The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen handles complex finance structures, and is ‘particularly valued for its local connections in relation to regulatory issues’. The team recently acted for Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank on the establishment of a new bank branch in Jersey, and advised RBS International in providing a £65m investor call bridge facility to a real estate fund. Paul Sugden is ‘technically excellent’; Edward Quinn is ‘very sensible’; and Marcus Pallot is ‘passionate about what he does’. Nicholas Crocker has ‘in-depth knowledge of Jersey law’; Robin Smith has ‘a good grasp of complex structures’; Peter German is ‘an excellent lawyer’; and James Fox is ‘technically capable’. Alan Stevens is also highly rated.

Within Commercial property, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen ‘takes a pragmatic, commercial approach’. The practice was legal counsel to The States of Jersey Development Company in relation to the development of St Helier’s waterfront. Group head Chris Philpott is ‘always willing to help’; Alex Ohlsson is noted for major development projects; and John Kelleher is a recommended contentious property law expert. Christa Gilbert ‘understands complex transactions’, and Will Whitehead provides ‘exceptional customer service’.

Within Corporate and commercial, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen is ‘excellent for response times and its commitment to getting a deal through’. It advised Delphi Automotive on the first direct listing of the shares of a Jersey company on the New York Stock Exchange, and represented CPA Global in its approximately £950m acquisition by Cinven by way of Jersey scheme of arrangement. Mike Jeffrey is ‘technically competent, and has absolute familiarity with the London market’, and Guy Coltman is ‘outstanding: a better technical corporate lawyer than many Magic Circle partners’. Alex Ohlsson is ‘an asset to the firm and one of the island’s most respected lawyers’, and Robin Smith is ‘a superb, hands-on lawyer’.

Within Dispute resolution, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen defended Mr Bhojwani in the largest money laundering prosecution ever in Jersey. John Kelleher is group head; Nicolas Journeaux is ‘a master strategist’; Robert MacRae is ‘bright and engaging’; and Marcus Pallot is ‘extremely knowledgeable about insolvency law’. William Grace ‘leaves no stone unturned’.

Within Employment, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen advised on the exit process of a senior management member. Siobhan Riley is ‘intelligent and practical’, and John Kelleher is recommended for contracts and litigation. Paul Matthams is ‘the best pensions lawyer in Jersey’, and Jersey and Guernsey based Huw Thomas is highly rated.

Within Investment funds, Carey Olsen is a second tier firm,

Carey Olsen ‘provides an efficient and commercial service’. The team advised on the establishment of Argentum Capital as a multi-class Jersey expert fund to invest in the funding of litigation, and represented Kreos Capital on the establishment of a new expert fund. Robert Milner ‘gives speedy, accurate responses’; Daniel O’Connor is ‘on the ball’; and James Mulholland is ‘accessible and pragmatic’. Edward Quinn is also highly rated. Christopher Griffin joined from SJ Berwin LLP. Eve Kosofsky retired from the legal profession in July 2011.

Within Regional review,

In the island’s legal market, Carey Olsen, Mourant Ozannes and Ogier remain the firms most likely to be called in for big-ticket international work, while Appleby is the only law firm with offices in Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man. However, after Collas Day in Guernsey and Crill Canavan in Jersey merged to create full-service Channel Islands firm Collas Crill, 2011 saw a major push being made by Jersey’s newest pan-Channel Islands contender, which has 19 partners across both islands and has strengthened its presence both locally and internationally.

Within Private client, trusts and tax, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen advised Royal Bank of Canada Trustees (Channel Islands), as trustee, in response to a complex application for directions and disclosure concerning a substantial employee benefit trust. Paul Matthams is recommended on the non-contentious side, and Robert MacRae is ‘superb in court’. Siobhan Riley ‘gives excellent advice’.

Within Structured finance and securitisation, Carey Olsen is a first tier firm,

Carey Olsen acts in complex securitisation matters, and has a proven record in cash box transactions. Alan Stevens ‘knows his way around different structures’, and Simon Marks ’ ‘advice on the Jersey legal aspects of any transaction is given in a way to reflect how the overall transaction process works’.