The Legal 500

Appleby opened in London in 2002, and the office now has five fee-earners. The group has become a key point of liaison between the firm’s network of teams in Bermuda, BVI and Cayman. Warren Cabral, the London managing partner, is primarily focused on Bermuda and BVI work, with a practice that spans corporate and M&A, capital markets, investment funds, banking and finance and joint venture matters. David Clark enjoys a similarly diverse practice in the same venues, while fellow partner Rory Todd specialises in Cayman funds and corporate finance. Recent highlights for the practice include acting for a bank in relation to a loan to a Russian group, representing a French bank in relation to derivatives, and advising a number of Middle Eastern hedge funds.

Arias, Fábrega & Fábrega, originally from Panama, offers its London clients numerous services, including corporate tax, M&A and finance advice, and is present in a number of jurisdictions including Belize, BVI, Hong Kong and Luxembourg. Gian Castillero and Enrique Sibauste lead the London office. Clients include Citibank and Lugny S.A.

Bedell Cristin offers Jersey law expertise out of its London office, where it fields one partner, London leader John Ventress, and three other lawyers. Recent clients include Nova Scotia Bank, which instructed the firm on a major restructuring, and premier private bank Lombard Odier. The London team works closely with its other offices in Jersey, Guernsey, Dublin and Geneva.

Cains opened its London office in 2005. Daniel Mackelden and Geoff Kermeen are the firm’s best-known individuals in London, having led advice to several European and Asian clients on a wide range of issues, including cross-border M&A transactions, banking and asset finance, mutual funds and property finance.

Carey Olsen’s London branch has an impressive track record advising international clients, particularly when representing companies seeking an AIM listing. The practice offers contentious and non-contentious capability under lead partners Fiona Fleming, an M&A and private equity expert, and Nicolas Journeaux, a commercial and trust litigator.

Conyers Dill & Pearman is highly respected on the international stage, and has longstanding experience of the London market, where its expertise includes trusts, restructurings and mutual funds in relation to Bermuda and BVI law. Martin Lane is the managing partner in London.

Dickinson Cruickshank arrived in London in 2007 and is developing a thriving practice serving City-based clients on Isle of Man legal aspects of deals. The group’s expertise includes banking and finance, corporate and M&A, regulatory compliance, IT, IP and e-business advice. The London managing partner is Toby Ward.

BVI-based Harney Westwood & Riegels LLP represents its London clientele across a number of practice areas, including banking and finance, and insolvency, as well as M&A, joint ventures and corporate matters. London managing partner Leonard Birmingham (corporate and finance) and Peter Tarn (banking and finance and investment funds) are recommended.

Bahamas-based Lennox Paton established a presence in London in order to extend the scope of its service to international clients on shipping, real estate, banking and finance and litigation matters. The firm offers Bahamian and BVI legal advice.

Maitland’s broad-based expertise in London includes representing international clients on corporate and commercial, capital markets (particularly on AIM listings), corporate tax, investment funds and litigation matters. The firm also has a well-respected private client practice, receiving instructions from high-net-worth individuals with investments in South Africa. Rupert Weber advises on M&A and corporate matters.

One of the most successful offshore firms in London, Maples and Calder established a UK office more than a decade ago to better represent European clients who wanted Cayman and BVI law advice in a similar time zone. Its London team is among the largest of the offshore firms, numbering 24 lawyers, including seven partners. The firm has acted on a number of major hedge fund restructurings, fund listings and the launches of distressed credit funds. The London team’s best-known specialists are Shaun Denton (finance and capital markets), Paul Govier (head of the investment funds group), Chris Mckenzie (head of the BVI law practice) and Tony Pursall (trusts).

Mourant du Feu & Jeune was the first Channel Islands law firm to set up a London office, in 2000. The team in London includes office head Gareth Rigby and fellow partners Simon Felton and Matthew Feargrieve (a Cayman lawyer). The firm advised King's Cross Central General Partner Limited on all Jersey law aspects of the structuring and financing arrangements for the £2bn redevelopment of the King's Cross area of central London.

One of the best-reputed offshore firms Ogier has established an admirable practice in London, from where it offers its European clients legal advice on Cayman and BVI law. The firm is particularly strong on corporate and finance advice, and has well-regarded practices in investment funds, banking, private equity and tax.

Patton, Moreno & Asvat’s London branch is one if the oldest of the offshore firms in London, dating back to 1986. It stands out for its ship finance expertise, and has an impressive roster of private clients. Name partner Brett Patton heads the office.

Quijano & Associates, a leading Panamanian firm, opened its London office to provide shipping and admiralty law advice to international clients. Daphne Quijano heads the London team.

Vallarino, Vallarino & Garcia-Maritano’s London office focuses on banking and finance, corporate tax and commercial law. Clients include Alstom and BNP Paribas.

Walkers, originally from the Cayman Islands, has represented several multinational clients on cross-border transactions from its London office. Well-respected partner David Whittome leads a team of five fee-earners, who provide Cayman law advice.