The Legal 500 > Caribbean > British Virgin Islands > Corporate and commercial

Conyers’ BVI corporate department is best known for handling many of the BVI’s largest M&A and joint venture transactions. In a recent highlight, counsel Audrey Robertson, assisted by experienced associate Marcus Hallan, advised AquaVenture Holdings on its $1.1bn acquisition by Culligan, a global consumer water services company, in one of the largest takeovers of a publicly-listed BVI company. Led by Robert Briant, who provides specialist advice to hedge funds, private equity funds and investment vehicles, the team acts for financial services companies and financial institutions alongside clients in the hospitality, utility, energy and telecoms sectors. The practice has also seen an uptick in insolvency and corporate restructuring mandates from clients following the COVID-19 crisis. Anton Goldstein focuses on M&A and private equity work; counsel Nicholas Kuria and associate Rachael Pape are other names to note.

At Maples Group, the corporate group advises listed domestic and international entities on a diverse set of matters including M&A, corporate advisory work, equity capital markets issues, private equity matters and restructuring work. Recently, the group has also been involved in a number of large commercial aviation transactions. Led by Richard May, the department has a range of key clients in the energy and natural resources, telecoms and commercial real estate sectors. Ruairi Bourke regularly acts on M&A transactions, restructurings and joint ventures, while Christopher Newton’s practice also includes downstream investment work in the funds sector. Another key practitioner is of counsel Guy Williamson.

Regularly instructed by blue-chip clients, Ogier’s workload spans the full gamut of issues from public and private M&A and high-value joint ventures to complex corporate reorganisations, which are often linked to financial restructurings. Collaborating closely with the firm’s dispute resolution department, the corporate group is spearheaded by public company expert Michael Killourhy, who has considerable experience assisting BVI special purpose acquisition companies. Other names to note include Ray Wearmouth, whose diverse practice includes major corporate transactions, and Rebecca Clark, who is noted for her expertise in cross-border M&A.

Under the leadership of Jeffrey Kirk, Appleby’s corporate team has a strong reputation for handling complex offshore restructuring mandates, particularly in the oil and gas sector. The department also advises a broad range of clients from blue-chip corporations to smaller private companies on multijurisdictional M&A, corporate reorganisations, joint venture arrangements, shareholder rights and corporate governance issues. The team includes mining, oil and gas, energy and natural resources expert Andrew Jowett, and senior associate Rebecca Jack, who often assists private equity entities with cross-border transactions and listings.

The highly experienced Ian Montgomery, who was promoted to managing partner of the BVI office in 2020, leads Collas Crill's corporate, finance and funds group, which primarily advises clients on M&A, corporate migrations, group restructurings, joint ventures, private equity matters and corporate governance issues. The group has seen notable growth in instructions relating to corporate transactions in the natural resources sector emanating from Canada or involving Canadian clients. Regularly assisting Montgomery on corporate transactions is Christian Hidalgo, who was promoted to senior associate in 2020. Fellow senior associate Natalie Bell is also highly rated.

O'Neal Webster’s team handles a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, and is especially prominent in handling M&A transactions, general commercial issues and regulatory approvals. Led by managing partner Vanessa King, the department advises a whole host of international investors, companies, trusts, domestic statutory bodies and large domestic hospitality companies. Other key lawyers to note include Christopher Simpson and former managing partner Kerry Anderson, who now leads the firm's New York office.

Carey Olsen’s corporate team is particularly active in complex cross-border M&A instructions involving BVI entities. The team also has a track record in advising BVI-registered clients that are listed on the London Stock Exchange and other exchanges on a wide range of corporate and commercial issues. Clinton Hempel, who divides his time between South Africa and the BVI, is managing partner of the BVI practice group, which counts counsels Elizabeth Killeen and Sharon Mungall as key practitioners to note.

Led by finance and corporate department head Rachael McDonald, Mourant 's group handles an assortment of transactional and advisory corporate matters. Recent mandates include restructurings and reorganisations, corporate governance work, joint ventures, regulatory issues and private client matters with a corporate dimension. Working closely with colleagues in London, Jersey and the Cayman Islands, the team primarily advises financial services, technology and energy companies.