Ellie Crespi leads the banking and finance group at Collas Crill and receives notable praise from clients, with one dubbing her ‘the go-to offshore lawyer for secured lending matters in particular’. The team is counsel of choice to international banks and financial services companies and its versatility is seen in a workload that spans asset and real estate finance matters, debt restructurings and insolvencies, as well as shipping finance work. Greg Boyd‘s vast experience in transactional law in the BVI makes him a top choice for cross-border corporate and finance transactions, and the two partners are supported by Annabel Bishop, who has particular experience in investment funds matters.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Ellie Crespi and Greg Boyd have decades of offshore experience, in addition to real onshore experience in London and CIS that few offshore lawyers can boast. Their book of private equity, asset finance and non-contentious restructuring clients is impressive, even when compared to the largest offshore firms. They are used to advising on complex sophisticated financing transactions and complicated cross-border issues.’
‘Ellie Crespi is highly impressive. She is the go-to offshore lawyer for secured lending matters in particular. Greg Boyd's hire added even more strength and depth to the team. He revels in finding solutions to thorny legal issues. Annabel Bishop provides excellent support to the partners.’
‘Ellie Crespi and her team are fantastic. We have worked on a broad set of matters together - fund formation, litigation, corporate planning and restructuring. Ellie has a wealth of experience and is refreshing for a lawyer . . . she practices law as if it is about you, the client, and not about the lawyer and the law firm. Efficient, smart and sage counsel.’
‘Ellie Crespi and team were highly responsive and always available to provide practical and accurate advice, even though they are located halfway around the world. We could always count on them to respond immediately.’
‘Ellie Crespi and Annabel Bishop were always available to provide practical and detailed advice relating to BVI law. Given our (and our client's) unfamiliarity with BVI law, it was comforting to know that we were in good hands.’
Key clients
- Bank of London and the Middle East
- CORE LLC
- Huawei
- MAPA Group
- Mason Hayes & Curran LLP
- Bay Point Capital
- FourWorld Capital LLC
- ALPINE PARTNERS (BVI), L.P.
- Al Rayan Bank
- Lightstone Enterprises Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Albaugh LLC, A&O Shearman and Jones Day on a $1bn financing with HSBC that involved five BVI obligors and a suite of security documents.
- Advising hedge fund Bay Point Capital Partners and its US counsel Thompson Hine LLP on four transactions including the provision of bridge finance for a SAFE note issuance, a superyacht financing, a loan notes transaction and enforcement advice in relation to a defaulting borrower.
- Advising a real estate company in the United States on a $177m financing for a New York hotel and in relation to three bond issuances on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Ellie Crespi
Other key lawyers
Greg Boyd; Annabel Bishop