The Legal 500 > Caribbean > Cayman Islands > Corporate and commercial

Maples Group's team is 'spearheaded by senior industry figures with close knowledge of local and international initiatives'. The group advises on the full range of corporate and commercial matters including domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, formations and constitution work, general company administration issues, regulatory compliance, substance requirements, corporate governance practices, share capital issuances, directors' duties work and shareholders' rights. In a recent highlight, Suzanne Correy and Daniel Lee acted for Sedgwick Claims Management Services on KKR's sale of its stake in the company to Carlyle Group. Matthew Gardner heads up the Cayman corporate group, and Kieran Walsh and Simon Firth co-head the Latin America team. Other noteworthy practitioners include offshore investment fund expert Christopher Capewell, energy sector specialist Michael Johns, Shari Seymour and newly promoted partner Finn O’Hegarty.

Conyers' corporate team is 'always helpful' and advises on M&A, funds, private equity and venture capital transactions, insurance-related deals and corporate restructurings. The practice has also been active assisting Cayman companies engaged in blockchain engineering matters and fund raising through token sales; in a recent highlight, the team advised Thomson Reuters on the divestiture of its strategic division, Refinitiv, to Blackstone Group. Kevin Butler heads up the Cayman office, which also fields Richard Fear, Matthew Stocker and counsel Cora Miller. Gene DaCosta retired.

Mourant's 'strong, well-led team' counts global financial institutions, corporations and private fund sponsors as clients, and recently expanded its offering through the recruitment of Alexandra Woodcock and Ramesh Maharaj from Walkers. Cayman managing partner Hayden Isbister leads the corporate practice, and Neal Lomax handles large corporate transactions involving Cayman structures and entities; Lomax recently advised US health insurer Centene on its merger with WellCare Health Plans. Also highly regarded is Alex Last, who specialises in private equity, investment funds and corporate and commercial work; Catherine Pham and counsel Nathaniel Luker.

Ogier's 'extremely responsive and proactive’ department acts for banks, financial institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals on transactional and regulatory matters spanning the financial services, fintech, natural resources, energy, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing sectors. Recent highlights include advising Transocean and its parent company on the acquisition of Ocean Rig UDW, an operator of semi-submersible oil platforms and underwater drillships. Bradley Kruger heads up the firm's Caribbean and Asia corporate practice, James Heinicke is an experienced transactional lawyer, and Angus Davison previously led the corporate and commercial team globally. Mark Santangeli is also a key adviser and James Lydeard is the senior associate to note.

Campbells' Cayman corporate and commercial practice regularly assists multinational corporations and financial services providers with complex cross-border transactions including M&A, reorganisations, joint ventures and mining and natural resource transactions. John Wolf is managing partner of the Cayman office and Alan Craig leads the corporate department, which also includes Richard Spencer.

Carey Olsen regularly handles large, complex M&A transactions and also has notable expertise in joint ventures, corporate regulation work, compliance issues and corporate structuring matters. Jarrod Farley and Nick Bullmore are managing partners of the Cayman office, which also fields Alistair Russell and corporate and finance partner Richard Munden; Munden recently joined the group from Walkers.

Collas Crill fields 'a particularly friendly and proactive team', which is regularly instructed on M&A deals involving stock exchange-listed companies; the Cayman office also has a strong technology and start-up practice, which includes notable fintech, blockchain and cryptocurrency expertise. The group also assists with corporate governance issues, director duties and liabilities work, and shareholder meeting mandates. Cayman managing partner Alan de Saram is head of the corporate, finance and funds department, which also fields Stephen Nelson. Senior associate Natalie Bell recently joined the team from Harneys' BVI office, and Joss Morris left the firm.

Following its 2018 merger with long-established Cayman-based law firm Solomon Harris, Bedell Cristin has notable transactional insurance expertise alongside substantial general corporate and commercial experience, and counts financial institutions, public and private corporates, and high-net-worth individuals as clients. The principal advisers are managing partner Sophia Harris, inward and domestic investment practice leader Ian Jamieson and investment fund specialist Nick Reid. Richard Addlestone retired.

Stuarts Walker Hersant Humphries' 'super-responsive team solves problems' thanks to expertise spanning M&A, private equity, start-ups and disposals, joint ventures, group reorganisations, the incorporation of corporate vehicles,  schemes of arrangement, and cryptocurrency and blockchain technology work. Managing director Chris Humphries heads up the corporate team and has a range of experience across private equity mandates, joint ventures, M&A and general corporate matters. Chairman Andrew Hersant is also highly regarded. Aaron Walker departed to Mourant Governance Services.