Eighteen lawyers from Carey Olsen's Bermuda, British Virgin Islands (BVI) and Cayman Islands practices have been ranked in the 2021 edition of Chambers Global.
Carey Olsen Bermuda partner Keith Robinson is once again ranked in Band 1 for dispute resolution and described as both 'the best litigator in Bermuda' and 'exceptionally intelligent'. Managing partner Michael Hanson is also recognised for his dispute resolution work and considered to be the 'gold standard for employment law matters'.
Bermuda corporate partners Mary Ward (corporate & finance; and insurance) and Gavin Woods (insurance) also feature within the rankings. For her insurance work, sources reference Mary's 'encyclopedic knowledge of the ins and outs of Bermuda corporate and insurance regulatory law and the intersection of the two' and as someone who 'is well known and respected by the regulators'. Gavin is considered 'very strong and responsive' and noted for his advice regarding the licensing of insurance companies, as well as transactional and regulatory insurance mandates.
In addition, London-based counsel Sheba Raza continues to be recognised as the only Band 1 practitioner in the corporate & finance (foreign expertise) section of the Bermuda rankings. 'Sought after her expertise in Bermudian law', Sheba is described as a 'very capable, technical lawyer'.
On a practice level, Carey Olsen Bermuda has improved its ranking in both the corporate and finance, and dispute resolution categories. The firm's corporate team is 'well regarded for its handling of restructuring and acquisition matters', while the dispute resolution team has 'specialists in various areas so there are no gaps'. For insurance, sources note Carey Olsen Bermuda's 'solid track record in cross-border mandates, regularly representing global insurers and professional services companies in Bermudian legal matters'.
In rankings for the BVI, managing partner Clinton Hempel and counsel Elizabeth Killeen are both recognised within the corporate & finance (including investment funds) category, with Clinton regarded by sources as an 'excellent professional'. Interviewees describe Elizabeth as 'responsive and solution-driven' as well as 'excellent – very helpful and quick'.
For dispute resolution, partners Alex Hall Taylor QC and Tim Wright are recognised alongside counsel Simon Hall. Improving his band ranking this year, 'go-to figure' in the BVI Alex is noted to be 'stunningly quick-witted and fast to grasp the details of a complex matter'. Tim is described as up-and-coming, 'very smart and capable' as well as 'very likeable and very down to earth'. Simon is marked out as one to watch who 'has great potential', with interviewees highlighting 'his efficiency and strong advocacy skills'.
On a practice level, the BVI corporate team has impressed 'with its responsiveness' while another interviewee described the team as 'great'. The BVI dispute resolution and litigation practice is praised for being 'well-coordinated, technically strong and a pleasure to deal with'.
In the Cayman Islands, corporate partners Nick Bullmore (corporate & finance; and investment funds), Jarrod Farley (corporate & finance; and investment funds) and Richard Munden (corporate & finance) all once again feature in the rankings. Nick is praised for his 'great mix of sharp legal and commercial skills', while Jarrod is described as someone who is 'user-friendly and does a good job of explaining Cayman legal issues'. Richard is considered a 'leading Cayman lawyer and our first choice for asset finance' by one industry commentator.
Four members of the firm's Cayman Islands dispute resolution and litigation team also feature in the rankings: partners Sam Dawson, Jan Golaszewski and Peter Sherwood, and counsel Denis Olarou. Sources describe Sam as a first-rate litigator with sound judgement and excellent client management skills', while Jan is 'highly respected' and someone who 'is good at coordinating complex proceedings across different jurisdictions'. Peter, who has entered the rankings for the first time, is considered by sources as a 'capable lawyer' and 'excellent in terms of litigation strategy'. Sources praise Denis as a 'hard working lawyer' and a 'very good advocate'.
In addition, London-based partner Jasmine Amaria is recognised within the corporate & finance (foreign expertise) section of the Cayman Islands rankings, with sources describing her as 'very responsive and knowledgeable' and 'well regarded for her Cayman-focused corporate and finance practice'.
From a practice perspective, the Cayman Islands corporate team is commended as 'stellar performers who are highly available and great subject matter experts especially in niche disciplines'. The dispute resolution and litigation team is 'well respected in industry and an easy choice to retain as counsel' with an 'ability to strategise on big-picture points while also providing detailed advice on Cayman Islands law'. The investment funds practice is considered as 'very impressive and responsive', with another source stating its 'advice and work product is always of a high standard'.
