Offshore lawyers top of legal super league table

(CNS): Cayman based offshore law firm Appleby has bagged itself an industry award following its merger earlier this year. The legal experts have been named winner of the inaugural Practical Law Company (PLC) Which Lawyer? Offshore Law Firm Super League 2009. The firm said that the award recognises its ability to help global companies solve the complex problems that arise from doing business across borders with different regulatory, legal and commercial frameworks.

The PLC Which Lawyer? Offshore Super League comprises nine elite law firms that qualified for inclusion based on their existing endorsements by PLC Which Lawyer? in two or more offshore jurisdictions, plus extensive research of PLC’s general counsel network, client feedback and lawyer peer reviews.

Huw Moses, Appleby’s Cayman Islands Managing Partner, said the firm was delighted to have achieved the accolade. “Our goal has been to become the leading provider of legal, fiduciary and administration services across the offshore world and it is particularly important that our market leading position has been recognised by practitioners and clients through PLC Which Lawyer’s extensive research,” he said.

Appleby led the field with 42 individual lawyer recommendations and jurisdictional recommendations in Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man and Jersey — more than any other firm in both categories.

Following the Isle of Man merger, Appleby has 74 partners globally – the largest number of any offshore firm. In 2009 Appleby also opened offices in the Seychelles and added a representative office in Bahrain to its extensive global network.

 “Appleby has transformed itself into one of the largest offshore players through a series of mergers and new office openings over the last few years,” the winning citation said. “Its most recent merger, with leading Manx firm Dickinson Cruickshank, has been a significant factor in it securing first place in the super league.”