Appleby has been ranked Band 1 for the firm’s work in the fintech sector in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Guernsey and the Isle of Man in the 2023 edition of the Chambers and Partners FinTech Guide.
This is the first year Chambers has ranked the offshore jurisdictions individually and the three top tier rankings are the most for any offshore firm in the directory. Appleby’s Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Jersey offices also achieved Band 2 rankings.
On an individual basis, Appleby had six lawyers ranked, also the most for any offshore firm. Partners Peter Colegate (Cayman Islands), Richard Field (Guernsey), Andrew Jowett (Jersey) and Claire Milne WS (Isle of Man) all secured Band 1 status, while Partner Jeffrey Kirk (BVI) and Counsel Katherine Garrood (Isle of Man) also featured. Partner Jerome Wilson was recognised as a ‘notable practitioner’ in Bermuda.
Peter Colegate (pictured), Partner and Global Head of Appleby’s Technology and Innovation Group, said: “We are very proud of our global technology and innovation offering and this fantastic set of rankings from Chambers and Partners is testament to the quality and depth of expertise that exists within the Group.
“The technology sector is constantly evolving, so to be recognised as a leading firm in this space is a welcome endorsement of our approach. As always, we are very grateful to our clients and counterparts for their continued instructions and kind feedback.”
A leading directory for the legal industry, Chambers ranks law firms and their lawyers across 200 jurisdictions worldwide based on independent research and analysis, including client feedback.
Industry sources cited within the directory described Appleby’s Bermuda office as ‘exceptional … like a well-oiled machine; they are so clued-in and know exactly what they are doing’, while the ‘pretty deep’ BVI team was praised for having ‘a strong grasp on the interplay of international law with BVI’s evolving regulatory framework for digital assets’. In the Cayman Islands, Appleby has ‘a great reputation and offers excellent in-house expertise’.
There is similar praise for the Group in the Crown Dependencies where Appleby’s Guernsey office is recognised for its ‘considerable expertise in matters concerning digital assets, blockchain and fintech applications’, while the Isle of Man team is noted for handling a ‘significant caseload of cross-border payments law and regulatory work for the island’s e-gaming sector’. In Jersey, the Group is recognised for advising on ‘high-value transactional matters as well as financial regulation for payments businesses, neobanks, crypto companies and investment funds’.
