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21-Nov-2023
Legal industry rankings highlight Walkers' strength in the BVI

The quality of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) practices of Walkers, the international law and professional services firm, has been recognised by The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide to leading law firms.

The firm's Dispute Resolution and Trusts / Private Client practices were both awarded the coveted Tier 1 status, while the Banking, Finance and Capital Markets; Corporate and Commercial; Investment Funds; and Regulatory and Compliance practices received a Tier 2 ranking.

Across the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and BVI jurisdictions, Walkers has received more Tier 1 rankings in The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide than any other firm.

The guide has ranked 18 practice areas across the three Walkers offices, cementing the firm's reputation as the leading law firm in the Caribbean with unparalleled expertise and client service. Eleven practice areas are ranked Tier 1 practices, with the other seven practice areas all ranked Tier 2.

Matthew Cowman, BVI managing partner at Walkers, said: "Our outstanding results in the 2024 Legal 500 Guide and the testimonials from clients attest to the quality and efficacy of our BVI practices. The recognition of so many of our lawyers is testament to the first-class, commercially focused results we consistently deliver for clients."

The Legal 500 guide describes Walkers' BVI practice as a "preferred destination for a diverse clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, private equity and hedge funds, and other institutional clients, fielding a 'formidable team of lawyers'." Verbatim comments from clients regarding the Tier I ranked Dispute Resolution practice included: "I highly recommend Walkers. With a team of seasoned partners, the firm offers unparalleled expertise, ensuring comprehensive and top-tier assistance. Their responsiveness and prompt communication showcases their dedication to client needs."

 

Walkers' seven individual BVI lawyer rankings:

 

Two lawyers receive the top "Leading Individual" rating from The Legal 500:

  • Oliver Clifton – Dispute Resolution
  • Rosalind Nicholson – Dispute Resolution; Trusts / Private Client

 

Four lawyers are rated "Next Generation Partners" – highlighting the deep expertise and client focus of the Walkers' team:

  • Matthew Cowman – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets; Corporate & Commercial
  • Omonike Robinson-Pickering – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Iain Tucker – Dispute Resolution
  • Murray Laing – Dispute Resolution

 

"Rising Stars":

  • Paul Waldron – Investment Funds


20-Nov-2023
Walkers leads Legal 500 2024 industry rankings in Caribbean

The Cayman Islands practice of Walkers, the leading law and professional services firm, has received the most Tier 1 ratings in The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide, with six top tier practice areas in these comprehensive annual industry rankings.

In total, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and BVI offices of Walkers have received more Tier 1 rankings in The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide than any other firm.

The guide has ranked 18 practice areas across the three Walkers offices, cementing the firm's reputation as the leading law firm in the Caribbean with unparalleled expertise and client service. Eleven practice areas are ranked Tier 1 practices, with the other seven practice areas all ranked Tier 2.

As Walkers nears its 60th anniversary as a Cayman grown law firm, the 41 individual rankings highlight the firm's strength and depth. The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide awards 19 'Leading Individual' rankings to Walkers partners, plus 19 'Next Generation Partner' rankings and Siobhan Sheridan, Nicholas Howard and Paul Waldron all received the 'Rising Stars' accolade. Sixteen Walkers' partners have improved their individual ranking this year, of which 8 are brand new individual rankings.

Clients describe Walkers' Cayman practice as a "wonderfully broad team with deep experience across the full gamut of the offshore world." Similarly, the BVI team is regarded as "a genuine offshore heavyweight with strength across jurisdictions and populated by seriously talented people who are a joy to work with." Praise for the Bermuda practice notes the firm's "deep knowledge of Bermuda’s legal practices and standards and tops it all with excellent relationships with the relevant players".

Rob Jackson, Cayman Islands managing partner at Walkers, comments "The sophistication of our clients and complexity of their needs requires the highest standard of legal skills, industry knowledge and client service. This year's outstanding rankings of our lawyers and practice groups demonstrate our second-to-none commitment to our clients and delivery in everything we do."

 

Walkers' Cayman Islands top tier rankings with verbatim client comments:

 

  • Cayman Islands – Banking, Finance and Capital Markets

"Walkers has the ability to handle multiple Caribbean jurisdictions seamlessly and with ease. The lawyers are extremely responsive and hardworking, and very familiar with international finance structures."

 

  • Cayman Islands – Corporate and Commercial

"The Walkers team is fantastic to work with. They’re knowledgeable, have great market visibility and are very commercial and practical."

 

  • Cayman Islands – Dispute Resolution

"I highly recommend Walkers. With a team of seasoned partners, the firm offers unparalleled expertise, ensuring comprehensive and top-tier assistance. Their responsiveness and prompt communication showcases their dedication to client needs."

 

  • Cayman Islands – Investment Funds

"The Walkers investment funds team is best in class. They have a deep bench of practical attorneys who are always available and at the top of their game substantively."

 

  • Cayman Islands – Regulatory and Compliance

"Walkers is our go-to firm for regulatory advice in Cayman."

 

  • Cayman Islands – Trusts / Private Client

"The only team on Island that can move seamlessly between private client and transactional matters while remaining superb in all areas."

 

Walkers' 41 individual lawyer rankings in full

 

19 lawyers receive the top "Leading Individual" rating from The Legal 500:

Cayman Islands:

  • Ingrid Pierce – Investment Funds
  • Rob Jackson – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets; Corporate & Commercial
  • Neil Lupton – Dispute Resolution
  • Caroline Williams – Investment Funds
  • Philip Paschalides – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • James Burch – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Lucy Frew – Regulatory and Compliance
  • Juliana Tang – Insurance / Reinsurance; Regulatory & Compliance
  • Shelley White – Dispute Resolution
  • Andrew Barker – Corporate & Commercial
  • Matthew Goucke – Dispute Resolution
  • David Pytches – Trusts / Private Client

 

Bermuda:

  • Kevin Taylor – Dispute Resolution
  • Steven White – Dispute Resolution
  • Sarah Demerling – Insurance / Reinsurance
  • Peter Dunlop – Insurance / Reinsurance
  • Natalie Neto – Corporate & Commercial


British Virgin Islands:

  • Oliver Clifton – Dispute Resolution
  • Rosalind Nicholson – Dispute Resolution; Trusts / Private Client

An additional 19 lawyers are rated "Next Generation Partners" – highlighting the deep expertise and client focus of the Walkers' team:

 

Cayman Islands:

  • Fiona MacAdam – Dispute Resolution
  • Andrew Barker – Investment Funds
  • Bicrom Das – Investment Funds
  • Sarah Humpleby – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Joanne Ziegler – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Justin Hart – Corporate & Commercial
  • Matt Bernardo – Investment Funds
  • Andrew Howarth – Regulatory & Compliance
  • Monique Bhullar – Trusts / Private Client
  • Lucy Diggle – Trusts / Private Client
  • Rupert Bell – Dispute Resolution
  • Christine Ballantyne-Drewe – Investment Funds

 

Bermuda:

  • Adam Bathgate – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Nathalie West – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Rachel Nightingale – Corporate & Commercial


British Virgin Islands:

  • Matthew Cowman – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets; Corporate & Commercial
  • Omonike Robinson-Pickering – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Iain Tucker – Dispute Resolution
  • Murray Laing – Dispute Resolution

 

Three lawyers receive the "Rising Stars" accolade:

 

Cayman Islands:

  • Siobhan Sheridan – Dispute Resolution

 

Bermuda:

  • Nicholas Howard – Dispute Resolution


British Virgin Islands:

  • Paul Waldron – Investment Funds


20-Nov-2023
Walkers scores Tier 1 hat-trick in leading legal industry rankings

Three Bermuda practice areas of Walkers, the international law and professional services firm, have been awarded the coveted Tier 1 status in The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide rankings of industry leaders.

The firm’s Banking, Finance and Capital Markets; Dispute Resolution; and Insurance / Reinsurance practices all receive the top Tier 1 rating, while Legal 500 continues to rank the Corporate and Commercial and Regulatory and Compliance practices in Bermuda in the high performing Tier 2 category.

The Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and British Virgin Islands (BVI) offices of Walkers combined have received more Tier 1 rankings in The Legal 500 2024 Caribbean Guide than any other firm.

In total, the guide ranks 18 practice areas across the three offices, solidifying Walkers' reputation as the leading law firm in the Caribbean with unparalleled expertise and client service. Eleven practice areas are ranked Tier 1 practices, with the other seven practice areas all ranking in Tier 2.

Kevin Taylor, Bermuda managing partner at Walkers, said: “The elevation of three of our key practice areas to the highest rating in the course of a single year is welcome independent recognition of our unwavering client focus and commitment to providing best in class commercial advice that meets our clients’ needs.”

 

Walkers' Tier 1 ranked practice areas with verbatim client comments:

 

  • Bermuda – Banking, Finance and Capital Markets

"The entire team has been consistently terrific, and I couldn’t single out any points of weakness."

 

  • Bermuda – Dispute Resolution

"A strong team across the whole range of capabilities, specialisms and skill sets which collaborates and works well to provide a seamless excellent service to the client."

 

  • Bermuda – Insurance / Reinsurance

"Our experience with the Walkers' team has been nothing but exceptionally positive. They are knowledgeable and have been very proactive and attentive at all times in our communications as well as the communications with our clients."

 

Walkers’ nine individual Bermuda lawyer rankings

 

Five lawyers receive the top "Leading Individual" ranking from The Legal 500:

  • Kevin Taylor – Dispute Resolution
  • Steven White – Dispute Resolution
  • Sarah Demerling – Insurance / Reinsurance
  • Peter Dunlop – Insurance / Reinsurance
  • Natalie Neto – Corporate & Commercial

 

Three lawyers are rated "Next Generation Partners" – highlighting the talent and depth of the team:

  • Adam Bathgate – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Nathalie West – Banking, Finance & Capital Markets
  • Rachel Nightingale – Corporate & Commercial

 

"Rising Star":

  • Nicholas Howard – Dispute Resolution


10-Nov-2023
Celebrating 40 Years of Excellence in Legal Training

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In a landmark celebration, Walkers commemorates four decades of unparalleled legal training through its esteemed Articled Clerk Training Programme. With an unwavering commitment to nurturing exceptional talent, Walkers proudly reflects on its legacy of shaping industry leaders through comprehensive and structured training.

Since its inception in 1983, the Walkers Articled Clerk Training Programme has been at the forefront of legal professional development, offering candidates a fully-rounded training experience. This distinctive programme immerses trainees in the core areas of legal work undertaken by the firm, providing hands-on experience, mentorship and exposure to industry-leading cases and transactions.

The journey of an articled clerk at Walkers is marked by rotation across various practice areas, working alongside associates and partners who are leading experts in their fields. Each articled clerk is formally articled to a partner of the firm who serves as a mentor and coach throughout the programme, guiding the articled clerk's growth and development.

"Over the past 40 years the Walkers Articled Clerk Training Programme has been a beacon of excellence, producing legal professionals who excel in their careers," said Peter Kendall, Partner and Head of the firm's Trainee Committee. "We are immensely proud of the impact our programme has had on the Cayman Islands' legal landscape as well as the wider community."

74 Caymanians have embarked on the programme since its inception, 10 of whom are current articled clerks in training and 64 having already been called to the bar as Cayman Islands attorneys-at-law.

As part of the celebration, Walkers is launching a captivating 3-part podcast series that will journey through the experiences of past, present and future articled clerks. Listeners can expect candid conversations, insights into legal training and inspiring stories of transformation.

The success of the Walkers Articled Clerk Training Programme is a testament to Walkers' commitment to excellence, mentorship, and educational empowerment. As Walkers marks this milestone, the firm remains steadfast in its mission to continue shaping legal talent who contribute significantly to the legal profession as well as to the communities they serve.

 All ACs V2



10-Nov-2023
Walkers advises Lumentum on $750 Million Acquisition of Cloud Light

We are pleased to announce that we have acted as BVI legal counsel to NASDAQ listed Lumentum Holdings in relation to its acquisition of Cloud Light Technology Limited (Cloud Light) for US$750 million (subject to certain adjustments) by way of a BVI statutory merger on Tuesday 7th October 2023. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and by Cloud Light’s shareholders and Lumentum financed the transaction through cash from its balance sheet and the assumption and substitution of outstanding unvested Cloud Light options.

The Walkers BVI based team of Omonike Robinson-Pickering , Matthew Cowman, Alex Drysdale and Lauren Williamson were instructed by US counsel Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.



25-Oct-2023
Top offshore law firm ranking for Walkers' Private Capital & Trusts team

Walkers' international Private Capital & Trusts team has been named in the highest tier by independent publisher eprivateclient for the sixth consecutive year.

The global team – offering Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey law advice – is named in the top rank in eprivateclient's 2023 top offshore law firms list.

Partner Rupert Morris, head of Walkers' Channel Islands Private Capital & Trusts Practice Group, said: "Being consistently recognised as a top offshore law firm by an independent research service for private client practitioners is very welcome."

Partner Monique Bhullar added: "This ranking is the product of the hard-work and dedication of our talented and skilled team, who should be proud of how they are perceived in the market."

Walkers' Private Capital & Trusts team spans the globe with lawyers on the ground in the BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey, who collaborate closely with colleagues in London, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Because of its strategic locations, Walkers is able to consider factors such as language barriers and time zones, and address them by choosing what's most appropriate and convenient for the client. All ten of Walkers' offices are accredited as a STEP Employer Partner, a partnership that supports the professional development of its team members in the trusts and estates industry.

The 2023 eprivateclient rankings are based on a survey of over 50 private client offshore law firms across the globe.