Cayman Islands

IFLR1000 Reviews

Financial and corporate
Dillon Eustace

Dillon Eustace’s Cayman Islands office, located on Grand Cayman, is one of four global locations, with the headquarters in Dublin and additional offices in New York and Tokyo. The firm is committed to team development and delivering proactive, tailored services to clients. The Cayman office is largely dedicated to the investment funds practice, advising the managers, prime brokers, independent directors, etc. of hedge funds, private equity funds and a variety of other investment vehicles in the formation of international capital-raising funds.   

 

Highlights 

The firm advised Blantyre Capital in the establishment of a global special situations Irish regulated fund. This complex matter included a multijurisdictional structure with a combination of Cayman Islands and Irish Structures and a UK manager. This also incorporated multiple feeder funds, intermediary funds and special purpose vehicles, designed with a flexible and tax efficient structure designed to be marketed in the US, EU, and UK. 

 

Key Clients 

StepStone Group, UBS Fund Services (Ireland), Crossroads Capital Management, Intertrust, Deutsche Bank 

Ogier

Ogier is a 1,100-strong global offshore law firm that has served clients for over 150 years. The firm operates in Guernsey and boasts a wide network of offices across the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dubai, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jersey and Luxembourg. The Guernsey office has a deep bench of partners, with the likes of Bryon Rees and Tim Clipstone leading many of the firm's highlight corporate, investment funds and regulatory mandates, while Christopher Jones and Paul Chanter lead the office's banking and finance practice. The firm also hired an additional partner in Richard Sharp in early 2023.  

 

Highlights

In a display of their expertise in fund formation and structuring the team at Ogier, led by Bradley Kruger, advised their client DeFi Alliance on the successful establishment and launch of a closed-ended fund. This was formed as an exempt limited partnership and is the offshore feeder fund in a master feeder structure and included a Delaware limited partnership acting as the onshore feeder fund. The firm also advised on a variety of complex confidential matters involving multiple jurisdictions. 

 

Key clients 

Prisma Capital, Banco BTG Pactual, DeFi Alliance, Inversiones Latin America Power, Technology & Telecommunication Acquisition Corporation, Energem Corp, Crown LNG Holdings, Haymaker Acquisition Corp 

 

Testimonials

Language capabilities and user friendliness.- (Banking client)

Professional and respond on an efficient basis.” - (Capital markets client) 

Stuarts Humphries

Stuarts Humphries, headquartered on Grand Cayman, is a notable offshore firm and founding member of The Alternative Investment Management Association Limited, as well as a listing agent for the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange. This client-oriented legal practice offers integrated corporate and commercial legal advice from experienced attorneys. The firm emphasizes financial, corporate, and investment fund matters, including M&A deals, restructuring, and various financings. Additionally, Stuarts Humphries is involved in traditional fund formations and those related to fintech and cryptocurrency.

 

Highlights

The firm advised  on a complex transaction involving the establishment and incorporation of a new private equity fund, registered with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority as an Exempted Limited Partnership. Additionally, the firm advised on the formation of a Cayman Islands SPAC Vehicle and various other confidential matters. 

 

Key Clients  

Israel Acquisitions Corp, Fungible Ltd, Watchbox Holdings, Fantom, Mount Fund, Vertical Ventures, EON Quant  

 

Testimonials 

 Responsive, good local knowledge, quality work.” (Investment Funds) 

The team at Stuarts is incredibly responsive and provides pragmatic Cayman legal advice.” (Investment Funds) 

Very responsive and know the latest information and laws.” (Investment Funds) 

The firm is very professional in its outlook and advises us on legal matters – they are also service providers for us and our clients.”  (Private Equity) 

Bedell Cristin

While Bedell Cristin’s Cayman Islands office is found on Grand Cayman, the firm boasts additional offices in the British Virgin Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, London and Singapore.  

 

Focusses/specialisms 

The firm is active in a variety of practices, including finance, investment funds, M&A, real estate finance and restructuring.  

 

Client feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)  

Financial restructuring 

“Responsive, timely and detail oriented.” 

“Very responsive. Highly qualified. Delightful attorneys.” 

Campbells

Founded in 1970, Campbells is an internationally recognised offshore firm. It maintains offices in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong.Its Caymans office is located on the island of Grand Cayman. 

 

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm advises clients in mergers, acquisitions, equity financing, strategic investments, bond issuances, IPOs, restructurings and general corporate financing matters. 

The firm also has experience with investment funds, acting for private equity and investment firms in regulatory compliance, restructurings, fund formations and strategic investments. 

 

Key clients 

The firm’s key clients include Algorand, Athene, Creditas, Covalto, Fidelity Bank, Infobip, Nubank, Ripio Holdings and 2TM.  

 

Client feedback: 32nd edition (2021/2022) 

Asset finance 

“Reactive, professional, excellent knowledge of the market.” 

 

Investment funds: hedge funds 

“They provide expert advice in a timely manner.” 

Carey Olsen

One of nine firm offices including Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Channel Islands, Singapore, South Africa, Hong Kong and UK outfits, Carey Olsen’s Cayman Islands office was opened in 2012 and is located on Grand Cayman. The firm’s activity is centered around offshore deals in the banking and finance, capital markets, investment funds and M&A practices In banking and finance, the firm represents both lenders and borrowers in a wide variety of offshore deals including those related to acquisition and real estate finance in addition to representing clients from the aviation sector. In capital markets, the firm is involved in representing issuers and sponsors in share offer and IPO transactions. 

Conyers Dill & Pearman

International law firm Conyers was founded in Bermuda in 1928 as the country’s first offshore law firm. It has since expanded to the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, London and Singapore. Its Caymanoffice is located in George Town on the island of Grand Cayman and is best known for its financial and corporate practice. The firm deals in a range of practices including capital markets, finance, M&A and restructuring, in addition to maintaining a notable presence in investment funds. Conyers’ clientele is constituted largely of corporate entities, financial institutions and private equity firms. The firm’s capital markets involvement centralises equity-side transactions such as IPOs and secondary share offerings. The capital markets group also advises on securitisation deals. In addition to Cayman Islands law, Conyers is also able to advise on BVI and Bermuda law.

Forbes Hare

Forbes Hare is an offshore law firm founded in 2005 with offices in British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, London and Singapore. Its Cayman office is in Grand Cayman. The firm is active in capital markets, finance, M&A, investment funds, project finance and restructuring. The firm’s capital markets involvement is debt-side focused, largely including IPO transactions.  In finance, the firm represents both lenders and borrowers, including banks, corporations and financial institutions.  In the project finance space, the firm focuses on representing banks as lenders on a variety of sophisticated development deals. The firm practices both British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands law. 

Harneys

Harneys is an offshore law firm founded in 1960 in British Virgin Islands. It has since expanded to other locations across the world including Hong Kong, London, Montevideo and Singapore. Its Cayman office is found on Grand Cayman. The firm is active in capital markets, finance, M&A, project finance, real estate and restructuring. The capital markets group focuses on the debt side, specialising in IPOs. In finance, the firm is noted for its experience in securing acquisition financing.  The firm’s services run the gamut of public and private deal types in the M&A space, advising on both the acquirer and seller side. It emphasises, however, advising partners on cross-border joint venture deals. In the real estate space, the firm is active in securing financing for development projects. In restructuring, the firm focuses on representing corporate debtors. 

HSM

HSM, a full-service law firm founded in 2012 in the Cayman Islands, advises financial institutions and businesses operating locally. Specializing in business and regulatory licensing, the firm practices Cayman, BVI, Canada, Gibraltar, and UK law. Their extensive experience in local transactions provides a unique competitive edge, enabling them to handle complex, distinct transactions requiring deep local law knowledge. This expertise ensures a smooth, cohesive approach for clients, leading to highly successful transaction outcomes.

Loeb Smith

Loeb Smith’s Grand Cayman office is one of three locations for the offshore corporate firm. Fully committed to efficiently maximizing their client's commercial advantage while minimizing their risk, the firm specializes in banking and finance, capital markets, investment funds, and M&A. In banking and finance, it represents fund managers in acquisition and asset financing. The capital markets team handles both debt and equity representation, including bond and note issuances and IPOs. In investment funds, the firm advises on the formation and restructuring of various funds, particularly for blockchain and fintech clients. The M&A practice focuses on mergers and privatizations in the corporate and financial services sectors. 

 

Highlights

Loeb Smith leveraged its multi-jurisdictional capabilities to advise Harvest, a pioneering client in the Chinese asset management industry on a complex corporate restructuring of several Cayman investment structures. Additionally, the firm provided legal counsel on the formation and launch of a multi-strategy fund investing in various asset classes for a Swiss client, showcasing its expertise in the digital assets space. This also highlighted the firm’s ability to navigate cross-border complexities, not only in the USA and the EU but also in Asia and other European countries outside the EU. 

 

Key Clients  

Acorn International, Ansen Fund, Vendavel and Pedogenesis Fund 

Mourant Ozannes

International offshore firm Mourant opened its Cayman Islands office in 1992 on the island of Grand Cayman. Founded in Guernsey, the firm features additional locations in the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Jersey and the UK. The firm is noted for its involvement in capital markets, finance, investment funds, M&A and restructuring.  The firm’s capital markets practice handles transactions on both the debt and equity sides, attending to a high volume of IPOs and bond issuances.  In finance, the firm is active on the lender and borrower side, representing corporate clients and banks in a variety of roles In the investment funds space, the firm is noted for its representation of private equity and hedge fund managers in formations. 

Travers Thorp Alberga

Travers Thorp Alberga is a boutique firm founded in the Cayman Islands in 1978. Since then, it has internationally expanded to offices in the British Virgin Islands, Canberra and Hong Kong.

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has experience in the financial and corporate and investment funds practice area. In the financial and corporate practice area, the firm works on capital markets matters, structured financings and private equity related matters. 

In addition to advising on Cayman Islands law, the firm can also advise on British Virgin Islands law.

 

Key clients

Key clients include Arcapita and ASK Capital Management.

 

Client feedback: 31st edition (2020/2021)

Financial services regulatory

“Very technical but commercial partnership team who understand our business operations and strategy. The team have relevant experience in a number of fields which gives them a great perspective when discussing our requests.”

 

Investment funds

“Responsive, commercially minded, positively minded and great team players in multi-jurisdictional matters.”

“TTA has been a tremendous partner in that they go above and beyond to make sure we have the best product to deliver to our clients. There are plenty of things that they bring to our attention that we wouldn't have thought of. They assist in structuring. They assist in thought exercises. They prove to be a great partner when it comes to negotiating with our counterparts.”

“The firm's response has been very quick and the advice was well structured.”

 

Investment funds: Private equity funds

“Outstanding efficiency, round the clock availability, stunning professionalism and extremely valuable experience in funds as well as an incomparable ability to cease all issues at stake including business related matters. The kind of legal advisors that you actually think twice before recommending as they provide you with a clear advantage towards competition that you might not want to share with others.”

“Very responsive, professional, high-quality work.”

 

M&A

“The firm is very deal oriented, good negotiators and client focused.”

“They are responsive and adaptable. Our requirements changed multiple times during the process, and they were quick and dynamic, happily changing tact as required.”

“Competitive charge versus other Cayman Islands firms.”

“They are extremely responsive and knowledgeable and always available to assist.”

“Efficient service. Provides practical and thoughtful feedback. Ability to consider both onshore transaction matters, as well as providing offshore legal advice. Provides thorough review of transaction documents.”

“Informative and helpful.”

Walkers

International law firm Walkers’ Cayman Islands office was founded in 1964 on Grand Cayman and has since become one of the Cayman Islands leading firms in financial and corporate law. The firm maintains 10 offices globally in Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Dubai, Dublin, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jersey, London and Singapore. The firm boasts specialised knowledge of the aviation sector and is known widely for its proficiency in the practice areas of capital markets, finance, investment funds, M&A, project finance and restructuring.  In capital markets, the firm represents debt-side clients in such transactions as green bond issuances and notes programmes, in addition to attending to structured finance deals including CDOs and CLOs In the finance space, the firm is particularly active in securing leveraged and aircraft financing, though it is also active in general corporate asset finance