The Legal 500

Mourant Ozannes is a leading offshore law firm. It advises on the laws of the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey.

The firm: Its clients include many of the world’s leading financial institutions, public companies, corporations and fund promoters as well as high-net-worth private clients.

The firm is chosen regularly to work alongside the most respected international law firms with whom they enjoy deep and longstanding relationships.

Types of work undertaken: Banking and finance: Mourant Ozannes has an international reputation as one of the leading offshore banking and finance practices. The 25 partners working in this area are experts in their field and their practices span the full range of offshore banking and finance work. The firm acts for lenders, borrowers, arrangers, issuers, managers, trustees and other finance parties, and advise all 20 of the world’s top 20 banks (Bankers Almanac, 2010). It is regularly appointed as listing sponsor to securities listed on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and the Channel Islands Stock Exchange.

Corporate: Mourant Ozannes is best known for its work on the most complex and demanding transactions and advises more FTSE-100 and FTSE-250 companies than any other offshore law firm (Hemscott Quarterly Report, 2010). The firm’s specialist M&A lawyers have a wealth of experience on offshore and cross-border transactions, principally in the financial services sector. The firm advises both domestic and international clients in connection with the sale and purchase of companies and businesses based in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey and regularly advises clients on corporate restructurings, private equity transactions, joint ventures and statutory mergers.

Employment: the firm provides specialist employment law advice in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey. The team of highly experienced lawyers predominantly advises large and medium sized employers and the offshore operations of many global financial institutions.

Financial services and regulatory: Mourant Ozannes provides highly commercial and focused legal advice in relation to the full range of offshore regulatory issues and problems that arise for financial service providers, regulators and governments. The firm also regularly advises on matters in relation to competition law and data protection law.

Funds: Mourant Ozannes has an international reputation in offshore investment funds advising on the formation, structuring and regulation of investment funds in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey and provides ongoing legal advice to offshore funds and fund managers. The firm’s clients range from leading asset managers and fund promoters to start-up ventures. Adopting a ‘one firm’ approach means that the firm’s lawyers are able to provide objective advice on the comparative advantages and disadvantages of the leading offshore fund jurisdictions and its lawyers maintain close contact with the financial regulatory authorities in all of their jurisdictions.

Insolvency and restructuring: Mourant Ozannes deploys carefully integrated, multi-disciplinary teams to work closely with leading professionals in the US, the UK and elsewhere and plays a leading role in the largest and most high profile insolvency-related cases in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey, usually cross-border in practice requiring rapid and efficient co-ordinated advice.

Insurance: the firm’s insurance team advised on the establishment, regulatory compliance and business operations of insurance and reinsurance companies, as well as insurance managers and brokers.

Litigation: Mourant Ozannes’ litigation practice has an international reputation. Its partners, who are all highly experienced and industry renowned, play a leading role in the largest and most high profile disputes in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey, and in international cross-border cases requiring rapid and efficient coordinated advice. Clients include major financial institutions, trust companies, regulators, public authorities and prosecutors, and high net worth individuals.

Property: the firm’s property practice is one of the largest and most experienced in the Channel Islands, advising on all aspects of residential and commercial property transactions.

Trusts: Mourant Ozannes’ trusts practice advises on all aspects of the establishment and on-going administration of private, philanthropic and commercial trusts in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey, as well as Jersey Foundations. Clients include trust companies, financial institutions, wealth managers, family offices, high net worth individuals and their advisers.

Other offices: Cayman Islands, Guernsey, London

Number of partners 51
Number of other fee-earners 207