The Legal 500

Appleby fields 'solid advisors who know their subject well'. Highlights included acting in a high profile multibillion-dollar fraud claim, involving 43 defendants and related litigation in at least nine jurisdictions. Litigation and insolvency head Jeremy Walton is 'respected by very experienced clients', Andrew Bolton is the global litigation and insolvency leader, and Graeme Halkerston 'has an understanding both of Cayman Islands law and practice, as well as an intuition for international insolvency principles'. Counsel Robin McMillan is noted for commercial and international dispute resolution, and Carlos de Serpa Pimentel, who is experienced in trust litigation matters, 'delivers very smooth and assured advice'.

Maples and Calder's 'first-rate practice provides service levels equivalent to the largest and best onshore law firms'. The team acted for Ernst & Young as liquidators of Freerider in connection with the cross-border liquidation of a joint venture vehicle following a dispute between its principals. The firm also assisted Bank of America/Merrill Lynch as trustee in an international trust, fraud and bankruptcy dispute, marking the first time a Cayman trusts dispute was referred to the Privy Council in the last 10 years. Team head Aristos Galatopoulos 'has the wonderful gift of conveying complex legal issues in everyday language', and Mac Imrie, Colin McKie and Matthew Crawford are 'excellent litigators'.

Rated by peers, Campbells acts for the local liquidation and restructuring departments of major accounting firms, and has been involved in numerous cross- border liquidations. The practice has particular experience in acting in litigation involving offshore hedge funds, and regularly acts in disputes over trust assets and general commercial litigation. Ross McDonough leads the bankruptcy/liquidation/restructuring group, and Shaun McCann leads insurance litigation matters. Alistair Walters and Guy Manning are also experienced practitioners.

Mourant Ozannes 'provides a fantastic service'. The practice advised Ahmad Hamada Algosaibi and Brothers Company in a fraud claim against Maan Al Sanea and his Saad Group of companies to recover $9.2bn, marking one of the largest frauds ever to be litigated, not only in the Cayman Islands but worldwide. Hector Robinson is a respected practitioner. Recent arrivals include trusts disputes experts Morven McMillan and Lucy Diggle from Charles Russell LLP; Fleur O'Driscoll from Dublin firm Mason Hayes+Curran; Tim Richards from CMS Cameron McKenna LLP; and Nicholas Fox from Harney Westwood & Riegels. Peter Hayden is practice head.

Ogier is 'going from strength to strength'. The practice acted for Andersen in respect of a precedent-setting judgment in an auditors' negligence claim. Other highlights included acting for the trustee of a Cayman STAR trust regarding ongoing proceedings in Hong Kong between the settlors of the trust, the case involving the first consideration by the Cayman court of the question of whether a trustee, which is joined to foreign matrimonial proceedings ongoing between beneficiaries of a Cayman trust, should submit to the jurisdiction of the foreign court. Disputes head Christopher Russell is 'first-class'; Shaun Folpp's 'knowledge of the law and attention to detail is impressive', and Rachael Reynolds is widely praised.

Walkers represented the First Defendant together with seven other defendants, in defending a $9.2bn claim, the largest piece of litigation pending in the Cayman Islands. It also acted for hedge fund Camulos in defending proceedings and successfully seeking an injunction to restrain the presentation of a winding up petition by an investor. Global managing partner Diarmad Murray is focused on commercial fraud, banking, building, insurance and general commercial litigation, Colette Wilkins is 'a real class act', and Neil Lupton is noted for complex restructurings, contentious insolvencies and distressed situations.

Conyers Dill & Pearman specialises in commercial litigation in courts of first instance and appellate courts including the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, as well as trust disputes and other disputes involving fiduciaries. Team head Nigel Meeson QC achieved a notable victory on behalf of Hibistar Pte before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, and in the process broke new ground in funds insolvency law. Associate Stephen Leontsinis 'is plainly going places'.

Solomon Harris's Laura Hatfield heads the disputes team. The insolvency and restructuring team was involved in cases involving investors seeking the winding up of a fund, and the commercial litigation group continues to be involved in the Saad litigation. Sam Dawson was appointed partner; Dawson is 'particularly good in terms of quality of advice and response times'.

Harney Westwood & Riegels' litigation head Sarah Dobbyn left for Stuarts, Walker Hersant Attorneys-At-Law, but the firm retains an experienced team, with Michael Mulligan joining from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP in London. The practice represented HFC, who was appointed by the Court as a representative party on behalf of all those investors claiming to be unpaid redemption creditors in relation to the SPhinX Group of Companies (In Official Liquidation) litigation.

Higgs & Johnson broadened its department to include a specialist insolvency litigation team. Recent matters include representing PwC Cayman in the SPhinX liquidation litigation. Philip Boni is disputes head. Derek Jones, the previous litigation head at Myers, Fletcher & Gordon, joined in 2011.

Ritch & Conolly is 'a highly capable alternative to some of the larger firms'. Cherry Bridges heads a team that 'puts clients' needs first and demonstrates a willingness and ability to fight for its clients'. The team acted on the long-running liquidation of the SPhinX Group of Companies. Alex Horsbrugh-Porter joined Mourant Ozannes in Guernsey, and barrister Adam Zoubir arrived in April 2011 from 4 King's Bench Walk.

Spearheaded by litigation leader Anthony Akiwumi and senior associate Richard Annette, Stuarts, Walker Hersant Attorneys-At-Law's disputes team is 'technically very strong'. Annette's 'attention to detail is a rare quality'. Highlights included advising and challenging the grant of Norwich Pharmacal and bankers trust relief before the Grand Court.