The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial , Appleby is a first tier firm,

Appleby 'offers a good, timely service'. The team advised Balfour Beatty Capital in connection with its partnering with local construction firm D&J Construction for the redevelopment of the existing KEMH Memorial Hospital in Bermuda, marking the first PPP proposed for the Bermuda market. It also assisted HSBC with the Government of Bermuda's offering of $500m aggregate principal amount of 5.603% senior notes. Corporate headd Judith Collis is recommended; Tammy Richardson-Augustus specialises in asset finance, securities, funds and partnerships; and Alison Dyer-Fagundo's practice includes advising on private and public offerings, M&A, and the structuring and capitalisation of private telecommunications holding and operating companies. The 'excellent' Dyer-Fagundo is 'extremely responsive and practical'.

Within Dispute resolution , Appleby is a first tier firm,

Appleby's Jennifer Fraser is the local litigation and insolvency head. The team advised KPMG in the contentious insolvency of the first segregated account hedge fund in Bermuda, involving bespoke commercial issues of law. John Riihiluoma is local commercial litigation team leader, and counsel Kelvin Hastings-Smith's practice has an emphasis on fraud, asset-tracing and anti-money laundering issues. John Wasty is 'excellent for insurance/reinsurance dispute resolution', and Kiernan Bell 'deserves mention'.

Within Insurance/reinsurance , Appleby is a first tier firm,

Appleby's 'excellent' Tim Faries is team leader; Janita Burke is 'particularly knowledgeable as to the insurance industry and how the legal regulations apply'; and Alan Bossin's 'strength lies in both his quick turnaround and knowledge of the insurance industry'. The practice acted for the Kane Group on the acquisition of the insurance management business of HSBC in Bermuda, and it assisted MetLife in its acquisition of American Life Insurance for $15.5bn. The firm also advised global health service organisation Cigna Corporation when, together with its three affiliates, it entered into a reinsurance agreement with Fitzwilliam Insurance, the transaction essentially the sale of Cigna's workers' compensation and personal accident reinsurance. David Lines and Brad Adderley are also experienced practitioners.

Within Legal market overview,

The Bermudian legal market remains mostly dominated by global law firms Appleby and Conyers Dill & Pearman. Of the domestic practices, Cox Hallett Wilkinson and Mello Jones & Martin are widely considered to be the strongest contenders. Attride-Stirling & Woloniecki, Sedgwick Chudleigh and Wakefield Quin also draw high praise.

Within Trusts/private client, Appleby is a second tier firm,

Appleby's former private client and trust group head Randall Krebs recently left to join Meritus Trust Company. Notwithstanding this key departure, recent highlights for the practice include obtaining a Bermuda Grant of Probate and assisting in the administration of an international estate with $100m-plus assets that were located in several countries around the world. The team also assisted in the restructuring of a trust portfolio for a high-net-worth individual looking to become resident for tax purposes in the US, where Butterfield Trust (Bermuda) were the trustees. The group also represented one of the wealthiest families in the UK in connection with the reorganisation of a Bermuda charitable trust and private trust company structure as part of the family's cross-border philanthropic goals. Partner Vanessa Lovell Schrum and associates Sophie Tod, Leah Scott and Naresh Chand are the key contacts.