Appleby has an ‘exceptional ability to handle complex and sophisticated matters’, according to the 2024 edition of the Chambers and Partners FinTech Guide, with the Group securing recognition in six different offshore jurisdictions.
Band 1 rankings for the firm’s work in the fintech sector were achieved across the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, while Appleby’s Bermuda and Jersey offices were both ranked in Band 2. The four top tier rankings are the most for any offshore firm in the directory.
On an individual basis, Appleby has six lawyers ranked, also the most for any offshore firm. Partners Peter Colegate (Cayman Islands), Richard Field (Guernsey) and Claire Milne WS (Isle of Man) all secured Band 1 status, while Band 2 rankings were achieved by Partners Andrew Jowett (BVI) and Jerome Wilson (Bermuda). Counsel Katherine Garrood (Isle of Man) also featured as an Associate-to-Watch.
Appleby Group Managing Partner Malcolm Moller said: “We are delighted to have secured such a strong set of rankings in this year’s edition of Chambers and Partners FinTech. As a Group we are immensely proud of our global technology and innovation offering, with recognition such as this highlighting the hard work and depth of expertise that is present in our teams across Bermuda, BVI, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey. As always, we are very grateful to our clients and counterparts for their support and invaluable feedback during the Chambers research process.”
Feedback within the directory sees Appleby’s Bermuda office recognised for having a ‘strong team of lawyers who regularly advise on digital assets regulatory matters and transactions’, while the BVI team is noted by industry sources for its ‘professionalism, efficiency, clarity, friendliness, and exceptional level of legal service’ with another stating that they ‘will continue to use them [Appleby] in the future and refer them to others’. In the Cayman Islands, Appleby’s ‘ability to handle complex and sophisticated matters is exceptional’, with the firm being described as ‘extremely responsive to clients demands and questions’.
There is similar praise for the Group in the Crown Dependencies where Appleby’s Guernsey office – the only recognised firm in the island – is commended for its ‘clear, concise advice when requested’ and noted for being ‘particularly strong on data protection and information security’. The Isle of Man team, which is also the only recognised firm in the island, is described as having a ‘quick and efficient process – they had excellent follow-up work and assisted with additional questions as they arose’. In Jersey, the Group is noted for its ‘considerable expertise in matters concerning digital assets, blockchain and fintech applications’.
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.
