Collas Crill > St Peter Port, Guernsey > Firm Profile

‘I primarily work with Donald Millar and Michael Morris. Put simply, they are experienced and knowledgeable in all matters property. They have a strong wider team and are able to tackle any questions with have with speed and efficiency. They are quick to make contact when any issues arise and always have a plethora of options available when coming to problem solving.’

‘Pragmatic, supportive and willing to go the extra mile to assist their clients. Their plain-English approach is reassuring and empowering.’

‘Collas Crill have a strong presence in the commercial property market and are able to deal with complex issues relating to commercial leasing, commercial development and commercial sales. This depth and breadth of experience, together with their client care makes them a pleasure to work with, in the knowledge they have the ability to represent your interests fairly and to protect your position.’

‘Donald Millar is a leader in residential property knowledge. If it’s just a five-minute catch up or a full debrief on a client, he always captures the salient points and explains them in layman terms. He is happy to work with banks and clients to solve differences and is a ‘go-to’ lawyer when we have any complicated issues.’

‘Donald Millar’s grounded, down-to-earth, logical and proactive approach continues to be a breath of fresh air. Trying to source pragmatic solutions to any situation that arises and not afraid to take a constructive lead amongst peers to get the deal done, not just for the benefit of his own client.’

‘We particularly enjoy working with Jason Green. We find him responsive, diligent, commercially minded and a good team player.’

‘Paul Nettleship is directly contactable and if not available he has the necessary secretarial and technical support to ensure matters requiring attention can be progressed. A huge advantage in commercial property transactions. He is a respected member of the Guernsey Bar.’

‘Emma Taylor will go right to the top: Efficient, professional and extremely personable.’

‘Gareth Bell is a very experienced and steady hand on the tiller. Knowledgeable and able to provide comfort when the going gets tough.’ 

‘David O’Hanlon is calm and understated but firm in his advice. Willing to take on board client strategic views and to advise having regard to the ultimate aims.

‘Christian Hay is a tireless advocate for the interests of Collas Crill and Guernsey dispute resolution in general.’

‘Michael Adkins: exceptional lawyer; commercially focused and technically excellent.’

‘James Tee is thorough and prompt to ensure that matters keep pace and the initiative is maintained.’

‘Ben Havard is a pleasure to work with and a charming practitioner who provides quality advice and always offers a clear litigation strategy. He is highly collaborative and knows what his clients want.’

‘Nin Ritchie is at the top of her game. She is a calm, steady pair of hands and can efficiently get to grips with idiosyncratic matters. I continue to be very impressed with her legal knowledge and commercial acumen.’

‘Martin Le Boutillier and Pamela Doherty are extremely knowledgeable in the local market and extremely easy to deal with.’

‘The team are very approachable and their experience in all commercial property areas is second to none.’

‘Pamela Doherty is always pleasant and easy to approach.’

‘Martin Le Boutillier is always dependable, dedicated to his work and has extensive knowledge.’

‘Gavin Renault is responsive and dedicated and has more than 40 years of local experience.’

‘Pamela Doherty demonstrated fantastic knowledge and flexibility to complete what was a rather complicated property transaction that needed to be completed within a short time frame whilst all parties to the transaction were in lockdown. She and her team made use of technology to ensure documents, meetings and KYC were handled in a timely manner, with ease and professionalism while exercising flexibility and initiative to overcome the hurdles thrown up by Covid-19.’

‘Damian James is a leader in his field, as effective in court as he is on paper, which is superb. Calm and measured approach identifying the key issues and focusing on the points that count for the client’s best outcome.’

‘One of the big players in Jersey, Collas Crill has highly experienced lawyers with real talent. The team has the ability to deal with the most high profile litigation and is in all the big Channel Island cases.’

‘Nuno Santos-Costa is extremely experienced. he has excellent client-handling skills and is very practical in seeking a solution for his client. Sam Williams is an excellent lawyer who is very good on his feet. He has grown into a highly skilled advocate. Kirsten Bailey is also an extremely good associate.’

‘The team consists of very experienced and knowledgeable lawyers, who are detail oriented and produce excellent advice. They effortlessly absorb the intricacies of a matter and are consistently appointed in construction, property, commercial and and trust disputes.’

‘Nuno Santos-Costa is a very smart lawyer. He understands issues quickly and is a great strategist. He is excellent with clients, has a pragmatic approach and is much sought after. Nuno has a pleasant, knowledgeable demeanour which commands respect.’

‘Lynne Calder is astute and easily gets to the nub of a matter. She is very good with clients, gives sound advice and has a tremendous ability to produce high-quality work.’

‘Simon Hurry was great to work with. The matter we worked on together was extremely time sensitive as well as raising novel, cross-jurisdictional points of law. Simon was considered, detail-oriented, responsive and collaborative. He provided excellent legal and strategic advice and felt like an extension of the team.’

‘Dan Boxall is incredibly astute and diligent and with a keen tactical brain.’

‘Personable and helpful – knowledgeable in their field.’

‘Collas Crill have very much become a trusted adviser to us. Key to us is them taking the time to understand our business and support advising on a case-by-case basis. They’re very transparent with fees and particularly keen to ensure proposals work for the business.’

‘The firm provided a high-quality professional service which included timely feedback, clear concise responses and legal counsel. Extremely proactive and commercial law firm who are top of their game for offshore legal advice.’

‘I will always seek out Simon Heggs for Guernsey expertise. Simon is both very personable and a very high-quality lawyer, who can always be relied upon to be responsive, pragmatic and commercial.’

‘Ben Le Page has been fundamental in organising and delivering on legal matters. His knowledge and proactive approach has meant that all matters are handled within the expected timeframe and within the scope of anticipated costs. Ben is a pleasure to work with and maintains a strong client relationship with us.’

‘The thing that Collas Crill do very well is that their associates are really connected and coverage is excellent if the primary deal associate is away, unavailable etc. – particular credit here to Ben Le Page. Their responsiveness is also excellent.’

‘Simon Heggs is an integral part of the client delivery team and clients rely on him and instruct him directly, which is unusual for offshore counsel.’

‘Collas Crill have shown themselves to be market-leaders in the new and complex medicinal cannabis sector.’

‘We have found the team to be very strong. Simon Heggs, Wayne Atkinson, Gareth Morgan and Paul Wilkes are all available and help lead transactions rather than “cheer from the sidelines” which is something other offshore law firms can sometimes do.’

‘Their team are knowledgeable to, and aware of, ongoing matters that they are conducting and all work is carried out to a very high standard. Billing and delivery matters are always as expected and they are always open to negotiating fee discussions and maneuvering to meet client expectations.’

‘For me what makes this team so special is their ability to break down complex matters into understandable and clear guidance, whilst remaining calm and completely focused to the end result. All this whilst being transparent and fair on fees.’

‘Simon Heggs demonstrates exceptional technical expertise, whilst also having the client’s best interests at heart. Simon is approachable, friendly and a pleasure to do business with.’

‘Very responsive no matter what time of day.’

‘Simon Heggs is a highly responsive, knowledgeable and pragmatic transactional lawyer: he is a pleasure to work with, and given the choice, his team are definitely my preferred Guernsey counsel to work with. I trust him, which is in my opinion the highest accolade that can be given to a professional advisor.’

‘Elizabeth Couch cares deeply for her clients, has a huge work ethic and thinks creatively about solutions for her cases. She is very tactically astute and a fine technical lawyer.’

‘David Cooney is one of very few lawyers in the private client sector who combines a considerate yet pragmatic approach with outstanding technical knowledge in the full range of structures used by international families for estate planning and investment. He is an exceptional talent in the industry.’

‘The approach received was a team approach, with all relevant members of the team involved to deliver a solution. The business was potentially contentious and the extra attention to detail was very much appreciated. Greg Haddow in particular took the effort to ensure that a solution was delivered that was acceptable to the client, after office hours. This resulted in the capturing of a significant relationship for us.’

‘The team are very responsive and not only technically good, they also understand the commercial and family aspects that underlie many family wealth structures.’

‘I work mostly with David Cooney who has turned out to be capable of adapting documentation to clients’ needs and trying to understand what truly moves the client.’

‘Angela Calnan has proven to be excellent in matching the work requested with the outcome provided.’

‘Joanne Seal is hardworking and diligent. She is an excellent listener and the type of solicitor whom you don’t have to tell something to twice.’

‘My main contact at Collas Crill Guernsey is David Cooney. I must say that he always provided a great service and support. His advice is always very comprehensive, clear and solution oriented.’

‘Collas Crill’s Jersey banking team is still quite new to the market, but has proved itself to be a good alternative to the established names. We have used them twice in the last year and have been impressed by their service and delivery.’

‘Keen to develop relationships. Friendly and personable team. Commercially sound and pragmatic advice.’

‘Collas Crill has a great team across the board in all jurisdictions that I have dealt with and I really rate them for their Jersey banking and finance work. They are always responsive and on top of things, even when I know that they are busy working on a number of large transactions at the same time.’

‘Mike Williams does a great job of helping the Collas Crill team to look after us on the Jersey side and seamlessly fitting in with the work that we do for our clients. Mike is a great lawyer and very pragmatic. He always has the big picture in mind, even when it appears that the other side’s Jersey lawyers can’t see the wood for the trees. Alexander Price is one of his key associates and is a pleasure to work with, he knows our team well and so working with him feels like having him on our team too.’

‘Quality team with good understanding of banking and finance.’

‘Collas Crill are easy to do business with. They get the job done with minimal fuss and no last-minute fee creep discussions. They seem hungry for work and deliver a good service.’

‘Responsive, competitive on cost, and practical. The team also offers a very personable and collegial service.’

‘I have known Sam Sturrock for many years – he is a stand-out lawyer – clearly knowing his area inside out but importantly personable, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.’

‘The Collas Crill team are consistently knowledgeable and helpful. Over the years I have dealt with the firm, the personnel may have changed but the level of service has remained the same.’

‘The Collas Crill team are not only experts but personable. They are a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Although a smaller player in the funds market, they provide a more personal touch.’

‘I work with Sam Sturrock, who is a highly capable and technical lawyer.’

‘Great and knowledgeable lawyers, very responsive.’

‘I worked with Sam Sturrock who has been very responsive, helpful and knowledgeable. Great person to work with.’

‘Highly responsive, covers all bases and clear on pricing and timelines.’

‘Very dynamic team, always responsive and on top of the cases. The team has a strong ratio of female representatives, which can be acknowledged in a time where this still remains a challenge in many firms.’

‘Kellyann Ozouf is a top-notch practitioner. Fully dedicated and committed to her clients with great strategic views. She never fails to think out of the box and come up with creative and innovative approach.’

‘The team throughout the Channel Islands worked seamlessly to ensure we connected with the right person. They were all very approachable and knowledgeable.’

‘Kellyann Ozouf was very professional and yet friendly, she provided us with the guidance and assistance we required. Her patience in helping and guiding us through the client communications in order to achieve the desired outcome was greatly appreciated.’

‘Kellyann Ozouf is fantastic. She has both a commercial and technical ability that allows her to navigate workable solutions for clients.’

‘Collas Crill are my go-to firm – not only do they make doing business together easier but they have the diversity of legal practice in house to provide the holistic services our private client structures need. It really is such a pleasure to work with Collas Crill.’

‘Very personable team that are supportive and provide solid guidance.’

‘Paul Wilkes tries to understand the client and match their needs to the law. He is proactive and grasps matters quickly.’

‘The responsiveness of the team, the willingness to go an extra mile, and a very commercial approach.’

‘I have worked with Paul Wilkes and Wayne Atkinson. Both were very commercial and technically excellent. I appreciated their responsiveness and keenness to make things work for my client. Top service and commercially priced as well.’

‘Mike Williams is incredibly hands-on and responsive during a transaction. He gets the job done on time and within budget.’

‘Mike Williams is highly experienced, very concise and clear yet very approachable and easy to deal with. His advice is always definitive and identifies issues and finds pragmatic solutions.’

‘Accessible, knowledgeable, quick, pragmatic, experience.’

‘What attracts me to Mike Williams is that he is not only advising on both the BVI and Jersey but he actually lived and practised in both countries.’

‘Practical advice displaying understanding of a company management’s concerns and issues. Understanding of the London Stock Exchange listing requirements’

‘Accessible, knowledgeable, practical, realistic and timely.’

‘I have known Sam Sturrock for many years – he is a stand-out lawyer – clearly knowing his area inside out but importantly personable, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.’

‘The Collas Crill team are consistently knowledgeable and helpful. Over the years I have dealt with the firm, the personnel may have changed but the level of service has remained the same.’

‘The Collas Crill team are not only experts but personable. They are a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Although a smaller player in the funds market, they provide a more personal touch.’

‘I work with Sam Sturrock, who is a highly capable and technical lawyer.’

‘Great and knowledgeable lawyers, very responsive.’

‘I worked with Sam Sturrock who has been very responsive, helpful and knowledgeable. Great person to work with.’

‘My contact at Collas Crill is David Cooney, a Cayman qualified lawyer located in their Guernsey office. David is a first-rate practitioner: he is highly technical, responsive, and client friendly. He is definitely my “go-to” Cayman lawyer for private client trust matters.’

‘The team is one of very few that can deliver Cayman Islands law advice in the European time zone. It provides very practical and commercially orientated advice that is notable by being decisive and conclusive, not fence sitting. The quality and service delivery are outstanding and they work well with counsel in other firms.’

‘David Cooney is an exceptional Cayman Islands-qualified lawyer in trusts and wealth structuring. He stands out against the competition based in the Cayman Islands because of his superior commercial understanding and delivery of practical, succinct advice and solutions. He represents great value for clients and is a pleasure to instruct on Cayman matters, he delivers swiftly and communicates well.’

‘Their team showed tremendous experience in dealing with the Trust’s representatives and reach a suitable agreement for the client, by dealing with the Trust.‘

‘Andrew and Sally Peedom are highly responsive and willing to jump in at a moment’s notice. Their follow up is remarkable! They have a lot of experience dealing with trust-related matters, we liked that both Sally and Andrew are quite approachable and easy to get on with.’

‘This is a team dedicated to client services.’

‘Sally Peedom always gives timely advice tailored to client needs.’