The Legal 500

Harneys is the 2012 recipient of the Legal Excellence Award in the Latin American market.

The award, which recognises dedication to clients’ needs as well subject knowledge and innovative legal thinking, is testament to the firm’s level of service as both a top offshore law firm and leader in international business. 

Harneys beat out a list of nominees that included Maples and Calder and Conyers Dill & Pearman to cop the award. The firm’s Permanent Representative in Brazil, Maria Pia Buchi, and Horacio Woycik of the Uruguay office received the award at the Destaques 2012 Awards ceremony which took place at the end of the Brazil Investment Summit held in Sao Paulo in April.

Described by organisers as “a unique opportunity for leaders of the Brazilian and international investment and finance community”, the Destaques Awards are based in part on a survey among clients. Examples of client feedback for Harneys included: “Excellent service; great attention to client’s needs and diligent and knowledgeable”.

These endorsements for Harneys bear testimony to the firm’s ongoing commitment to delivering superior client service that is based on a genuine understanding of the unique business and cultural demands of clients.

Head of Harneys’ Latin American practice Marco Martins believes the win demonstrates a growing recognition of the Harneys brand in Latin America. “We are humbled and deeply grateful to our clients for their trust and support.  Everything we do is aimed at providing our clients with a superior service and it is very gratifying to receive their support and recognition. It is this desire which drives us each and every day. We believe that we have a truly unique offering in the region. Our clients come across Harneys in virtually every one of our practice areas and services in the Cayman Islands and the BVI, and it is the excellence at each point of interaction which enables us to deliver an overall good service,” he said. 

High in praise for the firm in general and the Latin America team in particular, Martins added: “The award is in recognition of the great work, the legal and fiduciary service teams across all of our offices have done in recent times in servicing our Latin American clients”.

Harneys has been active in Latin America for decades and in 2010 the firm opened its office in Uruguay, a move that formed part of an overall expansion strategy to become the leading provider of legal and corporate services particularly in key emerging markets where economic growth is resulting in higher levels of cross border activity.

Harneys is a leading international offshore law firm providing British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Anguilla and Cyprus legal advice. Through its offices in the BVI, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, London and Montevideo the firm provides legal services to the world’s top law firms, financial institutions and corporates. Over its 50 year history Harneys has been consistently ranked as the top law firm in the British Virgin Islands. For more information please visit www.harneys.com