Carey Olsen > St Helier, Jersey > Firm Profile
Carey Olsen Offices
47 ESPLANADE
ST HELIER
JE1 0BD
Jersey
Carey Olsen > The Legal 500 Rankings
Jersey > Banking and finance Tier 1
Carey Olsen advises clients on an extensive range of matters, including fund, real estate and acquisition financing, in addition to providing assistance with restructuring matters and issues concerning distressed assets. Practice head Robin Smith has experience acting for both borrowers and lenders, whom he advises on financing, refinancing and restructuring, with particular expertise in supporting investment funds. Kate Andrews frequently works alongside major London and New York law firms, advising on fund and acquisition finance matters and debt restructuring. Peter German is noted for his work for financial institutions and sovereign wealth finds, assisting with the financing of real estate deals and REIT matters, restructuring and debt listings, and regulatory questions. Fiona Dalton typically advises corporate borrowers, including Jersey property unit trusts, on the lending, borrowing and security aspects of real estate transactions.Practice head(s):
Robin Smith
Other key lawyers:
Kate Andrews; Peter German; Fiona Dalton; Nick Ghazi
Testimonials
‘Peter German gave open, honest advice, understood the issues arising very quickly. Peter is also open to new ideas and is very responsive.’
‘Great team, knowledgeable, responsive and just always super helpful.’
‘The CO Jersey team provides exceptional service, they are technically extremely strong, very responsive and always understand the wider commercial context.’
‘The team make a real effort to be ahead of the curve in terms of new developments in those practice areas and are very proactive in ensuring they are au fait with the latest market positions and discussion points.’
‘Robin Smith is a pleasure to collaborate with, he is a strong technical lawyer but his delivery is commercially-minded, pragmatic and thoughtful. Robin has a very well deserved leading profile across the market as a ‘go-to’ Jersey finance partner but, in particular, he is extremely supportive and collaborative across our team to maintain strong working relationships and has worked alongside us on many joint client and BD initiatives off transaction.’
Key clients
Cale Street Partners
Royal Bank of Scotland International
Nordea Bank
States of Jersey
Ports of Jersey
Santander UK
Sun Ventures
Travelport Group
Hollyport Capital
Work highlights
- Advised the ad hoc group of noteholders on the transfer of ownership of the Metrocentre Group from Intu Properties to a newly established ownership structure.
- Advised Singaporean multi-asset investment firm Sun Venture on the purchase of 120 Moorgate from WeWork Capital Advisors for £148m.
- Advised Starz Real Estate on the Jersey law aspects of a loan to manager PineBridge Benson Elliot for the refinancing and part redevelopment of Guildford Business Park.
Jersey > Capital markets Tier 1
Carey Olsen‘s capital markets practice advises on the gamut of relevant transactions; this includes banking, securities and bonds on the debt side, while on the equity front, the firm frequently assists clients with redomiciliations and listings on the LSE. Practice head Simon Marks specialises in the debt capital markets space, with a focus on high yield bonds, securitisation and structured finance transactions. Kate Andrews regularly advises on acquisition and fund financing. Guy Coltman is noted for his experience handling IPOs and M&A deals, while counsel Matthew Ecobichon is noted for his work on high yield bonds issuances and securitisations. Senior associate Ashley Morrison advises on securitisation and structured finance transactions.Practice head(s):
Simon Marks
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Carey Olsen is the go-to for variable funding note listings and legacy Jersey vehicles, in each case for securitisation transactions. They have a long history of being a market leader in this space. Very commercial, easy to deal with and know their stuff.’
‘Simon Marks is fantastic. Really great lawyer – knows what is needed and delivers on the commercial expectations with ease.’
‘The Carey Olsen Jersey capital markets team is different from its competitors because they are more creative in transaction structuring and speak in the language of New York and London lawyers. They are also commercial in the best possible way – working as hard or harder than anyone else, but with the judgment to raise only issues that truly matter and will affect the deal or create material risk.’
‘Kate Andrews is the person you want in the room when you want to know exactly how things can fall apart, and how to play out the game theory and range of alternatives available to all the critical players in a deal.’
Key clients
Avacta Group
Permira Group
States of Jersey
Wentworth Resources
Work highlights
- Advised Avacta Group on the private placement of £55m senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2027, issued by Addition Finance (Jersey), a wholly owned subsidiary of Avacta incorporated in Jersey.
- Advised the States of Jersey on its issuance of £500m 2.875% bonds due 2052.
- Advised Permira funds on the take-private of Nasdaq-listed Mimecast, valued at $5.8bn and effected by way of a Jersey law-governed court sanctioned scheme of arrangement.
Jersey > Commercial property Tier 1
Carey Olsen supports clients engaged in a variety of commercial property matters, advising on the development, acquisition and disposal of major projects in Jersey and also providing assistance with existing property portfolios, including lease agreements with new and existing lessees. Property transactions expert Chris Philpott leads the practice, advising on sales and lettings in addition to real estate financing. Newly promoted partner Will Whitehead is both a transactional and regulatory property specialist, advising on commercial property deals and advising developers on the regulatory aspects of infrastructure and other projects. Lyndsay Houlette is noted for her work in regard to mixed-use and infrastructure developments.Practice head(s):
Chris Philpott
Other key lawyers:
Alex Ohlsson; John Kelleher; Will Whitehead; Lyndsay Houlette
Testimonials
‘The team are very knowledgeable and responsive, meeting any deadline given to them. At the same time their fees are reasonable and within the agreed parameters.’
‘Working with Chris Philpott and Will Whitehead is always a pleasure, such a smooth process with updates provided at all stages. They are both very knowledgeable individuals.’
‘The approachability of the staff and especially the partner and their ability to articulate complex legal technicalities into easily understood layman’s terms is impressive. They also demonstrate a keen desire to understand your needs and offer solutions to issues.’
‘Chris Philpott is extremely accommodating and approachable and together with his wider team they make us feel important and in safe hands. You can pick up the phone to Chris, drop him a message or send an email and you always know he will respond at his earliest opportunity, no matter how busy he is. Chris and his team provide an exceptional service and have the ability to put you at ease.’
‘The strength and depth of the Carey Olsen commercial property team allowed for three property lease transactions to be agreed and passed through court seamlessly, within the required time frames. Due to the variety and complexity of parties involved this could have ended up being a long, drawn out process, but at no point did the team relent in obtaining third party agreement/consent to achieve a successful outcome for us. At all points during the negotiations we were kept up-to-date with progress and anticipated fees.’
‘It was very clear from the outset how well knitted the Carey Olsen commercial property team are, with Chris Philpott leading the team. Will Whitehead was our main point of contact throughout, and both Chris and Will worked in tandem.’
‘Market knowledge, experience and speed of response.’
‘Chris Philpott and Will Whitehead are in the premier league of commercial property lawyers in Jersey.’
Key clients
Ports of Jersey Limited
Jersey Electricity plc
The States of Jersey Development Company Limited
Langham Hall Fund Management (Jersey) Limited
LV Care Group
MDB Holdings Limited
Sealyham Investments Limited
C5 Alliance Group Limited
Jersey Cricket
Sandpiper CI Limited
Symmetry
Abrdn
Brelade Bay Limited
Autonomy Capital
Cofra Jersey Limited
MND Construction
Work highlights
- Advised Ports of Jersey on the management and restructuring of its property portfolio.
- Advising Jersey Electricity on its current and future solar array projects, including Moulin à Vent, Sorel, Parish of St Helier airspace lease, Ronez airspace lease and Albert Bartlett airspace lease.
- Advised the States of Jersey Development Company on its residential redevelopments at the flagship mixed-use Horizon project.
Jersey > Corporate and commercial Tier 1
Carey Olsen‘s ‘knowledgeable, helpful and responsive’ team advises clients on the full suite of corporate matters, including cross-border public and private M&A, private equity transactions, IPOs and restructuring measures. On the contentious front, the firm acts for clients in governance, compliance and shareholder disputes. Guy Coltman leads the team, advising on a wide range of corporate transactions, including schemes of arrangement. Alex Ohlsson is renowned for his corporate and financing advice, while James Willmott focuses on M&A, IPOs and private equity transactions. David Taylor handles M&A, equity capital markets issues and restructuring matters as part of his wide-ranging practice. Senior associate Katherine Tresca is noted for her M&A, private equity and joint ventures practice.Practice head(s):
Guy Coltman
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team took the time to understand the company so that their advice was tailored to our needs. They were very responsive to requests, particularly to accommodate urgent deadlines; made themselves available for meetings and had a pragmatic and thoughtful approach.’
‘James Willmott made efforts to attend our London office while visiting other clients. We discussed some challenges which may result following a planned restructuring. He provided his thoughts on potential solutions and followed up with an email.’
‘Excellent team – very knowledgeable about local regulatory law and practice and extremely responsive. Easily the best corporate team in Jersey. A pleasure to deal with.’
‘James Willmott was very knowledgeable and responsive.’
‘The team was very knowledgeable, helpful and responsive. They reviewed all documents thoroughly, and caught errors before submission, and queried things as required. The team juggled the workload well to ensure progress at all times.’
‘The team was easy to get along with, always pleasant and professional.’
Key clients
All Islands Media
Islands Insurance Group
Morning Star
Nedbank Private Wealth
Permira group
Roundshield Partners (LV Care Group)
Sanne Group
Wentworth Resources
Work highlights
- Advised Sanne Group, a provider of alternative asset and corporate services, on its acquisition by Apex Group, a global financial services provider, for £1.5bn.
- Instructed as lead counsel to LV Care Group and the company’s private equity investor, RoundShield, on its sale to Emera Group and Aedifica.
- Advised the purchaser of Channel Islands newspapers, the Jersey Evening Post and Bailiwick Express, on a merger of those businesses, unifying them within a single group.
Dispute resolution Tier 1
‘Willing to go the extra mile’, Carey Olsen acts for clients based in Jersey and abroad on trust disputes, insolvency proceedings, contentious regulatory issues and cases concerning directors' duties, with a growing shareholder disputes practice. Practice head Marcus Pallot assists financial services clients engaged in complex regulatory issues and insolvency matters. Veteran litigator John Kelleher maintains a broad practice, covering public law and judicial reviews, in addition to trusts, contract and property disputes. Andreas Kistler acts for plaintiffs and defendants in cases concerning fraud, professional negligence and breach of trust, while William Grace handles white-collar crime instructions, regulatory proceedings and asset tracing. Louise Woolrich, who was made partner in July 2022, handles trusts and funds disputes. Senior associate Pierre Ali-Noor joined the practice from Dickinson Gleeson in October 2022, bringing strong private wealth and trusts expertise to the team.Practice head(s):
Marcus Pallot
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Marcus Pallot is very hands-on and makes an extra effort to be personally available to deal with queries. Marcus is extremely well-connected and has impressive knowledge. He is also very practical and delivers well thought through, workable and commercial solutions to legal and regulatory challenges.’
‘John Kelleher is probably the leading litigation lawyer in Jersey, his knowledge and advice is always very considered and guides important and difficult decisions that need to be made at board level. John is also one of the hardest working lawyers that I have come across and is always available.’
‘John Kelleher is outstanding. A great team leader. He gives clear, commercial advice and is a great advocate.’
‘The team I work with is excellent and always willing to go the extra mile. They are very professional and very well versed in their specialist area of law. The partners as well as associates are always available and ready to deal with anything you ask them to do even at very short notice. Their billing is always transparent and clear. They provide an excellent service that is professional but comes with a personal touch.’
‘I primarily work with John Kelleher and Andreas Kistler. Both of them are very professional and provide an excellent service with a personal touch. They are ready to deal with anything and will always return calls promptly and reply to written communications in a very timely manner.’
‘They are highly responsive, technically excellent and truly collaborate with us – they work as an extension of our team to deliver our clients’ objectives.’
‘Andreas Kistler is a talented advocate with a cool, calm manner in the most high pressure situations. He navigates complex problems with ease and is a pleasure to work with.’
‘Very experienced team, with excellent knowledge of their field but most importantly the market.’
Key clients
Sanne Holdings Limited and Sanne Fiduciary Services Limited
Leslie Crapp (former managing director of Coopers & Lybrand, Jersey)
Anthony Dumas
Dresser-Rand BV
Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP (the joint liquidators of NMC Health (Jersey) Limited)
Former directors of Alpen Partners Limited (Rohit Walia, GraemeRoss and Craig Stewart)
Hard Rock Group of Companies
Vidya A.G.
Philippe Mattas
Jersey private trust company, G Limited, and its associated private wealth structure
Work highlights
- Represented two Sanne Group entities and two of its former senior executives in two claims brought by former shareholders of its holding company.
- Acted for Anthony Dumas, a South African individual, and Grocery Market Research, as defendants, in a breach of confidence damages claim in the Royal Court of Jersey.
- Represented Dresser-Rand, a subsidiary of the Siemens Group, in enforcing an arbitration award for over $43m against a Saudi joint venture partner.
Dispute resolution > Regulatory and white-collar crime Tier 1
The regulatory and white-collar crime team at Carey Olsen represents clients across a broad spectrum of civil and criminal matters, ranging from AML reporting obligations and investigations, to sanctions, compliance, asset recovery and MLAT cases. The practice also assists clients with the regulatory aspects of their daily operations, including in niche sectors such as the cannabis industry. Leading the team is Marcus Pallot, who represents clients in proceedings brought by the JFSC and has particular expertise in the e-gaming sector. William Grace has extensive experience in AML and corruption matters, sanctions and reporting duties. Huw Thomas , whose practice revolves around employment issues in the financial services industry, was made partner in January 2023. Counsel Oliver Lindop focuses on financial regulations and regulated industries.Practice head(s):
Marcus Pallot
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team has an intrinsic knowledge of the regulatory framework. By understanding the spirit with which it operates, they are able to help clients navigate the complexities thereof.’
‘William Grace is widely recognised as the expert in this field. He is able to blend the regulatory and commercial angles to provide clear advice, helping his clients to move forwards in a compliant and sound way.’
‘The team includes the most experienced practitioners in this space in Jersey. Their breadth of experience both in and out of the courts together with their broad client base allows for strong parallels to be drawn to practical application of legislation to our own situation. They draw on experts across their service areas to provide a holistic response that is based on strong technical analysis across multiple disciplines.’
‘William Grace is a renowned technical expert in his field. He has the ability to address boards, technical compliance professionals and more junior staff members in a way that conveys appropriate understanding of the issues at hand. He offers pragmatic advice that steers the recipient towards the best case scenario of action to take, whilst giving an understanding of all of the options available.’
‘Oliver Lindop has a strong ability to discuss technical matters whilst ensuring that other relevant aspects for consideration are also covered. Oliver is great at highlighting the key points to an issue, allowing us the option of exploring those most relevant to our need for advice or making a quick decision that then negates the need for detailed advice on particular topics, which of course helps in being cost-effective for his clients too.’
‘Great expertise and client base. Available with excellent market practice.’
‘The team offers excellent insights into regulatory and white-collar crime practices. They have a clear understanding of our business and the areas to focus on, and work in a very collaborative manner.’
‘William Grace is exceptional at reading a position, interpreting what is required and removing noise from a situation.’
Key clients
UK government
Accuro
Alter Domus
Aztec
Brooks Macdonald
Butterfield
Crestbridge
Fairway
FCM
Fides
Goldmoney
Hawksford
IQEQ
Intertrust
JTC
Langham Hall
Lloyds Bank
Nordic Capital
Rawlinson & Hunter
RBSI
Royal Bank of Canada
Saltgate
Apex
Stonehage Fleming
TMF
UBP
UBS
Vistra
Work highlights
- Acted for the UK government in relation to a sanctions matter.
- Acted for a client in relation to the criminal investigations and prosecutions of Glencore.
Jersey > Employment Tier 1
Carey Olsen‘s Channel Island employment practice is well-placed to advise both onshore and offshore employers and trust managers on matters concerning pension schemes, as well as assisting with the structuring of large-scale pension plans and associated regulatory matters. The team is also able to advise on exits of senior employees and employee incentive schemes, as well as handling discrimination claims. Huw Thomas, who was made partner in January 2023 and focuses on mediation, leads the team alongside pensions specialist Alexa Saunders, who also heads up the firm’s trusts and private wealth team. Counsel Julie Currie is an experienced pensions practitioner, advising on transfers, scheme restructures, risk transfers and benefit changes. Senior associate Tarina Le Boutillier is noted for her work on immigration, in addition to contentious and non-contentious employment work.Practice head(s):
Huw Thomas; Alexa Saunders
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Carey Olsen’s pensions team is thoroughly knowledgeable and well respected in their field, clearly keeping up to date with industry developments, legal updates and regulatory developments.’
‘Julie Currie is thoroughly professional, knowledgeable and very responsive.’
‘The advice Huw Thomas provides is always clear and proportionate to the size and sector of the client.’
‘I felt they were very client-focused. They understood the challenge and risk and were honest about possible outcomes, risks and ideas for different options. It was not an easy case across a couple of jurisdictions, and they ensured that all groups involved were aligned and did their best to make the issue seamless. Very much appreciated their support – a great partner.’
‘Huw Thomas and Tarina Le Boutillier worked well as a team.’
‘Carey Olsen takes the time to get to know its clients and their business. They then tailor their approach and advice to the size, culture and industry; all the time ensuring they uphold the law and all ethical standards.’
‘Huw Thomas and Tarina Le Boutillier provide an efficient and caring service, always ensuring they find time to help (sometimes at extremely short notice).’
‘Helpful, responsive advice. They understand commercial realities and provide practical solutions.’
Key clients
Committee of Management of the Public Employees’ Pension Fund
Management Board of the Jersey Teachers Superannuation Fund
RBS International Employees’ Pension Trustees Limited (Trustee of the RBS International Pension Trust)
RBS International Employees’ Pension Trustees Limited (Trustee of the RBSI Widows and Orphans Purpose Trust)
Trustees of Aberdeen Asset Management Pension Scheme
Nedbank Private Wealth
Ports of Jersey Limited
Rossborough Financial Services Limited
Fairway Pension Trustees Limited
Alex Forbes
Work highlights
- Advising the Committee of Management of the Public Employees’ Pension Fund and the Management Board of the Jersey’s Teachers Superannuation Fund on an ongoing basis.
- Advised Nedbank Private Wealth on the sale of its Channel Islands trusts businesses, Nedgroup Trust (Guernsey) and Nedgroup Trust (Jersey) to Suntera Global.
- Advising on the Jersey and Guernsey law issues relevant to the RBS International Employees’ Pension Trustees, a large multi-jurisdictional pension scheme.
Jersey > Family Tier 1
Carey Olsen is instructed by HNWIs to handle Jersey-based and multi-jurisdictional family matters, including both amicable and contentious divorces and associated disputes concerning children, property and maintenance payments; the group is particularly well known for its strength in assisting with the drafting of pre-nuptial agreements. Steering the practice is Marcus Pallot, an experienced litigator who represents wealthy individuals in divorce proceedings. Lauren Glynn, who was promoted to counsel in January 2023, represents clients going through divorces and subsequent disputes relating to finances and children. Tori Cure‘s practice encompasses contested child-related matters, but she has a particular focus on trust matters, while Tara Lee, who joined the firm from BCR Law in January 2022, supports clients engaged in multi-jurisdictional trust and financial disputes, in addition to handling leave to remove cases.Practice head(s):
Marcus Pallot
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘There is a depth and breadth in this practice which enhances the service given to matrimonial clients in the ability to swiftly access quality input across a variety of disciplines. In my opinion, they are the standout team of matrimonial lawyers in Jersey.’
‘Lauren Glynn is always a pleasure to have as an opponent – straightforward, practical and reasonable.’
‘Lauren Glynn’s team are easy to get along with which enables you to have a collaborative discussion to reach the best results for both sides of a case. Even the less experienced members of their team are very knowledgeable of the legal issues in dispute and know the facts of their cases.’
‘Lauren Glynn is an intelligent and pragmatic practitioner. Being able to pick up the phone to a family lawyer to talk through the issues in a non-confrontational way is always a good thing for the clients on both sides. Lauren is one of those lawyers.’
‘Beyond the undoubted technical expertise, the strength lies in the focus on family solutions and minimising conflict.’
‘The team are very professional, responsive and clear. There is an ability to present complex legal advice in an understandable way and to treat clients with compassion and respect.’
‘The team are very able, experienced and work very collaboratively with clients, other advisers and “the other side”. Their focus is on reaching negotiated settlements and not on taking their clients into court.’
‘This practice was recommended to me by a colleague who had recently gone through a divorce as a kind and reasonably priced company. They have always acted responsibly and with consideration, responded quickly to any requests I have made, and have tried to make the costs as low as possible.’
Jersey > Investment funds Tier 1
Carey Olsen specialises in supporting Jersey-domiciled funds with the gamut of funds-related matters, advising on the fundraising for launch, closing of funds, and related structuring matters. The firm counts a number of notable private equity and secondaries, real estate, hedge and digital asset funds among its clients. Robert Milner, who acts for both boutique and institutional fund managers, leads the practice alongside private and real estate funds specialist James Mulholland. Daniel O’Connor focuses on the formation and structuring of new funds, in addition to offshore transactions, while Christopher Griffin handles transactional and regulatory issues, including guiding funds through Jersey’s approval process. Claire Le Quesne, Andrea Steel and Nienke Malan advise on real estate and investment funds, regulatory issues, and cross-border and collective investment vehicles.Practice head(s):
Robert Milner; James Mulholland
Other key lawyers:
Daniel O’Connor; Christopher Griffin; Claire Le Quesne; Andrea Steel; Nienke Malan
Testimonials
‘The team is 100% focused on the client, anticipating their needs and just making their lives easier overall. Difficult questions are thoroughly assessed with relevant advisors in advance to ensure user-friendly, but sound, legal advice is rendered without the clients having to second-guess or interpret the guidance. They deliver actionable advice each and every time.’
‘Daniel O’Connor can read his clients’ minds. He knows what they want before they ask for it. Bespoke solutions are offered without sacrificing speed of delivery or robustness of the legal advice rendered. Efficiency is second to none and he’s straight to the point. Andrea Steel knows her clients and gives them the feeling that their matters are in good hands: technically versed, reliable and pleasant to work with. A real team player who makes clients forget where their in-house team ends and the external advisor team begins.’
‘The team in Jersey is very experienced in the field and has its finger on the pulse with new regulations and local laws.’
‘Carey Olsen has a sophisticated investment funds practice with a large group of specialists that justifies its eminent reputation. The team demonstrates deep industry knowledge and extensive experience developing complex products.’
‘James Mulholland is pragmatic and commercial, which he combines with a deep industry knowledge. He is always on hand to offer expert advice on complicated matters. Nienke Malan stands out as being on top of the detail and very hands-on. Her commercial approach to solving complex matters is something we have continuously valued.’
‘Excellent client interaction. Very strong commercial approach. Focus on diversity, ESG, employee wellbeing. Excellent technical advisors.’
‘James Mulholland is an outstanding lawyer and a very good people person. Everything you want in a relationship partner. Claire Le Quesne is a superb technical lawyer and a very calming influence on clients.’
‘Robert Milner and Nienke Malan consistently provide timely and commercial advice, enabling us to service our international private equity clients.’
Key clients
Apollo Global Management
Appian Natural Resources Fund GP II
Binance (Jersey)
Bregal Capital
Capital & Counties
CBRE Global Investment Partners
Centricus Partners LP
Criptyque Limited
Davidson Kempner European Partners
Delancey Real Estate Asset Management
Diginex Limited
ED Group Holding
EJF Investments
EMK Capital
EPIC Private Equity
Epiris Managers
Falco Regional Aircraft
FSN Capital Partners
GCP
Grainger
Gramercy Europe (Jersey)
Gulf Islamic Investments
Hermes GPE
Hollyport Capital
Insight Venture Partners
Janus Henderson Group
Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate
Lothbury Investment Management
M7 Real Estate Financial Services
Mondrian Investment Partners
Nordic Capital
Oaktree Capital Management (UK)
Patron Capital Advisers
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners
Realty Income Corporation
RK Investment Management
Schroder Real Estate Managers (Jersey)
Softbank Group Corp
The Blackstone Group
Unigestion
Work highlights
- Advised Nordic Capital on a large fundraising, closing Nordic Capital Fund XI at €9bn.
- Advised Hollyport Capital on the launch and final close of its latest fund, Hollyport Secondary Opportunities Fund VIII.
- Advised Bregal Sagemount on the successful launch and final close of its latest flagship fund, Bregal Sagemount Fund IV, which held a final close of $2.5bn.
Jersey > Private client, trusts and tax Tier 1
Carey Olsen strengthened its private client and trust offering with a number of recent arrivals, acquiring partner Robert Dobbyn, who specialises in complex Jersey trust and foundation structures, and senior associate Carla Plater, who handles trust and probate matters, from Walkers in January 2023 and December 2022, respectively. Additionally, Pierre Ali-Noor joined the firm in October 2022 from Dickinson Gleeson, and represents clients engaged in contentious trust matters. Non-contentious and semi-contentious trusts specialist Alexa Saunders assumed leadership of the practice in January 2023. Andreas Kistler handles court proceedings, including breach of trust and professional negligence cases, in addition to accusations of fraud. Keith Dixon‘s practice spans commercial and private trusts, foundations, charitable and non-profit organisations. Stephen Fitzgerald focuses on employee incentive arrangements.Practice head(s):
Alexa Saunders
Other key lawyers:
Andreas Kistler; Keith Dixon; Victoria Connolly; Stephen Fitzgerald; Robert Dobbyn; Carla Plater; Pierre Ali-Noor
Testimonials
‘The team has a very good command of Jersey trust law and is able to handle any case, no matter how complex. Their organisation allows them to deal with emergencies.’
‘I deal with Keith Dixon and he is unique in the market in that he is commercially astute and pragmatic in the way in which he gives advice. Advice is delivered in plain English in a way which you can understand. He is an excellent lawyer and very pragmatic in the way in which he works.’
‘They have a strong team who are extremely knowledgeable across all areas of Jersey trust law, and importantly can apply and advise this knowledge in an international context.’
‘Keith Dixon stands out as always responsive, always knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with.’
‘The team at Carey Olsen are knowledgeable and very practical in their approach. They are incredibly responsive and are always available out of hours.’
‘Keith Dixon is incredibly responsive and proactive. Alexa Saunders is technically excellent and very responsive.’
‘The practitioner I would like to single out is Alexa Saunders. She is a market leader in trusts. Highly knowledgeable, personable and commercial.’
‘We have in particular worked with Stephen Fitzgerald. Having worked with Carey Olsen for so many years, the “added value” is that he understands our goals. So, instead of just providing legal advice, he is able to do so whilst acting as a trusted advisor.’
Foreign-based expertise > Leading firms Tier 1
Overview Leveraging the expertise throughout its UK and Asia offices, Carey Olsen’s ‘incredibly responsive and effective’ global Caribbean-focused practice draws on ‘deep reservoirs of expertise and experience’ to field ‘the A-Team of all offshore practices operating today’. The firm’s team is spread across its London, Hong Kong and Singapore offices, covering Bermuda, BVI and Cayman law with particular experience in corporate, finance, funds and insolvency work, and litigation. For more information on specific regions, please click on the tabs below.- Asia
- UK
Practice head(s):
Jasmine Amaria; Michael Padarin; Anthony McKenzie
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Carey Olsen’s dispute resolution team is in my view the A-Team of all offshore practices operating today. They would be my go-to team for complex, multi-jurisdictional work involving any corporate or commercial dispute in the BVI or Cayman Islands, or arbitration in Singapore, and they have a stellar array of clients drawn from across the Asia Pacific region and beyond, which underscores their status as the best of the best.’
‘James Noble – Quite simply the best of the best – James possesses that rare combination in a team leader of great legal insight, great leadership skills and a frightening eye for detail. He also makes things happen – getting his clients from where they are to where they want to be.’
‘We work closely with Sheba Raza. The difference is that Sheba always feels part of the team she is working with as she takes the trouble to identify what is needed and when to play her role in any transactions that she is involved in.’
‘Richard Brown is superb as a lawyer, as a litigator and as a strategist. I cannot recommend him too highly.’
‘Matthew Watson is very experienced in heavy trust and commercial litigation, he is a sound lawyer, has superb tactical sense, excellent client skills and is phenomenally hardworking: a great guy!’
‘Deep reservoirs of expertise and experience in dealing with complex, high-value international trust and estate disputes.’
‘Helen Wang is very experienced with great cross-jurisdictional knowledge and analysis. Reassuring to work with, and someone who is easy to trust.’
‘Jeremy Lightfoot is an outstanding litigation lawyer and an impressive critical thinker, always thinking steps ahead of the game. Since he is so good at what he does, we can easily build trust with him and his legal team and always feel we are in good hands. He is also very professional, patient and incredibly helpful throughout the course of the engagement. We would definitely recommend him.’
Key clients
Arrowcrest Limited
Attestor Value Master Fund LP
Babel Holding Limited
Bank of China
Bullish/Block.One
Caldicott Worldwide Ltd
Carbon Growth Partners
CITIC Bank
EQT AB
Fulham Company Limited
Fullgoal Asset Management (HK) Limited
G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd.
Huaxing Growth Capital
IDEG Investment Management Limited
InterEnergy Holdings Limited
JD Sports Gym Ltd
Leapfrog Investments Group Ltd
Marunouchi Innovation Partners Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Mubadala Petroleum (Thailand) Holdings Limited
Oasis Investments II Master Fund Limited
OCBC Wing Hang Bank
PayProp
Permira
Smarter Microelectronics
Spathiphy Capital Management Limited
Stoneway Capital Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, (Hong Kong branch)
The Federal Republic of Nigeria
United Overseas Bank
XanPool
Work highlights
- Acted as BVI and Cayman corporate and regulatory counsel in connection with the combination of EQT AB with Baring Private Equity Asia.
- Advised Marunouchi Innovation Partners Co., Ltd. on the successful launch of the Marunouchi Climate Tech Growth Fund L.P.
- Acting for Babel Holding Limited, a Cayman company, with respect to the restructuring of its debts.
Guernsey > Private client, trusts and tax
Carey Olsen‘s team supports HNWIs with the setup and restructuring of trusts, private trust companies and family offices, while working alongside the firm’s litigation practice to represent clients engaged in multijurisdictional trust disputes. Practice head Russell Clark handles both contentious and non-contentious trust matters, notably advising on the establishment of complex trust structures. Natasha Kapp‘s practice encompasses both private wealth structuring and philanthropy, as well as contentious trust issues. Having retired from the partnership in June 2022, Konrad Friedlaender continues to advise on a wide range of trust matters in addition to pensions, employee benefit and share option schemes as a consultant. Counsel Laila Arstall focuses on a wide range of tax issues, while fellow counsel Wendy Garrard assists trustees, beneficiaries and protectors with matters concerning regulatory and fiduciary law.Practice head(s):
Russell Clark
Other key lawyers:
Natasha Kapp; Konrad Friedlaender; Laila Arstall; Wendy Garrard; Patricia Montgomery
Testimonials
‘For me, the strongest private client and trust team in Guernsey; long experience, deep knowledge, excellent connections to industry and government to give us practical, value for money advice. The team always looks at matters from different angles and balances extensive fiduciary knowledge with strong commercial awareness, to provide sound advice.’
‘I have worked with Konrad Friedlaender for many years and his legal knowledge, commercial awareness, practical approach and calmness are strengths he brings to all matters. He is also a diplomat, and I have seen him defuse many challenging situations with third parties. I have no hesitation bringing him into meetings and calls, to work though issues and find solutions.’
‘Russell Clark is always there to protect and defend our interests, clear communication and excellent at balancing fiduciary and commercial considerations. ‘
‘Their personal service and breadth of expertise always delivers.’
‘They are extremely personable and collaborative. I also found them to be pragmatic and technically strong.’
‘Natasha Kapp was very impressive in a complex matter.’
‘The team at Carey Olsen have provided fantastic legal support over many years. Their advice on trust matters is always first rate, demonstrating both their technical knowledge and their understanding of the dynamics involved between trustee, settlor and beneficiaries.’
‘Konrad Friedlaender and Natasha Kapp particularly stand out as we have worked closely with them on trust matters for many years, during which time we have appreciated their knowledge of the historic trust and family issues, and their ability to apply that together with their technical knowledge in providing very high quality and often very practical legal advice and support.’
Carey Olsen > Firm Profile
With a heritage that dates back to 1898, Carey Olsen is one of the most established and distinguished offshore law firms. It delivers exceptional services to its clients from the key offshore financial centres of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey. It also has an established presence in Cape Town, Hong Kong, London and Singapore. It is consistently the firm of choice for clients and their advisors who are looking for the highest levels of service.
The firm: The firm offers a partner-led approach. It employs more than 500 people and its 60-plus partners head up a total complement of 250 lawyers. It provides legal services in relation to all areas of corporate and finance law, investment funds, trusts and private wealth, dispute resolution and property law.
The firm works with an extensive range of clients, including many of the world’s leading banks, insurance companies, investment funds, private equity houses, real estate firms, sovereign wealth funds, publicly listed companies, ultra-high net worth individuals and governments. The firm is often instructed by or works alongside leading legal and other professional advisers on complex international transactions and cases.
Carey Olsen is the largest law firm in Guernsey and in Jersey, with more Tier 1 practice area rankings than any other firm.
Types of work undertaken: The firm offers a comprehensive range of legal services for all aspects of corporate/transactional, dispute resolution and private client work.
Its primary transactional legal services include: banking and finance; corporate and commercial; employment, pensions and incentives; commercial property; insolvency and restructuring; insurance; intellectual property; investment funds and private equity; mergers and acquisitions; regulatory and financial crime; and trusts and private wealth.
The firm’s dispute resolution and litigation group represents clients on the full spectrum of contentious, semi-contentious and advisory work in both a domestic and international context. Together with commercial litigation services, its practice offers focused advice on banking and finance, corporate disputes, contentious trusts, restructuring and insolvency, regulatory and financial crime.
The firm’s private clients rely upon it for services that include estate planning, residential property, wills and inheritance.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Listing services | Kate Andrews | kate.andrews@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Kate Andrews | kate.andrews@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Guy Coltman | guy.coltman@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Guy Coltman | guy.coltman@careyolsen.com | |
Investment funds | Guy Coltman | guy.coltman@careyolsen.com | |
Trusts and private wealth | Keith Dixon | keith.dixon@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Peter German | keith.dixon@careyolsen.com | |
Regulatory | William Grace | william.grace@careyolsen.com | |
Dispute resolution and litigation | William Grace | william.grace@careyolsen.com | |
Investment funds | Christopher Griffin | christopher.griffin@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Christopher Griffin | christopher.griffin@careyolsen.com | |
Dispute resolution and litigation | John Kelleher | john.kelleher@careyolsen.com | |
Dispute resolution and litigation | Andreas Kistler | andreas.kistler@careyolsen.com | |
Trusts and private wealth | Andreas Kistler | andreas.kistler@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Simon Marks | simon.marks@careyolsen.com | |
Listing services | Simon Marks | simon.marks@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Simon Marks | simon.marks@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Robert Milner | robert.milner@careyolsen.com | |
Investment funds | Robert Milner | robert.milner@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Robert Milner | robert.milner@careyolsen.com | |
Listing services | James Mulholland | james.mulholland@careyolsen.com | |
Investment funds | James Mulholland | james.mulholland@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | James Mulholland | james.mulholland@careyolsen.com | |
Investment funds | Daniel O'Connor | daniel.oconnor@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Daniel O'Connor | daniel.oconnor@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate and commercial | Alex Ohlsson | alex.ohlsson@careyolsen.com | |
Property law | Alex Ohlsson | alex.ohlsson@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Alex Ohlsson | alex.ohlsson@careyolsen.com | |
Restructuring and insolvency | Marcus Pallot | marcus.pallot@careyolsen.com | |
Regulatory | Marcus Pallot | marcus.pallot@careyolsen.com | |
Dispute resolution and litigation | Marcus Pallot | marcus.pallot@careyolsen.com | |
Property | Christopher Philpott | christopher.philpott@careyolsen.com | |
Employment | Siobhan Riley | siobhan.riley@careyolsen.com | |
Trusts and private wealth | Siobhan Riley | siobhan.riley@careyolsen.com | |
Regulatory | Alexa Saunders | alexa.saunders@careyolsen.com | |
Trusts and private wealth | Alexa Saunders | alexa.saunders@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | Robin Smith | robin.smith@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Robin Smith | robin.smith@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | David Taylor | david.taylor@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | David Taylor | david.taylor@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and finance | James Willmott | james.willmott@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | James Willmott | james.willmott@careyolsen.com | |
Investment Funds | Peter German | peter.german@careyolsen.com | |
Corporate | Peter German | peter.german@careyolsen.com | |
Banking and Finance | Peter German | peter.german@careyolsen.com |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Kate Andrews | Kate has over 20 years’ experience of cross-border corporate finance transactions with… | View Profile | |
Tarina Le Boutillier | Tarina specialises in employment law, dealing with global, multinational and local clients… | View Profile | |
Lizzie Chamberlain | Lizzie acts for a varied client base on both the lender and… | View Profile | |
Guy Coltman | Guy has worked on a number of high-profile transactions during his career… | View Profile | |
Victoria Connolly | Victoria is counsel in Carey Olsen’s trusts and private wealth group. She… | View Profile | |
Julie Currie | Julie Currie is counsel in the trusts and private wealth team at… | View Profile | |
Fiona Dalton | Fiona is counsel in Carey Olsen’s corporate team and advises clients in… | View Profile | |
Keith Dixon | Keith is a partner in the Trusts & Private Wealth group. Keith… | View Profile | |
Matthew Ecobichon | Matthew is counsel and advises clients including leading international law firms and… | View Profile | |
Sarah Farrow | Sarah regularly acts for high net worth individuals, family offices and professional… | View Profile | |
Stephen Fitzgerald | Stephen has a broad non-contentious trust practice advising many of the leading… | View Profile | |
Peter German | Peter’s practice is corporate and banking, including local and international banking with… | View Profile | |
Lauren Glynn | Lauren is a senior specialist family lawyer. She has significant experience and… | View Profile | |
William Grace | William is a partner advising Jersey’s finance industry and international clients on… | View Profile | |
Christopher Griffin | Christopher has broad experience of both general international corporate and funds work… | View Profile | |
Victoria Grogan | Victoria is counsel in Carey Olsen’s Jersey trusts and private wealth team.… | View Profile | |
Laura Healy | Laura is counsel in our London office and acts on a wide… | View Profile | |
Lyndsay Houlette | Lyndsay is a senior associate in the Jersey property team. She advises… | View Profile | |
John Kelleher | Partner and head of dispute resolution and litigation at Carey Olsen, specialises… | View Profile | |
Andreas Kistler | Andreas is a partner in Carey Olsen’s trusts and private wealth and… | View Profile | |
Mike Kushner | Mike is a senior associate in the litigation team in Jersey, specialising… | View Profile | |
Mike Kushner | Mike is a senior associate in the litigation team in Jersey, specialising… | View Profile | |
Claire Le Quesne | Claire advises clients in respect of corporate, funds and banking matters. Her… | View Profile | |
Oliver Lindop | Oliver is counsel and Advocate in Carey Olsen’s Dispute Resolution team specialising… | View Profile | |
Nienke Malan | Nienke is a Jersey qualified solicitor with over a decade of post… | View Profile | |
Simon Marks | Simon specialises in debt capital markets, high yield, securitisation and structured finance… | View Profile | |
John McCormick | John practices all aspects of commercial litigation with a particular focus on… | View Profile | |
Rebecca McQuillan | Rebecca advises clients in respect of a diverse range of corporate and… | View Profile | |
Robert Milner | Robert is one of Jersey’s leading funds lawyers. He acts for a… | View Profile | |
Ashley Morrison | Ashley specialises in securitisation and structured finance transactions for clients which include global… | View Profile | |
James Mulholland | James’ experience covers a wide breadth of international funds and corporate work… | View Profile | |
Daniel O"Connor | Daniel specialises in the structuring and formation of investment funds, real estate… | View Profile | |
Alex Ohlsson | Alex is recognised as a leading expert in corporate and finance law;… | View Profile | |
Marcus Pallot | Marcus’ practice covers three main areas: contentious regulatory; insolvency; and financial services… | View Profile | |
Christopher Philpott | Chris is the head of the firm’s property group in Jersey. He… | View Profile | |
Alexa Saunders | Alexa is head of the trusts and private wealth group in Jersey… | View Profile | |
Robin Smith | Robin is consistently recognised for his ability to deal with a wide… | View Profile | |
David Taylor | David is a partner in the Jersey corporate group. His practice covers a… | View Profile | |
Huw Thomas | Huw is a partner in Carey Olsen’s Jersey office specialising in employment… | View Profile | |
Katherine Tresca | Katherine is a senior associate in the Jersey corporate group. She works… | View Profile | |
James Willmott | James’ practice covers a wide range of corporate activities with a focus… | View Profile | |
Louise Woolrich | Louise is a partner in the dispute resolution and litigation team in… | View Profile |
Comparative Guides
-
British Virgin Islands: Private Client
Published: January 2024
Authors: Bernadette Carey
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Private Client laws and regulations applicable in British Virgin Islands.
-
Cayman Islands: Private Client
Published: January 2024
Authors: Bernadette Carey
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Private Client laws and regulations applicable in Cayman Islands.
-
Jersey: Private Client
Published: January 2024
Authors: Keith DixonElizabeth Le Guillou
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Private Client laws and regulations applicable in Jersey.
-
Bermuda: Private Client
Published: January 2024
Authors: Keith RobinsonAshley FifeStephanie BernardLaura Kearns
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Private Client laws and regulations applicable in Bermuda.
-
Guernsey: Private Client
Published: January 2024
Authors: Russell ClarkNatasha KappPatricia MontgomeryLaila Arstall
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Private Client laws and regulations applicable in Guernsey.
- Banking and finance
- Capital markets
- Commercial property
- Corporate and commercial
- Dispute resolution
- Dispute resolution > Regulatory and white-collar crime
- Employment
- Family
- Investment funds
- Private client, trusts and tax
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Foreign-based expertise > Leading firms
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Guernsey > Private client, trusts and tax