Andy Ellul & Associates
Andy Ellul & Associates provides commercial, employment and regulatory legal advice to businesses operating in and through Malta, led by Dr Andy Ellul LL.D. and his team of associate professionals.
About Andy Ellul
Dr Andy Ellul is the founder and Managing Partner of Andy Ellul & Associates, bringing more than twenty years of legal experience to clients across Malta.
Dr Ellul founded and led Micallef & Ellul Advocates from 2007 to 2018. In 2018 he founded Lex Group, which grew to encompass two distinct arms: Lex Group Legal and Lex Group Advisory, a business development and professional training consultancy which Dr Ellul continues to lead alongside Andy Ellul & Associates.
Following his return to full-time practice, Dr Ellul founded Andy Ellul & Associates to focus on advising clients across commercial, employment, and public administration and regulatory matters.
Dr Ellul holds a Bachelor's degree in Legal and Humanistic Studies, a Diploma of Notary Public and a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) from the University of Malta; his doctoral thesis analysed the civil and commercial debt collection regime under Maltese law. He was called to the Bar in 2007.
He also holds a Diploma in Canonical Jurisprudence and Procedure from the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of Malta and a Foundation Certificate in Trusts Law and Management from the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners (IFSP).
Areas of Practice
Practical, commercially-minded legal support for businesses at every stage of a transaction or project.
Practical employment law advice for employers.
Advising clients on navigating Malta's public institutions and regulatory processes.
Public & Institutional Service
Alongside private practice, Dr Ellul spent almost a decade as legal and policy advisor to the Government of Malta, providing civil, commercial and administrative advice. During this period he was entrusted with overhauling and reforming key areas of Malta's social laws. He also held roles in a number of strategic boards and committees.
Dr Ellul also led Maltese delegations at European and International institutions and high-level forums, representing Malta on matters of strategic importance.
Member of Parliament · Junior Minister · Committee Chair
Dr Ellul was co-opted to Malta's Parliament in 2021 and subsequently elected Member of Parliament in 2022, where he was appointed Junior Minister for Social Dialogue within the Office of the Prime Minister. He was later given responsibility for consumer protection and competition, and subsequently for accommodation — a position he held until May 2026.
During his tenure, Dr Ellul led a number of significant legislative initiatives, including reforms relating to Work-Life Balance, the modernisation of employment legislation, and measures strengthening the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) — Malta's principal forum for social dialogue, bringing together Government, employers' organisations and trade unions to build consensus on national economic and social policy. His reforms also included landmark regulations for Malta's gig-economy sector — among the first of their kind in Europe.
Dr Ellul was also instrumental in bringing regulation to Malta's employment agencies sector, which had until then operated with almost no regulatory framework. His reforms, introduced in 2024, brought about a well-regulated regime that created a level playing field between business operators and gave the sector much-needed legal certainty.
As a Member of Parliament, Dr Ellul has served on several key parliamentary committees, including the House Business Committee, the Standing Committee on Standards in Public Life, and the Public Accounts Committee, and currently chairs the Public Appointments Committee, which scrutinises nominations to senior public sector positions and appointments to public boards and authorities.
He continues to serve as a Member of Parliament while practising law full-time — drawing on experience gained at the highest levels of leadership, strategy and decision-making to help clients navigate complexity and respond effectively to evolving commercial and regulatory challenges.
Insights
Practical notes on the legal and policy developments shaping how businesses operate in and through Malta — drawn from work at the drafting table as well as in practice.
Employment
Malta's work-life balance measures gave employees clearer rights around leave and flexible working requests. For employers, the practical exposure sits in written policies, how requests are handled and recorded, and consistency between similar cases — the areas most often tested when a dispute arises.
Regulation
The 2024 reform brought Malta's employment agencies under a proper regulatory regime, creating a level playing field between operators. Agencies and the businesses that engage them should review contracts, fee arrangements and recruitment documentation against the licensing conditions.
Digital economy
Malta introduced regulations for platform-based work among the first of their kind in Europe. Any business engaging workers through a platform model should examine how engagements are classified, since classification drives employment rights, social security and contractual risk.
These notes are general commentary and not legal advice. Contact us to discuss how any of the above applies to your business.
Lex Group Advisory
Looking for business development advisory or professional training? Visit Lex Group Advisory, our dedicated advisory and training practice — including guidance on the licences and approvals your business will need as it grows.
Contact
To discuss a commercial, employment or regulatory matter, contact Dr Andy Ellul directly.
