Carey Olsen > St Helier, Jersey > Firm Profile

‘Incredibly responsive and commercial. They go the extra mile to help out on the overall deal and seeing the big picture of the transaction. A rare quality for local counsel involvement in a cross border deal run from London. They deliver the service on time and in an efficient manner, rarely busting fee caps unless it’s because scope or assumptions of materially changed/breached.’

‘Kate Andrews, Rebecca McQuillen. Technically excellent lawyers who go the extra mile to help out on deals. Commercial and pragmatic. Extremely responsive.’

‘Outstanding partner engagement when difficult issues crop up; willing to provide advice in addition to a good standard of commoditised flow work.’

‘Carey Olsen remain my go to off shore law firm. They are always commercial, understand the drivers of private equity and actively engage with the whole deal rather than just ticking off the jurisdiction specific elements.’

‘The Carey Olsen banking and finance team are very responsive and quickly adjust their working practices to fit around clients’ working practices. The Carey Olsen team are very good at anticipating clients’ requirements and leave clients with the sense that the offshore elements of transactions will be well looked after and always progressed in a timely manner to dovetail with overall deal timetables.’

‘Peter German leads a very good team of associates. Peter combines being a very good, commercially-minded lawyer with being extremely approachable. He always makes time for clients and is a pleasure to work with.’

‘They know their stuff, deliver it without fuss and provide a service which feels more akin to an extension of our own office. It’s just an incredibly user-friendly arrangement.’

‘Carey Olsen is the leading banking firm in Jersey – they’re my first choice, ‘go to’ firm for any banking and finance deals with a Jersey element. The team, led by Kate Andrews, is easy to work with, has great cross-border leveraged finance experience and delivers very commercial and highly practical advice.’

‘Best structured finance team in Jersey. Go to for Securitisation, especially master trusts and VFN listings.’

‘Simon Marks is excellent, very switched on and pragmatic. Quick to respond and has a great team too, especially Ashley Morrison’

‘A first rate capital markets practice which can be trusted with market leading synthetic securitisation transactions.’

‘They provides excellent client service and provide strong legal solutions to challenging issues in the ever changing world of capital markets.’

‘Simon Marks brings a wealth of experience to capital markets transactions; he is responsive, client focused and great to work with. Simon’s detailed knowledge of the capital markets means he always finds positive commercial solutions to help transaction parties achieve their ultimate goals. Simon is professional and very knowledgeable – we always want him on our side in a negotiation.‘

‘Matthew Ecobichon does excellent work on client transactions. He is knowledgeable, commercial and he ensures transactions run smoothly and well. He is professional and liaises well with all transactions parties to achieve the commercial objectives.’

‘I have mainly worked with Simon Marks, Kate Richards and Ashley Morrison over the past few years. Ashley Morrison has been my main contact on most transactions and she is fantastic to work with. While she is still an associate, it is clear that she will make her way up the ranks within Carey Olsen. It is also a pleasure to work with Simon Marks, who jumps in when required and provides top-notch legal advice. All-in-all a great group of people.’

‘Chris Philpott has been a great support to our family property business. He has the ability to understand local issues at many levels, and simplify complex legal matters into answers that clients can understand.’

‘The team is very cohesive and provide a comprehensive service, if one member is unavailable, someone else is always ready and available to step in.’

‘The entire property team excel as a combined unit.’

‘Super friendly team of specialist commercial property lawyers that have a thorough understanding of the market and a great deal of experience.’

‘Advocate Chris Philpott is extremely knowledgeable, 100% reliable and very approachable.’

‘The team has an in-depth knowledge of the commercial property industry and stay abreast of any legal changes. There is also strength in-depth within the team with impressive response times etc.’

‘Chris Philpot is the team partner that I deal with, he has a very commercial outlook to all property transactions and provides very useful advice which helps us to make some difficult decisions. Will Whitehead is great backup to Chris and just gets on with the work in-hand.’

‘Strong and experienced team, highly professional.’

‘The Carey Olsen team provides unmatched Jersey law advice. As a non-Jersey lawyer, the CO team is quick to explain the inner workings of the Jersey system and to provide practical advice I can take to senior leaders. They have been a valued partner for over 10 years.’

‘The individuals I have worked with at CO have been incredibly responsive, efficient, practical, conscientious about billing and dedicated to making sure that I get the right answer quickly. Simon Marks and the financial transactions team, and Guy Coltman and David Allen on the corporate side have been lifesavers on more than one occasion as we raced to do a transaction or accomplish a corporate goal. I’ve worked with new associates who now take lead roles on deals, while bringing years of my company specific knowledge with them.’

‘A deep seated understanding of the sector in which we operate, the law and regulatory landscape coupled with a very commercial approach to achieving good outcomes.’

‘Guy Coltman: always goes the extra mile and we feel he has our back every step of the way.’

‘Carey Olsen is truly superb. We get full, expert onshore-style legal support for all our offshore corporate needs.’

‘Guy Coltman leads the team. He is pragmatic, sensible and always on our side plus a real pleasure to deal with.’

‘A well coordinated team from partner to associate, very responsive, flexible, reliable and going straight to the point.’

‘We selected the partner because we thought during our first conversation prior to retaining him that his analytical skills seemed quite acute. This was confirmed to be true and extends to his team, particularly the senior associate.’

‘Carey Olsen is incredibly responsive and technically knowledgeable. They’ve been involved in some really interesting cases in the last year and are clearly at the heart of legal developments and innovation in the Jersey legal market.’

‘I work in particular with Andreas Kistler and Richard Holden and think they are both incredibly technically skilled, very client friendly and great to work with. They demonstrate high proficiency and I consider them to be experts in contentious trusts. Would recommend them highly to others and would definitely work with them again.’

‘The disputes team assisted our client with enforcement of an arbitral award in Jersey. They were technically very strong, collaborative and user friendly. They were able to provide high quality advice in respect of both Jersey and enforcement steps in other offshore jurisdictions.’

‘Richard Holden in particular is excellent. He is very collaborative, gives clear advice and is a strong advocate.’

‘The team comprises lawyers with different styles and skillsets who work together effectively but can use their individual approaches to address specific issues. All are very hands-on and dedicated to achieving the best result for the client. The team are very responsive and can always make themselves available at short notice. The team are happy to discuss billing and deliver good value; there is never a sense that an extra associate is there to drum up more fees.’

‘Marcus Pallot is a very impressive individual, combining a huge wealth of experience with a non-nonsense, common-sense approach. He is very practical, understands the commercial interests of the client, and is very good at finding a way through a problem. Marcus is a very persuasive advocate with real presence and gravitas. Marcus is extremely down-to-earth. He is always easy to get hold of and a pleasure to work with. Richard Holden is a very clever, technical lawyer. He has enormous experience and an in-depth knowledge of his craft. Richard is very eloquent and produces exceptional written advocacy. Richard is very collaborative in his approach, down-to-earth, accessible and easy to work with.’

‘Carey Olsen is unique due to the breadth and depth or expertise. When you work with Carey Olsen you don’t just work with the individual partner and associate your really feel the support and weight of the broader Carey Olsen behind them, leveraging and combining expertise in different areas across complex matters the advice and support you receive is beyond anything else offered in the market. Of particular note in this team is their availability, their willingness, beyond that their desire to support and achieve the optimum outcome. Their advice, being pragmatic and effective is the result of their passion for what they do and derived from extensive experience gained at the very highest of levels.’

‘William Grace is a stand out in his field. He not only tells you what the law is but also what the law should be and why and when it may change. He is a leader in his specialism. His encyclopaedic knowledge and passion for the law, no nonsense approach and engagement in the highest level of financial services make him not only a partner of choice but a resource for success.’

‘Oliver Lindop has grown significantly over the last years becoming a leading figure in his field, His advice is well considered, timely and pragmatic . He brings a weight of experience across a variety of different areas effectively applying and leveraging knowledge to achieve meaningful outcomes.’

‘William Grace’s depth of knowledge is great but how it is applied practice is invaluable.’

‘Both William Grace and Oliver Lindop are very approachable and are always on the end of the phone for advice, when some other firms often have a barrier of voicemail to get through. They both ensure that their advice is put across in a way that is easy to understand and includes an explanation of what resolution they expect from their advice.’

‘The team is small, but this does not hamper its effectiveness, particularly with the growth this year through the addition of a new, experienced team member. The team is renowned in the local market as the “go to” for regulatory advice. Their strong technical knowledge and deep understanding of the regulatory framework and requirements enables them to act quickly to support clients in complex matters. Their transparent approach aids smooth communications with the regulator at times when this is a critical success factor. The partner’s approach has been well adopted by the team.’

‘Carey Olsen have been running weekly employment law update seminars for HR professionals, since the start of Covid, which have been really great – well done team!’

‘My main two contacts are Huw Thomas and Tarina Le Boutillier who are both excellent.’

‘I have recently dealt with Huw and Tarina on a case, their advice was clear, the process was easy to follow, they provided regular updates and were transparent and supportive throughout. The expertise available is second to none.’

‘I have maintained an excellent working relationship with Huw Thomas over many years. He will always find time, sometimes last minute to assist. Huw is incredibly personable and professional, his advice is clear and it is evident he is client focused. Huw is a trusted advisor with proven expertise within his field and is well regarded not only by myself and my organisation but across the island.’

‘They know my business – creative solution provision.’

‘A strong team with an aligned approach. You will get the same advice from all of them, which is refreshing.’

‘Make themselves available, sometimes at short notice. The provide practical advice, they don’t just recite the law.’

‘Huw Thomas is a very pragmatic person to deal with. Always provides considered advice in a very timely manor. A pleasure to deal with’

‘Ability in strength and depth to meet a variety of client’s needs. Use technology creatively and exceptionally well.’

‘Lauren Glynn: willing to trail blaze new and difficult legal points. Views a case globally to give realistic advice.’

‘Lauren Glynn is practical, knowledgeable and straightforward – she won’t mess you around. A real pleasure to have as an opponent.’

‘The Family team is a very small part of Carey Olsen. There is no partner in the department who is a family lawyer but the family lawyer at the helm, Lauren Glynn, is very good.’

‘Lauren Glynn is an enormous asset to the team. She is a family lawyer who works within the principles of family law espoused by JFLA and Resolution. Lauren works tirelessly for her clients and is a fair opponent. She does not appear to have the autonomy within the firm that a family lawyer of her experience should carry. The team falls within the litigation team and the partner in charge is a litigator. This is a disadvantage. A senior family lawyer, Suzanne Kingston, is now a consultant and therefore a resource for the family team. This is a significant advantage for the firm’

‘The family law practice is extremely professional and knowledgeable. They present the case, benefits and weaknesses in an understandable manner. They give difficult news and advice in a kind and compassionate way and are extremely family and child focused.’

‘Lauren Glynn is exceptional. She provides a higher level of professionalism and competence than some of her peers. She is cost sensitive on behalf of her clients, straightforward and kind hearted. Her team emulate many of these qualities and are a pleasure to deal with.’

‘The team is fully dedicated to a matter 24/7 until it is closed. As a client, you get the impression that they only service you. Responsiveness and solution-oriented advice is second to none. They intuitively know what the client wants and deliver it. All the time and energy is dedicated to finding the optimal solution for the client without compromise or exceptions.’

‘Daniel O’Connor is relentless in his pursuit to deliver quality advice to clients adapted to their specific needs. When there’s a problem to solve he’ll stop at nothing to get you the answer. Together with his deep industry and client knowledge this enables him to provide spot-on advice each and every time. His full commitment and project management skills ensure that even the biggest projects are completed in an efficient manner and on time.‘

‘Andrea Steel is omnipresent on any matter she works on with encyclopaedic knowledge of each and every transaction step taken so far and status of pending items. This together with her positive attitude make any collaboration a pleasant experience for parties involved.’

‘The team is experienced and approachable; small enough to be fully invested in us as a client but wide ranging enough to attend to both the predictable areas of advice required as well as the less predictable areas.’

‘We like the fact that we maintain day to day contact with the senior partner responsible for the relationship but that the same partner has confidence in handing over specific work streams to his colleagues whilst maintaining a direct watching brief. There is a calm energy that works well in our sometimes fast paced business. There is seldom any attempt to charge excessive fees for replication and an absence of the “reinventing the wheel” approach that we have found with other law firms. Fee discussions are grown up and pragmatic. Deadlines are understood and adhered to.’

‘Over the past decade we’ve developed a deep rooted, stable relationship with a talented team of lawyers. Our engagement team has been stable throughout this period meaning that they have an exceptional understanding of our structure and underlying legal documentation.’

‘Chris Griffin is excellent – go to person for investment funds work and related corporate work in Jersey’

‘Griffin is excellent – incisive, knows investment funds, takes the right point, wins points against the other side elegantly.’

‘Carey Olsen is a market leader among the group of Channel Island firms with offices in British Overseas Territories and elsewhere, and would be my first firm of choice if there are no conflicts. It is very well resourced in all the jurisdictions and has many excellent practitioners. Their people are very accessible, the work is good and clear (they moved to a more modern drafting style a long time ago), and they are solutions driven. To be fair, all the firms with which they compete have a high standard, but I get much more sense of a common aim among the Carey Olsen offices.’

‘I work a lot with Victoria Connolly, who is an excellent trust lawyer and also very calm and very focussed, and I really enjoy working with her. We have worked on one particular set of trusts for a number of years so her historic knowledge is invaluable.’

‘They all have their specialisms and we know precisely who to go to, primarily as we have known them for a while but also that appears to be Carey Olsen’s approach. Not sure it necessarily sets them apart but they are sufficiently good at it to make it mentionable.’

‘We were designing an unusual family governance structure which required Jersey law input on a number of aspects, but principally trust and corporate law. Carey Olsen gave us a seamless service, despite the fact that there were a number of different specialisms feeding into the advice. Keith Dixon led the advice and I would go straight back to him and the firm if I have another Jersey structure of this nature.’

‘Excellent team with broad range of experience and expertise. Very responsive and user friendly.’

‘Victoria Connolly is very quick to respond and quality of work is always high.’

‘Alexa Saunders is very knowledgeable and speaks with considerable authority.’

‘Carey Olsen have a wide range of experience and act as a “one stop shop” for all legal matters.’

‘In my opinion, the leading banking and finance practice in the Channel Islands. I work with them regularly in both Jersey and Guernsey and have had a consistently good experience.’

‘Market leading knowledge in Guernsey’

‘Ben Morgan is the market leader’

‘Kieran Ogilvie was exceptional. He led the negotiations with the counterparty. Kieran addressed all our queries professionally and advised openly on the options available to us and the potential consequences linked to each option.’

‘Carey Olsen’s commercial property team have an invaluable depth of knowledge of the local property market. Their timely, expert and pragmatic advice forms the foundation of many of our property investment decisions. The team provides clear, calm and well thought out advice, which dovetails nicely with the other departments at Carey Olsen.’

‘Jason Morgan has an unrivalled knowledge of property law and the local market. He is affable, patient and pleasure to work with. He is very ably assisted by Kieran Ogilvie, who has a fantastic attention to detail and is very responsive to urgent requests.’

‘The quality of the initial drafts was first class and was produced very quickly . The leases then had challenges and queries from the tenant and the advice and guidance we received was prompt and accurate and allowed us to move quickly to final docs . They dealt with unexpected issues quickly and in a fair and reasonable manner .’

‘I think the firm is significantly better than most law firms I have worked with in Guernsey and Jason Morgan always produces good quality work . I have found them to be very commercial on fee quotes and pragmatic on over runs in terms of time but the quality of work stands them out .’

‘Jason Morgan’s team have provided a comprehensive service in leases, conveyancing, development agreements, special conditions and HoTs. Depth of technical knowledge on Jersey and Guernsey Law is a huge resource for clients.’

‘John Le Tissier is a stand out partner with great in depth and detailed experience of the most intractable property issues. Definitely a go to person for property at the Guernsey Bar.’

‘Kieran Ogilvie was especially helpful and worked tirelessly around time constraints to ensure that nothing was held up and that the lease was signed on time. He was always willing to answer questions, no matter how trivial and highlighted the key areas of the lease we should be most concerned with. Even now after the lease has been signed he still makes himself available should we have any more queries.’

‘Andrew Boyce is always available, always provides sound advice and a solution to every problem.’

‘Annette Alexander, who is our main contact, is incredibly responsive and commercial in her advice. She is a real pleasure to work with and to have with clients.’

‘We have worked with Tony Lane for a number of years and he is a technically strong, problem solving lawyer who isn’t afraid to be in the trenches with you’

‘Wide pool of talent to draw on to expand transaction teams helping manage absences and the fluctuating demands of time critical activity. Strong senior leadership. as a consequence we can choose the right people for the type of client or transaction which most other local firms cannot do’

‘Tom Carey – will fight your position for you Tony Lane – provides sensible pragmatic advice and understands the commercial realities to offer guidance about what is essential or nice to have John Scanlan – thorough and responsive’

‘Undoubtedly, the strongest and biggest of Guernsey’s corporate and funds legal offerings. The team comprises a number of the island’s leading practitioners. The team has remained stable with little (if any) partner movement out over the past few years. The department appears to have appropriate succession planning arrangements in place with a good number of younger Partners and Senior Associated coming through the ranks.’

‘John Scanlan is most definitely one to watch – his client service is extremely good and he always makes himself available. He is pragmatic and has a solution focused approach to transactions. Tony Lane is an outstanding M&A lawyer and is great to deal with. He is very dedicated to the client’s needs and goes above and beyond in terms of the timing and quality of his delivery.’

‘I am impressed with their wide range of skilled and experienced lawyers, positive approach to the case, and unique way of working attitude, Gentle and strong relationships with the clients, timely and efficient communication even during the pandemic situation.’

‘The team provides market-leading experience and expertise on local regulatory matters and international sanctions as applied locally.’

‘This is the largest and best litigation practice in Guernsey and the Channel Islands. Elaine Gray is an outstanding litigator and advocate and undoubtedly has the ear of the court. I have worked with Elaine on a long running hedge fund partnership dispute and her responsiveness and judgement have never failed. She is supported by an excellent team. The ability of the firm to work collaboratively with lawyers from other jurisdictions something that I have witnessed it first hand over an extended period’

‘Elaine Gray is the go to advocate on Guernsey. Not only does she have outstanding judgement as to which points to take and which points not, there is no hint of arrogance about her leadership. She is happy to work with foreign council and two input ideas into her litigation strategy as appropriate. She is very ably assisted by Julia Shaeffer who provides a timely response even if called upon to work under pressure.’

‘Tim Corfield – still the very best litigator. Tremendously bright, and very good presence both in and out of court. If you haven’t got him, you’ve got second best. Tim Bamford – very able lawyer. Always very useful in providing pragmatic advice and support.’

‘This is a very talented team – on top of all the detail of the case, as well as the difficult points of law. In a large and very messy dispute, they had a clear oversight of the consequences of pulling at each different string, and working with them was good fun.’

‘David Jones is the stand out dispute resolution partner who offers extremely commercial and knowledge advice on a breadth of restructuring matters. David is also adept at managing his team and knowing when his very strong bench of associates can deal with a matter or when he needs to become involved. David would be the go to lawyer, in Guernsey, for complex restructuring advice and turnaround services.’

‘Strong local knowledge, fees very reasonable in terms of ROI, I felt like I was being advised in such a way as to deliver the best possible value for money.’

‘I found the associate who dealt with my case extremely knowledgeable and personable, with good local knowledge, which was vital in my case. I also received good advice on the most likely outcomes of my case and the best possible resolution from my perspective.’

‘Excellent communications and obvious intent to keep the client informed and up-to-date. A clear and transparent practice to ensure I was aware of cost and spend attributed to my case throughout the process. Key documentation electronically available efficiently in pace with case developments and timeline.’

‘I welcomed the whole team approach and support provided through the administration and management of my personal case. My assigned lawyer Advocate Elaine Grey was outstanding dedicated and fully committed, which left me with a huge amount of confidence at a very vulnerable time for me.’

‘I was referred to the Carey Olsen Employment practice on the basis that they are one of the best on the island.’

‘Lois Madden was my primary contact. She was understanding and empathetic during a difficult period. Knowledgeable of the applicable areas of law and legislation and experienced in the possible outcomes when discussing differing approaches and scenarios. Lois was easy to work with and responsive on email and calls.’

‘Carey Olsen has a long established presence in the area of Guernsey employment advice. As such they have built up considerable experience across a broad range of of employment scenarios. As such they add considerable value and support in “one-off” employee situations which a business may only face infrequently.’

‘Elaine Gray is a leader in her field. One of the most respected employment lawyers on the island.’

‘Chris Anderson is an extremely hands-on and pragmatic lawyer and it is enjoyable working together. Arya Hashemi is also very good.’

‘The leading team for investment funds in Guernsey.’

‘David Crosland is cutting edge and the go to lawyer. Ben Morgan’s knowledge and experience is palpable. Andrew Boyce is diligent and thoughtful with advice. Chris Anderson provides excellent advice. Annette Alexander is very approachable.’

‘Best in class investment fund legal advice on the island’

‘Andrew Boyce is an outstanding expert in this field.’

‘The investment funds practice is outstanding. Commercially driven, fantastic turn around times, reliable and high quality deliverable.’

‘Annette Alexander has top notch commercial and regulatory knowledge and she is always available. She leads a brilliant team and it is always very pleasant to work with her.’

‘Extremely responsive, pragmatic and helpful team. They are well-organised and provide the sort of intelligent service you would expect from a top City firm, I am really happy with them. They have deep and broad industry knowledge and are useful sounding boards and creative solution providers.’

‘Annette is very hands-on and always available, I feel myself to be in very capable and safe hands. The rest of her team’s performance is equally reassuring, and I also work a lot with Alexandria du Jardin, who is impressive and knowledgeable. The team are also friendly and a pleasure to work with.’

‘Carey Olsen has strength and depth in the team that provides clear and practical advice.’

‘Natasha Kapp continues to be my go to trust lawyer for contentious and none contentious matters providing sound practical advice for both protectors and trustees.‘

‘Careys stands out for its partner-led approach, personal service and diverse range of expertise.’

‘Natasha Kapp is our main point of contact and is always available for us. We consider her part of our team, and have reason to consult regularly. She has competently advised us for over 10 years now and her input is greatly appreciated.’

‘I have been advised by the trust team at Carey Olsen on a single matter for more than one year. Their efforts have consistently surpassed expectations with regard to responsiveness, intellect, and practicality in application.’

‘Russell Clark is exceptional. He is the complete package – intellectual, wise and approachable. Patricia Montgomery is also highly impressive. She personifies the ethos of Russell’s team whilst retaining her own identity. Rarely does a client have access to two individuals of such quality.’

‘Carey Olsen has one of, if not, the strongest fiduciary and private client capabilities in the Guernsey legal market. They have a substantial team with a broad range of expertise. They do not limit themselves in what they can advise on and they therefore offer an excellent one-stop-shop solution.‘

‘Russell Clark is practical and easy to use. Konrad Friedlander has seen most things in his career and his advice is therefore always well informed. Natasha Kapp is a stand out lawyer and goes to great lengths to partner with her clients. She is pragmatic and practical in the advice she gives. She makes herself available even when on holiday.’

‘Significant partner attention and responsive, knowledgeable service. Presence in all key off shore jurisdictions with excellent industry knowledge.’

‘Sheba Raza is a user-friendly, responsive and knowledgeable lawyer.’

‘Richard Brown – he is an excellent lawyer, he is clever and dedicated. He knows his way around insolvency and civil fraud work. He is already a star of the offshore world.’

‘Carey Olsen have a London based BVI and Cayman practice headed by Jasmine Amaria and Sheba Raza. We act for a vast number of companies incorporated in these jurisdictions. These are high value time sensitive transactions. We know that we can rely upon Carey Olsen to provide a first class professional service for all our needs in these jurisdictions. As the team are based in London they are easily contactable and are very responsive. They take time to understand the transaction and work with us deliver what is required.’

‘Jasmine Amaria and Sheba Raza are leading individuals that we work with. Whilst they have a great team working for them, they take a genuine lead on matters.’

‘CO Cayman is really going places. They do a lot of China-related work.’

‘Sam Dawson is an old hand with much Cayman experience.’

‘Sam Dawson (for commercial disputes and insolvency) and Bernadette Carey (for trusts) are two of the best litigators in Cayman. I trust and respect them both immensely. Two of the best bets one can make in Cayman if you are involved in a dispute.’

‘Very experienced, commercial team and, most importantly, with restructuring / insolvency rather than simply dispute backgrounds.‘

‘Peter Sherwood is highly commercial with deep restructuring background.’

‘Denis Olarou is very strong technically on discovery.’