Walkers > London, England > Firm Profile

Walkers
52 Lime Street
EC3M 7AF
England

Offshore firms in London Tier 1

With capabilities spanning BVI, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Jersey, Guernsey and Ireland, Walkers‘ is best known for its expertise in Bermuda law and its work with sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions and high-net-worth individuals. Managing partner Jack Boldarin is an expert in emerging markets transactions. Fraser Hern oversees the insolvency, restructuring and litigation practice. Hughie Wong and Tatziana Paraguacuto co-head the investment funds practice. Neil McDonald and Patrick Ormond​​​​ for corporate M&A transactions, Mark Galazzi and Catherine Overton for banking instructions, and Sara Hall for regulatory matters, are also highly recommended.

Practice head(s):

Jack Boldarin; Hughie Wong; Tatziana Paraguacuto; Neil McDonald; Fraser Hern; Sara Hall

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Depth of expertise across the team. Very commercial in approach. Easy to work with.’

‘Neil McDonald – very easy to work with and has a client-first approach.’

‘A high-quality outfit which provides very good value for money.’

‘Patrick Ormond is a stand-out financing lawyer who is capable of advising across multiple jurisdictions. He’s technically highly proficient whilst also being very commercial.’

‘Walkers has become the go to firm for all of our Cayman work. They have the biggest Cayman practice in London and the best individual Cayman lawyer – Tatziana Paraguacuto – resides in that office.

‘Tatziana Paraguacuto has launched the majority of new hedge funds in London for over a decade and has unparalleled experience in the London market. Every year Tatziana also launches some of the largest hedge funds in the US and Asia giving her a truly global perspective. If it’s been done, she has done it.’

Key clients

Deutsche Bank

BNP Paribas

Goldman Sachs

HSBC

Standard Chartered Bank

Black Rock

Credit Suisse

Carlyle Group

JP Morgan

The Blackstone Group

Work highlights

  • Advised the mezzanine lenders on the restructuring of Stoneway Capital Corporation, consisting of four power generation facilities located in Argentina.
  • Advising Walgreen Boots Alliance on a corporate restructuring in relation to the sale of its pharmaceutical wholesale business to AmerisourceBergen Corporation, with the company deploying proceeds of $6.5bn to reduce debt and accelerate the growth of its core retail pharmacy and healthcare businesses.
  • Acted as Cayman counsel and Jersey counsel, respectively, to BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole CIB on the refinancing of Pharos Energy’s reserve-based lending facility against its producing assets in Vietnam.

British Virgin Islands > Corporate and commercial Tier 2

Foreign-based expertise > Leading firms Tier 2

British Virgin Islands > Regulatory and compliance

Spearheaded by fintech regulation expert Lucy Frew from Cayman, Walkers BVI assists a varied client base across the banking, insurance and reinsurance, and investment sectors on a host of financial regulation and risk management issues, as well as contentious and advisory matters. Data protection, cross-border compliance and risk management specialist Sara Hall is based in London and is known for advising on OECD compliance, while senior counsel Iona Wright, who is the primary contact based in the BVI, is praised by clients for her knowledge of financial services regulatory matters, governance work and corporate transaction regulatory support.

Practice head(s):

Lucy Frew

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘From start to finish, the Walkers team demonstrated an unparalleled level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication that truly set them apart.’

‘‘Throughout the legal process, Lucy Frew (Partner) demonstrated an impressive blend of professionalism and approachability. She was available to address my questions and concerns, providing timely updates and ensuring that I was well-informed every step of the way. Their communication skills are truly commendable and her advice was very commercial.’

‘Iona Wright and her team were very thorough, diligent and detail oriented. They had a good pulse on the current regulatory environment as well as what changes to keep an eye out for. The sector our company operates in is fast changing and often volatile, but the Walkers team we worked with was well versed in supporting us.’

‘Iona Wright was excellent to work with!’

‘Right from the initial consultation, it was clear that Walkers was invested in understanding my unique situation. The attorneys took the time to listen attentively, ask insightful questions, and gather all the necessary details. This personalised approach immediately put me at ease, as I knew I was in capable hands.’

‘Throughout the entire legal process, Walkers showcased an impressive depth of knowledge in their field. They explained complex legal jargon in a way that was easy for me to understand, ensuring that I was always well-informed and empowered to make the best decisions for my case. It was evident that they had a comprehensive grasp of the law and were well-prepared for any challenges that arose.’

‘Excellent team providing commercial and efficient advice. They are my go to firm in BVI.’

‘Sara Hall is excellent.’

Ireland > Employment

Walkers handles a varied array of mandates for clients from a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, construction, technology, aviation and financial services. The group has notable expertise in whistleblowing matters, internal investigations and harassment claims. Susan Battye leads the practice with her extensive knowledge of senior management issues, corporate redundancies and restructurings. Jennifer Bassett is another standout member of the team.

Practice head(s):

Susan Battye

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Walkers team is good at separating form from substance and identifying the real issues.’

‘Susan Battye, partner at the Walkers, brings lots of experience and responsiveness when dealing with the various issues.’

‘The employment team were incredibly helpful in a challenging situation. The advice provided was practical and easy to follow.’

‘Susan Battye was at hand and available through a difficult time for the organisation. She was practical, pragmatic and aware of the financial and time constraints that we were working under. She was a pleasure to deal with and took the concerns out of the situation.’

‘Dedicated team to support clients and handle queries promptly. Very easy to work with, keen to understand client requirements and needs.’

‘The employment team at Walkers are very pragmatic and results-driven.’

‘Susan Battye is excellent. She is extremely knowledgeable and responsive. She works with clients well to understand their needs and circumstances. She is pragmatic in her approach and guides clients on different avenues. She is collaborative with other colleagues and also has strong connections to other jurisdictions should a complex case require.’

‘Good understanding of the subject matter and good customer care.’

Key clients

Oakley Capital Partners

Work highlights

  • Advised Oakley Capital Limited on the multi-jurisdictional share purchase of Phenna Group.
  • Advised a fund and corporate administration services provider on the post-acquisition harmonisation of employee contracts and handbooks, and an employment law compliance review.
Photo Name Position Profile
Jasmine Amaria photo Ms Jasmine Amaria Jasmine joined Walkers in 2007 and is a partner in the Global…
Susan Battye photo Susan Battye Susan Battye is based in our Ireland office where she is a…
Jack Boldarin photo Mr Jack Boldarin Jack Boldarin is Managing Partner of Walkers’ London office and a Partner…
Mark Galazzi photo Mark Galazzi Mark Galazzi is a partner in Walkers’ London office where he is…
Jan Golaszewski photo Mr Jan Golaszewski Jan Golaszewski is a partner and head of Walkers’ London Insolvency &…
Sara Hall photo Sara Hall Sara Hall is a partner in Walkers’ Global Regulatory & Risk Advisory…
Neil McDonald photo Mr Neil McDonald Neil McDonald is a Partner based in Walkers’ London office where he…
Catherine Overton photo Catherine Overton Catherine Overton is a Partner in Walkers’ London office where she is…
Tatziana Paraguacuto photo Tatziana Paraguacuto Tatziana Paraguacuto-Maheo is a partner in the London office and heads the…
Hughie Wong photo Mr Hughie Wong Hughie joined Walkers in 2008 and is a partner in the Global…