Offshore law firm Collas Crill is joining forces with Jersey-based boutique Ward Yates in January.
Ward Yates Partners Victoria Yates (pictured) and Nick Ward, Senior Associate Laura Le Meur and Practice Manager Lucy Galley will all join Collas Crill at the beginning of 2024.
Victoria joins the firm as Partner in its Private Client and Trusts team which is led by Damian James in Jersey and Christian Hay globally. She has more than 20 years’ offshore legal experience and advises on all Jersey aspects of international private client and non-contentious trust matters including commercial trusts. She has particular expertise in the establishment, administration, financing, disposal and termination of a wide range of Jersey trust and corporate structures.
Nick joins as Partner in the FS&R team which will be led by Wayne Atkinson in the Channel Islands and Michael Adkins globally. BVI and Jersey qualified, Nick has more than 30 years’ legal experience, including more than 20 years offshore. He advises on the full range of legal, commercial and regulatory issues relevant to the establishment, operation and financing of Jersey vehicles ranging from companies and partnerships through to trusts and foundations.
Laura joins as Senior Associate in PC&T. Prior to joining Ward Yates in 2018, Laura worked for a major offshore corporate and trust provider for more than ten years, latterly as an Associate Director in the Private Client Team. She has broad practical experience in the establishment and administration of corporate and trust structures.
Victoria said: “Joining Collas Crill marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Nick, myself and all the team and we are each looking forward to the opportunities that this creates.
“We have always prided ourselves on the collaborative approach that we bring to our client work and, in meeting with the team at Collas Crill (some of whom we have known for a long time), it is great to see how aligned our cultures, values and client focus are. Working with Collas Crill will enable us to provide an even wider range of solutions and jurisdictions to our clients and intermediaries without compromising on the partner-led service that we have become known for.”
Group Managing Partner Jason Romer said: “I am absolutely delighted to have Victoria, Nick and team on board. They join us at an exciting time for the firm, having just established global practice teams across our jurisdictions to provide clients with better access to the breadth and depth of our expertise across the world.
“The Ward Yates team will offer significant bench strength to our already fantastic private client team in Jersey as well as bolstering our local financial services expertise. They each bring a real depth of experience and knowledge, together with a genuine warmth and passion for clients and everyone they work with. We look forward to welcoming them as we move into this exciting new phase of development for Collas Crill.”
