Cayman Islands

Hong Kong (18 May 2026) We are delighted to announce that Partner Vanisha Harjani was recognised by ALB Offshore Client Choice 2026. Asian Legal Business spotlights the offshore lawyers across Asia who have earned the strongest recognition from their clients. Vanisha Harjani has earned client trust through her solid expertise in cross-border matters and is recognised for the complexity and innovation of her work. Recently, Vanisha led the Hong Kong Loeb Smith Attorneys team acting as BVI counsel in one of the most prominent capital markets deals in Asia winning the Best Structured Finance Deal of the Year (Hong Kong – FinanceAsia Achievement Awards) and Significant Deals 2026 – Best Securitization (North Asia- Hong Kong – The Asset Triple A Awards) for the Hong Kong Capital Finance Corporation Limited (HKCFC)’s residential mortgage-backed securitisation (RMBS) transaction, as arranged by United Overseas Bank with HKCFC MBS 5 Limited as the issuer (Issuer) Notably, this transaction marked Hong Kong’s first rated RMBS in more than two decades, marking a milestone for Hong Kong’s capital markets and promoting greater funding diversification among newer originators despite a challenging residential property market.

London (10 June 2026) We are thrilled to announce that Loeb Smith Attorneys has been named “Law Firm of the Year: Client Services” at the Hedgeweek® Global Digital Assets Awards, held last night in London. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every client and valued partner who voted for us as this recognition is a reflection of the trust you place in us. This award speaks to the exceptional depth and breadth of our legal expertise across the full spectrum of the digital assets and cryptocurrency landscape. From the ground up, our team advises on the architecture and development of entire crypto ecosystems, guiding clients through the complex legal, regulatory, and structural frameworks that underpin sustainable, scalable platforms. Our regulatory practice has built a successful track record in securing VASP licences for a diverse range of crypto businesses, including crypto brokerages, OTC marketplaces, crypto exchanges, and crypto payment systems. Beyond licensing, our cross-disciplinary virtual assets and investment funds teams advise on the structuring and launch of tokenized funds, bringing together deep capital markets knowledge with cutting-edge digital asset expertise to deliver seamless, end-to-end legal solutions. To learn more about our work and achievements please visit: https://www.loebsmith.com/

Cayman Islands (17 June 2026) We are thrilled to announce that Partner Robert Farrell has been awarded the Banking & Finance Expert of the Year in the Cayman Islands 2026 by The Lawyer Network Annual Awards, an event marking excellence for the world’s leading lawyers across the globe. One client noted: “Robert Farrell is a brilliant professional whose dedication is at such a high level it feels as though he is part of our internal team.” Robert’s recent work reflects the increasingly sophisticated nature of offshore banking & finance work. He routinely advises on debt finance arrangements involving international real estate assets, shipping finance and cross-border corporate lending structures. He also advises on regulatory issues arising in connection with financing transactions, including compliance with statutory “economic substance” obligations applicable to “finance and leasing” businesses and “banking” businesses. Robert specialises in cross-border financing transactions, investment fund finance, restructuring and special situations, advising lenders, borrowers and investment managers and provides legal advice to banks, private credit institutions, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers on a broad range of financing transactions across such sectors as healthcare, hospitality, real estate and infrastructure. Robert is admitted in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and England & Wales (non-practising), and brings a commercially focused perspective supported by qualifications in Financial Accounting from Harvard Business School and Real Estate Finance from the London School of Economics.

Hong Kong (20 January 2026) Loeb Smith is proud to announce that Hong Kong Capital Finance Corporation Limited (HKCFC)’s residential mortgage-backed securitisation (RMBS) transaction, as arranged by United Overseas Bank with HKCFC MBS 5 Limited as the issuer (Issuer), has been named Best Structured Finance Deal of the Year (Hong Kong) at the FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2025. This accolade recognises the complexity and innovation of the HK$1,503 million rated, privately placed fixed-rate RMBS issued by HKCFC MBS 5 Limited, rated Aa2(sf) and A3(sf) by Moody’s. Notably, this transaction marked Hong Kong’s first rated RMBS in more than two decades, marking a milestone for Hong Kong’s capital markets and promoting greater funding diversification among newer originators despite a challenging residential property market. Loeb Smith acted as BVI counsel to HKCFC MBS 5 Limited, led by Vanisha Harjani, Partner in the Loeb Smith Hong Kong office. Commenting in Hong Kong, Partner Vanisha Harjani said: “It is encouraging to see the British Virgin Islands remain a popular and important jurisdiction for issuers in onshore structured finance deals. We are optimistic about the market outlook and remain committed to serving our clients in Asia and those seeking to establish a presence there. This award reflects the strength of Loeb Smith’s corporate and finance capabilities and our commitment to delivering innovative solutions in complex markets. We are honoured to have advised HKCFC MBS 5 Limited on Hong Kong’s Best Structured Finance Deal of the Year.”