IFLR 1000
The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms

	Carey Olsen Mourant Ozannes
	Ogier
	Collas Crill
	Babbé Bedell Cristin
	Appleby

Clients had high praise for Bedell Cristin and it seems the firm is on the up in Guernsey: "I would certainly put Bedell in a higher position, because Bedell is always very helpful, rather than just giving us the law, the legal position, they're trying to think what is good for the transaction," says one client.Like some of its peers, the firm is also looking at foreign expansion and launched an office in Mauritius last November.... [more]

Clients had high praise for Bedell Cristin and it seems the firm is on the up in Guernsey: "I would certainly put Bedell in a higher position, because Bedell is always very helpful, rather than just giving us the law, the legal position, they're trying to think what is good for the transaction," says one client.

Like some of its peers, the firm is also looking at foreign expansion and launched an office in Mauritius last November. The new office is headed by partner Yuvraj Juwaheer, an experienced Mauritian lawyer with over 15 years of global corporate and commercial experience, and banking partner Mark Dunlop.

One of the firm's notable mandates saw it act for Wave Telecom on the merging of several of its subsidiaires.

In addition the team acted on the restructuring of a Guernsey registered insurance entity by a US private equity firm.

Partner Mark Helyar also acted for Sodium Partners on a catastrophe bond securitisation.

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	Carey Olsen Mourant Ozannes
	Ogier
	Babbé Bedell Cristin Collas Crill
	Appleby

Bedell Cristin saw its funds capacity reduced last year when partner Christopher Anderson joined Carey Olsen. "Bedell suffered a big loss with the move of Christopher Anderson, so it's going to be difficult for them to come back from [where they were]," says one partner.... [more]

Bedell Cristin saw its funds capacity reduced last year when partner Christopher Anderson joined Carey Olsen. "Bedell suffered a big loss with the move of Christopher Anderson, so it's going to be difficult for them to come back from [where they were]," says one partner. The market will wait to see how the firm reacts.

A notable example of the firm's work last year saw them advise Global Mutual Fund PCC on its open ended fund with an excess of 50 cells. The team also acted on the closing of the Gilde IV fund.

The firm also acted on the launch of Energy Venture IV, a Nordic private-equity fund with a capacity of $250 million.

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	Mourant Ozannes Ogier
	Bedell Cristin Carey Olsen
	Appleby
	Voisin & Co Walkers
	Collas Crill Pinel O'Shea

Clients have been impressed by Bedell Cristin's string of quality work. "The team were very committed to the transactions.... [more]

Clients have been impressed by Bedell Cristin's string of quality work. "The team were very committed to the transactions. They have good technical abilities," says one client, "They're particularly good because they came up with some solutions to some tricky problems and they produced quite quickly, they all had ideas in terms of how to move things forward, which was very positive."

In the M&A market, one of the notable deals saw partners Peter Byrne heading the team acting for RHJ International, a Brussels-based financial holding company, in relation to the completion of a £225 million acquisition of the Kleinwort Benson Group. Elsewhere Byrne was involved in another notable deal when the team acted for the Russian media holding group ProfMedia's acquisition of Rambler Media, an internet operator from Russia.

Newly promoted partner Tim Pearce came in for particular praise: "Tim had a great appetite for moving things forward quickly," says one client, "He's very accessible, even in the holidays, and he's always available to take up our calls."

In terms of the company listing work, the team advised on The Scottish Salmon Company's listing on the Oslo Bors, while Martin Paul advised Max Property Group's share capital admission to the London Aim market and the daily official list of the Channel Islands Stock Exchange.

On the securitisation market, Pearce was again involved in another notable deal when the team acted for the Special Servicer of a £1.45 billion commercial real-estate loan made to the Protractor Group, which is a Jersey company with a limited partnership and unit trusts structure. The team provided legal advice covering security enforcement, insolvency, corporate matters as well as litigation support.

Another highlight saw the team acting for Lloyds TSB Bank in relation to the establishment and launch of a $10 billion asset-backed commercial paper programme.

In order to issue the commercial paper into both the European and the US markets, the team provided full company administration services to the new SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles), including Argento Variable Funding Company and its Delaware incorporated.

In line with the market, Byrne and Pearce teamed up again to act for Deutsche Postbank on the Jersey aspects of a £570 million debt restructuring, which relates to the financing of Minerva's two on-going developments.

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	Mourant Ozannes
	Bedell Cristin Carey Olsen Ogier
	Appleby Voisin & Co Walkers
	Collas Crill Pinel O'Shea

Bedell Cristin's funds team is well regarded by clients: "Their legal knowledge is very strong, they were able to answer all the things that we wanted them to," says one client.The firm is also praised for its innovation: "They're quite good actually, we had a couple of issues in terms of migration we needed to address, and they came up with a couple of solutions, which enable us to progress," says a client.... [more]

Bedell Cristin's funds team is well regarded by clients: "Their legal knowledge is very strong, they were able to answer all the things that we wanted them to," says one client.

The firm is also praised for its innovation: "They're quite good actually, we had a couple of issues in terms of migration we needed to address, and they came up with a couple of solutions, which enable us to progress," says a client.

One notable deal saw partners Martin Paul and Tim Pearce, acting for Evans Randall in relation to the establishment of several multi-million pound real estate investment syndicates focused on City of London including the newly developed Drapers Gardens building in the City, worth £242.5 million.

"The person who leads the transactions is Tim [Pearce]," says one client, "He was very alive to commit commerciality, which we're trying to do." Another agrees: "Probably Tim is the best, and he is always business-minded."

One on-going deal sees partner Emily Haithwaite leading the team acting for Ethos Private Equity on the establishment of Ethos Fund VI, and its general partner Ethos Capital VI. This includes the authorisation of the partnership as a Jersey expert fund and the authorisation of the general partner as a fund services provider to the partnership.

Haithwaite also advised on the second fund of RREEF's pan European infrastructure series. The closed-ended fund will target approximately £3 billion in commitments from a global client base.

Another highlight saw Simon Pascoe, acting for Athlone professional investor fund in relation to its conversion from a protected cell company to an incorporated cell company. This involved the authorisation of the cells as a collective investment fund organised as a Jersey expert fund and the listing of five of the cells on the Channel Islands Stock Exchange.

The firm's cross isle presence is also praised by clients: "The firm's Guernsey office is fine, and they work very well with Jersey office. Coordination between Jersey and Guernsey is very good," says one.

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