Bermuda > Leading commercial firms > Leading commercial firms
Leading commercial firms
Appleby has been going from strength to strength. The breadth of its Bermuda practice is demonstrated by the firm’s outstanding transactional track record. The firm recently advised Tyco International Ltd as Bermuda counsel on the US$65bn corporate restructuring for the spin-off of its healthcare and electronics businesses, one of the world’s largest spin-offs in 2007. ‘ Appleby’s business acumen is first rate’, according to one client. Bermuda managing partner Shaun Morris is highly regarded in the jurisdiction. Other key partners include Judy Collins (corporate and commercial), Tim Faries (insurance), Tim Counsell (banking and asset finance), James Keys (funds and investment services) and Cameron Adderley (telecoms, technology and IP). The firm was also involved in the acquisition of Kiln Group, by Miller Holdings, through its subsidiary Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co Ltd. Appleby is a member of Terralex.
Conyers Dill & Pearman retains its position as one of the foremost international law firms in Bermuda. Fielding 20 partners and 44 associates, the firm is ‘ undoubtedly one of Bermuda’s heavyweight champions, they dominate the market in depth and breadth and provide quality service across the board’, according to market feedback. Fielding a top-notch team of partners, John Collis (head of corporate), Narinder Hargun (head of litigation) and Alec Anderson (head of trust and private client) stand out as leading individuals.
Attride-Stirling & Woloniecki wins praise as one of the most prominent local law firms in Bermuda. Managing partner Everard Barclay Simmons is ‘ a top lawyer’ and senior counsel Jan Woloniecki is ‘ one of the most prominent figures in the sector’. With a strong focus in insurance and reinsurance issues, the firm is also able to advise clients on international commercial litigation and arbitration, insolvency and corporate rescue, and corporate and commercial. Senior partner Rod Attride-Stirling and partners Kehinde George and Bala Nadarajah are highly recommended. Trust specialist and senior counsel Neil Horner also garners praise.
Cox Hallett Wilkinson boasts 18 fee-earners, including four partners. With an impressive track record in international work the firm has represented NYSE and Nasdaq-listed companies, as well as companies listed on AIM. Wendell Hollis is one of Bermuda’s most respected corporate and property experts and has acted for some Bermuda’s largest hotels, trading operations and property developers. Head of corporate Ernest Morrison also receives plaudits, particularly for his M&A expertise. The firm boasts strong contentious capability, with David Kessaram at the helm. Kessaram has represented domestic and international clients on insolvency and restructuring matters, insurance and reinsurance disputes, and hostile takeovers and shareholder disputes.
Marshall Diel & Myers offers comprehensive advice, spanning wills, trusts and estates, property, litigation and corporate and commercial. The firm has acted for major international clients from a wide range of industry sectors, including telecoms, pharmaceuticals and insurance. Senior counsel Steven Trumper is the firm’s head of corporate and a ‘ well-respected expert’ in Bermuda. Luciano Aicardi (property, trusts and estates) and Gordon L Hill QC (trusts and corporate) are also recommended. On the contentious side, senior partner Timothy Marshall and Mark Diel have represented several major UK and US law firms as well as a number of international corporates on judicial claims and insolvency procedures.
Though smaller in size, Mello Jones & Martin has a reputation as ‘ the only real competitor of the two large international firms, for cross-border corporate and finance work’. Peter Martin spearheads the firm’s international corporate practice and is ‘ is great to work with’. The firm spans corporate and commercial, banking and finance, employment, immigration, litigation, family law, property, wills and trusts, and estates. Also strong in dispute resolution, the contentious team includes Andrew Martin (commercial litigation, arbitration, restructuring and insolvency), Alan Dunch (employment disputes, insurance litigation and general civil and commercial litigation) and Saul Fromkin QC (asset tracing and anti-money-laundering compliance). Name partner Michael Mello is also well regarded for his expertise in trusts, wills and estates.
Sedgwick Chudleigh advises both domestic and international clients, particularly on insurance and reinsurance dispute resolution issues; arbitration is one of the firm’s key strengths. Founding partner Mark Chudleigh is also a partner of UK firm Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP and is able to provide legal advice on both UK and Bermudan law. Clients include a number of Lloyd’s of London syndicates.
Wakefield Quin‘ is a very good and competitive firm, compared to the big two’, comments one client. Particularly strong in dispute resolution, the firm’s managing partner Dennis Dwyer is one of the jurisdiction’s most acclaimed litigators. Mark Pettingill, currently a member of the Upper House of the Legislature, is also recommended for dispute resolution, particularly for commercial and insurance litigation. Nicholas Hoskins heads the firm’s corporate, trusts and financial services department, working alongside up-and-coming senior associate Rod Forrest, ‘ a very solid practitioner, excellent to work with’.
Press releases
Legal Developments worldwide
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Harmonising Anti-Circumvention Protection with Copyright Law
Technological measures are increasingly used by rightholders in order to protect their intellectual property rights in digital content. The effect of such measures is to restrict the access to and the use of digital content, by associating pre-defined and self-executing usage rules with it. Within an increasing number of legislations, technological measures enjoy legal protection against circumvention. However, these new rules have been subject to rather severe criticism, especially from a copyright law point of view, the general claim being that anti-circumvention protection threatens to ruin the delicate balance of interests cast in the provisions of copyright law. -
How to stop fraud before it happens
Stopping fraud before it happens is the ultimate goal of a successful fraud prevention and awareness programme. Whilst it is important that fraud prevention controls are robust and are methodically implemented, too often companies fail to recognize that it is the perception of the likelihood of detection and sanction which discourages a person from perpetrating fraud, rather than the actual effectiveness of the internal controls and anti-fraud measures. -
Consumer Protection Act and leases
The Consumer Protection Act 2008 (“ the Act ”) was assented to on 24 April 2009 and is to come into operation incrementally with the majority of the provisions coming into effect 18 months after the date on which the Act was signed by the President. Accordingly the majority of the provisions of the Act will come into operation on 24 October 2010. -
The impact of competition law changes/developments on M&A activity
The Impact of Competition Law changes/developments (including the practices and policies of the Commission/Tribunal) on M&A activity - with a specific focus on 2008 and also forward looking taking into account expected legislative changes. If possible mention actual company names/cases wherever possible to make it have real life application -
Contributed tax capital: simplicity at last!
By now, many will have heard something about c ontributed tax capital (CTC). A year or so hence, the concept will form part of the South African tax terrain – to the relief of tax practitioners who have had to trawl through the Income Tax Act’s (“the Act”) three-to-four page long definition of a dividend . I certainly heaved a sigh of relief when I read the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill of 2008 (“Bill”). -
The Consumer Protection Bill – Changing the Face of Litigation and Dispute Resolution
The Consumer Protection Bill is the Department of Trade and Industry’s omnibus consumer protection legislation which has been passed by Parliament and is currently awaiting the President’s signature. -
Deliberate manipulation of securities prices will invariably and inevitably be harshly penalised
Deliberate manipulation of securities prices will be harshly penalised. That’s the clear message to emerge from the 17 February 2009 Financial Services Appeal Board case of Michael Berman vs the Financial Services Board . -
Unconstitutionality of the Competition Amendment Bill By Andrew Smith and Emmylou Wewege
It is hoped that the President will refer the Competition Amendment Bill to the Constitutional Court rather than sign it into to law so as to resolve its unconstitutionality and avoid unnecessary litigation. Failure to do so will spark constitutional challenges which will prevent it from being implemented while that litigation unfolds. -
New Laws in the Pipe Line to Decisively Respond to the Challenge of Climate Change
New laws may be in the pipeline in South Africa to address climate change after the South African Finance Minister’s (“the Minister”) Budget speech o n 11 February 2009. In the 2009 Budget speech, the Minister announced specific additional measures which South Africa will implement in responding to climate change. -
Big business beware – the class and derivative actions are coming! by Carl Stein
The trend over the past decade in the USA , and more recently in the UK after the enactment of its new Companies Act in 2006, towards more aggressive shareholder activism seems likely to be followed in South Africa once our new Companies Act becomes operative. This new Act is only awaiting the State President’s signature in order to become law, although it will only come into operation at least one year after the State President does so.
Press releases
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Agrofert Successful in Law Suit against PKN Orlen
PRAGUE (30 June 2009) – The Arbitration court in Prague has decided in favour of company Agrofert Holding (“Agrofert”) in its claim against Polish company Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen (“PKN Orlen”). The Polish company has to pay, on the basis of decision of the arbiters, a contractual penalty which exceeds EUR 77.2 million (over 2 billion CZK) with accessories. -
UBS CHF 3.8bn share placement
On June 25, 2009, UBS AG (SIX: UBSN) announced that it is offering 293,258,050 newly issued shares from authorized capital to a small number of institutional investors at a price of CHF 13.00 per share. After deducting cast associated with the placement, the amount of new equity capital expected to be raised is approximately CHF 3.8 billion. -
DWS reprises advisory role for MENA Infrastructure fund's investment in Oman's power sector
Denton Wilde Sapte continues to act as legal advisor for MENA Infrastructure Fund, picking up an instruction to advise on its second investment, in which it has taken 32.8% of the shareholding in Oman's United Power Company SAOG (UPC). -
Three partner admissions at Carey Olsen in Jersey
Carey Olsen is strengthening its corporate, finance and fiduciary teams in Jersey by admitting three partners to these key practice areas. -
Penningtons celebrates SRA and Farriers Registration Council tender wins
Penningtons Solicitors LLP's professional regulation group is celebrating two key appointments with the news that it has been successful in tenders to advise both the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and The Farriers Registration Council. -
Penningtons advises on Trans-Siberian Express luxury travel deal
Penningtons Solicitors LLP has advised international tour operator Australian Pacific Touring (UK) Limited on its purchase of a majority share in GW Travel Limited, the market-leader in long-distance luxury rail tours. GW Travel's flagship holidays are trips on the world-famous Trans-Siberian Express. -
Penningtons trainee encourages young Londoners to choose a career in law
Catherine McCann, a trainee solicitor at Penningtons Solicitors LLP's City office, has been invited to contribute to a new guide published by the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry to help young people consider the many types of jobs available in the capital. -
BAKER & MCKENZIE ADVISES FIBERWEB ON JOINT VENTURE WITH PETROPAR
London/Chicago/Sao Paolo, 26 June 2009 - Baker & McKenzie has advised Fiberweb plc on its proposed joint venture with Petropar S.A. The 50/50 joint venture, which will be named FitesaFiberweb, is intended to create the second largest producer of spunbond and non woven fabrics in North and South America. Completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of both Fiberweb and Petropar shareholders. -
Salans awarded Best European Law Firm
Salans has been awarded a Special Distinction in the Best European Law Firm award category at the 2009 International Legal Alliance Summit & Awards (“ILASA”). -
unit specialising in transaction and financing consultancy
HERMANN Rechtsanwälte Wirtschaftsprüfer Steuerberater and the Munich-based team at Grub Brugger join forces: Joint establishment of a unit specialising in transaction and financing consultancy