, staff appraisals and staff promotions, improved work ethics
Company Lawyer
NRT Limited
Port Moresby, PNG
07.1997 - 03.1999
- Company Overview: Port Moresby, PNG
- Legal Advice and legal interpretation of legislations
- Drafting and finalization of all service agreements including Contract Management Agreement, Survey Contract, Valuation Contract, Engineering Services Agreement, Builders Contract, Contract for Sale of Land, relating to the Project
- Coordinate process and issue of Land Title at PNG Lands Department Office and PNG Registrar of Titles Office, PNG Valuer General’s Office and PNG Surveyor General’s Office
- Facilitate change in status of company in line with new PNG Companies Act
- Attend weekly Director’s meeting
- Attend monthly Board of Director’s meeting
- Attend all meeting and consultations with partners and stakeholders of the Project
- Port Moresby, PNG
Senior Lawyer
Dirua Lawyers
Waigani, PNG
06.1995 - 06.1997
- Company Overview: Waigani, NCD, PNG
- General legal advice on requested matters
- Conveyancing and drafting of necessary contract documents
- Stamp Duty Assessments
- Minister of Land Approval
- Registration of Titles
- Facilitate Filing of Business/Companies registrations
- PNG Magistrates Courts attendances
- PNG National Court attendances
- Family related matters
- Property evaluations and inspections
- Consultations with clients
- Travel to provinces for property site inspections
- Waigani, NCD, PNG
- Overseas representation; Attended Christian Women’s AGLOW conference in Louisianna, USA in December 1996
Graduate Associate/Associate
Day & Associates
Port Moresby, PNG
01.1992 - 05.1995
- Company Overview: Port Moresby, PNG
- General advising
- Conveyancing and finalizing of Contract for Sale Agreement
- Mortgagee Sales
- Registration of Business Names
- Registration of local companies, foreign companies and shelf companies
- Filing of Company Returns at the Investment Promotion Authority Office
- High Court Attendances – Applications for Re-instatement of companies struck off the Company Register
- Magistrates Courts attendances – debt recovery matters, civil suits
- Family Court attendances – divorce, adultery, maintenance
- Bail applications
- All land contract settlement meetings with financial institutions
- Landownership mediation and Claims settlement relating to mining
- Landownership issue solving relating to logging
- Subdivisions
- Land Titles Surrender and Conversions
- Liaising daily with all clients including reporting and file maintenance
- Port Moresby, PNG
Education
Certificate of Legal Training - Admission to Practice in PNG
PNG Legal Training Institute
Port Moresby, PNG12.1991
Bachelor of Laws Degree -
University of Papua New Guinea
Port Moresby, PNG11.1990
Form 6 Certificate -
King George VI National Secondary School
Honiara, SI11.1986
Solomon Islands School Certificate - Exchange Student under Rotary Program
Lismore High School
Lismore, Australia11.1985
Class 6 Certificate -
Woodford Primary School
Honiara, SI01.1980
Skills
- Communication
- Interpersonal
- Reporting
- Awareness
- Training
- Mentoring
- Coaching
- Administrative
- Management
- Organizational
- Research
- Drafting
- Legislative Interpretation
- Contract Review
- Documentation Review
- Process
- Negotiation
- Collaboration
- Counselling
- Mediation
- Statutory Compliance
- Legal Compliance
- Arbitration
- Dispute Resolution
- Inter-personal Consultation
- People Consultation
- Leadership Skills
Children
1, 1
Websites
Provincial Origin
Gela (Olevuga, Central Province)
Office Address
PO Box 2443, Honiara, Honiara
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 07/10/69
- Gender: Female
- Nationality: Solomon Islander
- Marital Status: Married but now separated
Spouse Details
Simon Kaumi Jr, PNG National
Legal Practice Knowledge
- Commercial/Corporate Law – Asset/Property Leasing, Share Sales
- Conveyances -Land Transfer including Mortgage Sales and Strata Title
- Intellectual Property registrations in Pacific Countries
- Family Law – adoption, divorce, adultery, custody
- Business/Company incorporations
Timeline
Private Lawyer & Consultant
Irene Kaumi Legal Services & Consultancy
01.2025 - Current
Legal Counsel
2023 Pacific Games National Hosting Authority
08.2023 - 12.2025
Women in Leadership Technical Assistant/Coordinator
Ministry of Women Youth Children & Family Affairs
06.2021 - 12.2023
Legal Consultant
Kaumi Consultants
10.2020 - 05.2021
Partner/Legal Consultant
Kaumi Consultants
04.2020 - 09.2020
Caregiver
01.2017 - 02.2020
Consultant
Kaumi IP Consultants (PNG)
12.2007 - 12.2016
Consultant Advisor
Kaumi Consultants
05.2004 - 11.2007
Registrar General – SS1
Registrar General’s Office
04.1999 - 04.2004
Company Lawyer
NRT Limited
07.1997 - 03.1999
Senior Lawyer
Dirua Lawyers
06.1995 - 06.1997
Graduate Associate/Associate
Day & Associates
01.1992 - 05.1995
Certificate of Legal Training - Admission to Practice in PNG
PNG Legal Training Institute
Bachelor of Laws Degree -
University of Papua New Guinea
Form 6 Certificate -
King George VI National Secondary School
Solomon Islands School Certificate - Exchange Student under Rotary Program
Lismore High School
Class 6 Certificate -
Woodford Primary School
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