Bermuda > Leading commercial firms
Leading commercial firms
Appleby is widely regarded as one of the top-notch full-service law firms in Bermuda, with clients commenting that 'service has been consistently good over a number of separate matters'. The firm advised Tower Group on the purchase and amalgamation of CastlePoint Holdings. Security Capital Assurance and Syncora Holdings instructed the firm in connection with the reorganization and restructuring of Security Capital Assurance. Other clients include De Beers, Intelsat and SeaCo. Corporate partner Shaun Morris, who specialises on shipping and project finance transactions is 'a superb lawyer', while Timothy Counsell receives praise for his 'excellent knowledge of the law'. Also recommended by clients are Cameron Adderley, who provides 'very high quality service' and the 'very good' Alex Erskin. Tim Faries leads a team of lawyers who specialise in non-contentious corporate insurance work, including life and general insurance and reinsurance, mutual insurance and structured risk financing. Judith Collis is also recommended.
Conyers Dill & Pearman has been praised by its clients as being 'Bermuda's finest full-service law firm'. 'A first-class law firm. There is clear blue water between Conyers and the chasing pack', adds one client. The firm boasts lawyers in its Bermuda office, and fields highly-respected experts such as John Collis (head of corporate, with specialist expertise in securities and investment vehicles), Marcello Ausenda (company and commercial, finance, securities, insurance and corporate restructuring) and Alec Anderson (head of trust and private client). Highlights include advising Xtrata, alongside Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, in both BVI and Bermuda, on its $2bn acquisition of five companies, from GlenCore. The firm's 'solid and highly responsive' contentious team is led by the 'leading figure' Narinder Hargun.
Attride-Stirling & Woloniecki receives praise for 'the depth of expert service, creative solutions, and timeliness of response'. The firm is well-known for its strong litigation team, spanning the full spectrum of contentious matters from insurance and reinsurance, to banking and finance, corporate and securities, shipping and admiralty, as well as trusts and estates. 'We are very happy with the level of service', say clients. Rod Attride-Stirling is highly experienced in insurance and reinsurance claims (including captives, retrocessionaires, managers, and brokers); Kehinde George focuses on insolvency and complex civil litigation; and Jan Woloniecki covers a broad range of areas, including international commercial arbitration, private international law, insurance, reinsurance and insolvency. The 'very competent' Neil Horner spearheads the firm's up and coming corporate practice. Some of the firm's recent corporate clients include Cosan and Banco Santander.
Cox Hallett Wilkinson's corporate and finance team's transactional highlight was advising Fortis Bank and DVB Bank in relation to a $127m financing for SeaCo, a new company established to hold the maritime container interests of Sea Containers. The team also advised Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation in relation to the $2.1bn offer to acquire all the outstanding common shares of Tanganyika Oil Company, a Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Fielding fee-earners, including six partners, the firm's reputation owes much to the 'highly professional' Ernest Morrison. Morrison heads up the corporate team and boasts particular expertise in M&A, capital markets, telecoms and insurance. The firm's chief litigator David Kessaram is also highly recommended.
With 14 fee-earners, including six partners, Marshall Diel & Myers is one of the most respected local firms in Bermuda. The firm's 'well regarded' contentious team includes Mark Diel, Timothy Marshall and Rod Michelmore, and spans international disputes, mediation and arbitration. While Luciano Aicardi is in charge of property, trusts and estates, Gordon L Hill QC focuses mainly on international estate planning and trust administration. Steven Trumper, the firm's senior counsel, heads up the corporate team. Highlights include acting for the lead arranger on a $250m bond issuance to finance a bio-fuels project. The firm regularly acts for UK and US international law firms.
Prominent local name Mello Jones & Martin is highly experienced in commercial litigation and arbitration. Andrew Martin receives praise as a litigator, as well as for his expertise in insolvency and corporate reconstruction. Fielding fee-earners, including eight partners, other leading individuals include Peter Martin (M&A and corporate restructurings), Alan Dunch (labour and employment disputes) Saul Fromkin (prosecution of international economic crime and money laundering) and Michael Mello (trusts, wills and estates).
Sedgwick Chudleigh, the Bermuda office of the US and UK based, Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP, focuses particularly on dispute resolution (commercial litigation), insurance and reinsurance. The firm has recently been appointed to provide exclusive coverage services for a Bermuda insurance facility known as BMEx, arranged by Bowring Marsh.
At Wakefield Quin, Mark Pettingill (commercial, and insurance litigation) stands out for being an 'able litigator'. Other recommended experts include Nicholas Hoskins (general corporate and commercial and private client) and the 'very good' Rod Forrest (securities, offshore funds, banking and general corporate and trusts).