Conyers > Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands > Firm Profile

Conyers > The Legal 500 Rankings

Cayman Islands > Insurance/reinsurance Tier 1

Conyers‘ team regularly advises clients across the full spectrum of insurance transactions with work involving captives, agents, brokers, reinsurance issues, alternative risk transfers, insurance financings, catastrophe bonds and other insurance-linked securities. Leading the insurance and reinsurance practice is Derek Stenson, who is praised for his experience advising a deep roster of international financial and insurance institutions on all aspects of insurance and reinsurance law and regulations. With expertise in insurance regulatory, commercial, financing and transactional matters, Philippa Gilkes is an ‘extremely valuable resource’ for the team, together with captive insurance expert Paul Scrivener, who is an independent consultant to the practice. Both Sarah Farquhar and Róisín Liddy-Murphy routinely advise insurer clients on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters including CIMA licensing issues and registrations.

Cayman Islands > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Led by Jonathon Milne and Erik Bodden, Conyers’ dispute resolution practice handles a wide range of high-value and cross-border disputes, with Bodden regularly appearing before the Privy Council, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal and the Grand Court. Praised for his  ‘incredible work ethic coupled with a sharp legal mind’, Milne is routinely instructed by clients on high-value liquidation proceedings. Newly promoted partner Spencer Vickers and counsel Alecia Johns are also highly recommended. Former group head Alex Potts KC departed to 4 Pump Court in mid-2023.

Cayman Islands > Trusts/private client Tier 2

Led by Robert Lindley, Conyers’ private client and trust team advises on a wide range of non-contentious and contentious trust matters ranging from inheritance structuring issues and inter-generational asset transfers to relocations and providing structuring advice for the holding of cryptocurrencies, tokens and virtual assets. On the contentious side, the team is regularly involved in multi-party court applications with a cross-border element, notably focused on the Latin American markets. Counsel Wesley O’Brien is noted for his expertise in cross-border structures and is regularly sought out by clients for advice on the establishment and reorganisation of trusts and the related succession planning structures.

Cayman Islands > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 3

Conyers' active practice spans multi-jurisdictional fund, structured and asset finance work and also has expertise in the insurance market. Practice head Matthew Stocker specialises aircraft and vessel financings, while also handling capital markets transactions and acquisition finance matters. Leading the firm's multi-disciplinary insurance finance team is Derek Stenson, who excels in fund finance matters and handles complex and high-profile structured finance and insurance finance transactions. Cora Miller is active in capital markets work and counsel Barnabas Finnigan concentrates on aviation and shipping finance transactions. Fund finance specialists Anna-Lise Wisdom and Michael O’Connor are also highly recommended.

Cayman Islands > Corporate and commercial Tier 3

Led by offshore transactional expert Matthew Stocker, Conyers‘ corporate practice fields a well-established team which is well-equipped to advise on complex transactions including SPACs, M&A and corporate restructurings. Active in the Latin American market, Nicholas Pattman regularly advises financial institutions and corporate clients on a varied spectrum of corporate and finance transactions, while Cora Miller‘s practice spans corporate reorganisations, M&A and joint ventures; Miller also advises a range of clients on cross-border transactions. Alex Davies is a ‘pragmatic’ and ‘detail-oriented’ expert in public and private corporate transactions, and also advises on IPOs and SPACs. Counsel Matthew Harkness is a key contact for start-ups, managers, sponsors and financial institutions.

Cayman Islands > Regulatory and compliance Tier 3

Conyers‘ practice acts for a litany of regulated entities including banks, investment managers, fund administrators, trust companies and insurance companies on a range of regulatory matters. Head of the regulatory practice is Róisín Liddy-Murphy, who is noted for handling multi-jurisdictional and complex litigation proceedings. Robert Lindley focuses on private client matters including regulatory issues relating to pensions and private trust companies, while Derek Stenson is known for his expertise in insurance, reinsurance and structured products. Sarah Farquhar‘s broad practice spans CIMA licensing and registration work, economic substance advice, data protection issues, and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing mandates.

Cayman Islands > Investment funds Tier 4

At Conyers, corporate department head Matthew Stocker also leads on fund work, and takes on a range of mandates on behalf of both open-ended and closed-ended investment funds, encompassing issues relating to hedge funds and private equity matters. In September 2023, the group added Theo Lefkos, who joined from Walkers and now leads the firm’s Cayman private equity team; he advises on the formation and operation of private funds and related downstream activities. The team on the ground is supported by the firm’s global funds practice, which has offices strategically located in London, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Foreign-based expertise > Leading firms

Overview Fielding teams in London, Hong Kong and Singapore, Conyers provides clients across the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific region with advice on a broad range of transactions including M&A, fund work and financing mandates. The firm covers Bermuda, BVI and Cayman law from each of the three bases, and counts a mixture of corporates, banks and other financial institutions on its client roster. For more information on specific regions, please click on the tabs below.

British Virgin Islands > Trusts/private client

Conyers‘ ‘very capable, experienced and attentive team’ provides comprehensive advice to a host of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families on both contentious court applications and non-contentious advisory matters related to trust structures and restructurings. Head of the team Robert Lindley is a key player in high-value trust restructuring applications, estate planning work and estate administration issues, acting for high-net-worth individuals. Matthew Brown‘s broad practice encompasses all contentious aspects of commercial, trusts and insolvency law; he is active before the Commercial Court and the Court of Appeal.