The Legal 500

Guernsey is once again the market leader for the number of companies listed on the markets of the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

According to Guernsey Finance Guernsey’s total listings have reached almost double that of competitor jurisdictions Jersey, Isle of Man and the Cayman Islands (as at 31 December 2010). Guernsey’s listings total 106 with the nearest competitor having 66.

The results were announced alongside the news that Guernsey’s fund industry has reached a record high with the net asset value of investment funds under management and administration at £257.4bn - a growth of 5.9% in Q4 of 2010.

Carey Olsen corporate partner Ben Morgan said: “These results show that Guernsey continues to be the jurisdiction of choice for promoters and organisations looking to list vehicles on the LSE and reflect a general upsurge in the number of funds wishing to establish a foothold in Guernsey. I am confident that Guernsey’s robust and pragmatic regulatory regime, innovative investment structuring and our long-standing expertise in this area have contributed to the island’s stronger growth relative to competitor jurisdictions.

“Carey Olsen’s corporate and finance group in Guernsey is also seeing an increase in fund launches across the board this year acting for many companies wishing to list on the LSE. As a firm we continue to act for over half of the funds domiciled in Guernsey (Thompson Reuters Lipper Fitzrovia 2010) and across the Channel Islands we are the number one offshore provider of legal services to AIM and LSE listed companies and funds (Hemscott, March 2010),” said Advocate Morgan.

This positive outlook for Guernsey’s funds industry will be high on the agenda at the upcoming Guernsey Funds Forum which is being held at the Grange St Paul’s Hotel in London on 11 May.  A recent survey published by Private Equity News and State Street stated that more than three-fifths (60%) of respondents said that they preferred to use Guernsey for private equity administration, more than all competitor jurisdictions put together.

Peter Niven chief executive of Guernsey Finance said: “These figures are extremely positive news for Guernsey’s fund industry. In particular, the recent survey of chief financial officers highlights our continued position as the leading jurisdiction for private equity fund administration. We have built a strong reputation in this asset class during the last decade and this is yet further evidence of the value placed on our experience and expertise, which is unrivalled among European fund centres.”

To review the documents further please visit the Guernsey Finance website www.guernseyfinance.com

• http://www.guernseyfinance.com/news_room/guernsey%E2%80%99s-fund-industry-moves-past-%C2%A3250-billion-mark
• http://www.guernseyfinance.com/files/LSE_Listings_311210.pdf
• http://www.guernseyfinance.com/news_room/cfos-rank-guernsey-number-one-private-equity

About Carey Olsen
Carey Olsen is a leading  law  firm  in  the  Channel  Islands  and acts  for  a  number  of  institutional  clients in  large,  multi- jurisdictional transactions, as well as for governments, corporates, professional firms and high net worth individuals.

With more than 140 lawyers, Carey Olsen offers a full range of legal services, including corporate and commercial, funds, banking and finance,  trusts  and fiduciary, commercial  and residential  property, employment, restructuring,  litigation  and dispute resolution.

Carey  Olsen's  position  as  a  top  tier  provider  of  legal  services  is  recognised  by Chambers  UK,  Legal  500, Practical Law Company and other independent market commentators and reflected by the quality of the transactions and cases the firm advises on.

Hemscott Advisers' survey places Carey Olsen in the Top 10 law firms by the number of London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Alternative Investment Market (AIM) clients it advises.  It is the only offshore law firm to be ranked alongside UK legal advisers in the top ten by Hemscott, a leading corporate directory. (Source: Hemscott, November 2010 report). 

Our people are recognised as outstanding leaders in their practice areas of expertise. Chambers UK 2011 recognises 23   of Carey Olsen's partners as leaders.
The firm's expertise in investment funds was endorsed by the Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Investment Funds Lawyers publication this year which included four of the firm's partners in its international analysis of the top global investment funds lawyers.

Carey Olsen was shortlisted for the Chambers Europe Awards for Excellence 2010 in the offshore category and was a finalist for Offshore Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2010.

Carey Olsen was the Acquisition Finance Offshore Law Firm of the Year 2008 and 2009 and was a finalist in The Lawyer Awards 2009.

Carey Olsen was named 'Full Service Advisory Firm of the Year in the Channel Islands', 'Trusts & Estates Advisory Firm of the Year in the Channel Islands' and 'Insolvency Advisory Firm of the Year in the Channel Islands' in the Corporate INTL magazine awards 2010.

"It is like dealing with a magic circle firm outside London." (Source: Chambers and Partners 2010.)

Carey  Olsen  is  proud  to  be  the  sponsor  of  the  prestigious  Channel  Islands  inter-island  yacht  race. 
www.careyolseninterislandyachtrace.com
www.careyolsen.com