Jersey - Banking and finance
Bedell Cristin’s team is led by Peter Byrne, who is ‘technically strong with strong commercial skills and logic‘. Financing partner Alasdair Hunter - a recent partner-level hire from Ogier, where he was an associate - is ‘highly efficient and calm under pressure‘, and led the Jersey advice on a significant shari’ah-compliant financing involving a facility to the developer of the Shard of Glass building at London Bridge.
Carey Olsen’s Channel Islands banking team, which has ‘good strength in depth and is easy to work with‘, is headed by former banker and regulatory expert Paul Sugden. ‘His technical knowledge is second to none and he is meticulous in his advice‘. Edward Quinn heads the finance team.
Mourant du Feu & Jeune has ‘a deep understanding of the relevant business issues coupled with legal advice that is practical and profound‘. James Ruane led a team advising a major UK financial institution on its participation as lender in the restructuring of loans worth about £1bn. Jonathan Walker is strong on insolvency and Jonathan Rigby on restructuring, and newly appointed partner Michael Williams is ‘very impressive‘.
Ogier has a large team, in which Chris Byrne is particularly highly rated, and provides ‘excellent service‘. It has been pioneering the development of ‘cash box’ transactions via Jersey; Marc Yates has advised RBS, Lloyds TSB and HBOS on the establishment of ‘cash box’ companies. Matthew Swan acted on one of the first club deals in Jersey, and Nicholas Ward is ‘extremely committed and hardworking‘.
Appleby has a ‘quality‘ practice led by Wendy Benjamin, whose team has grown through the addition of Mark Estella, who is dual qualified in England and Gibraltar and is highly rated by clients. Clients include Standard Chartered Bank, which the firm recently advised on several initiatives including Korean and Malaysian investments.
BakerPlatt is a litigation boutique active in regulatory and anti money laundering matters. Regulatory clients describe a ‘solution-oriented niche business with enormous strength in its chosen field of expertise‘. Stephen Platt has ‘vast experience and knowledge that is applied in a constructive and guiding manner.‘
Crill Canavan’s ‘very helpful, knowledgeable and responsive team‘ is active on transactional and regulatory banking matters.
Ozannes’ Jersey office is now being involved in instructions on reorganisations across Jersey and Guernsey, and is also active on securitisation matters for international banks.
Walkers acts for a number of investment banks, and is also involved in a very high-profile insolvency.
Voisin’s Jeremy Berchem advises major banks including RBS, for which the firm is a panel member. Clients speak of ‘excellent, first-class service‘.