Collas Crill's Cayman and BVI teams have received fantastic feedback in the 2022 Legal 500 Caribbean directory, with a number of practice areas moving up a tier this year.
The firm's Cayman practice is 'rapidly establishing itself as one of the leading teams in the market' according to one client testimonial. A number of the firm's Cayman lawyers have been individually recognised in the directory, including three within the firm's dispute resolution team which moves from tier 3 to tier 2 this year.
Cayman Managing Partner and head of department Stephen Leontsinis is named a leading individual in his field and a 'stand-out practitioner' with 'an excellent strategic mind'. Partners Rocco Cecere and Jennifer Colegate are listed as Next Generation Partners.
The firm's private client and trust team retains its Tier 3 status with one client describing the practice as providing 'very practical and commercially orientated advice', 'decisive and conclusive, not fence sitting.' The team is also praised for its 'outstanding quality and service delivery' and 'remarkable follow-up'.
The firm's property practice in Cayman has been ranked for the first time in tier 3. Head of department Gina Berry has been named a leading individual once again, and described as 'one of the top lawyers locally in this area.’
The Cayman corporate, finance and funds team has moved up to tier 4 in the Corporate & Commercial category and is listed in tier 5 in Investment Funds. The team 'is excellent at providing strong commercial solutions and a high calibre of client care', according to one testimonial. Senior Associate Natalie Bell has been recognised as a Next Generation Partner with a 'commercial and client-focused approach'.
Stephen Leontsinis said: 'This year's Legal 500 rankings bear witness to our growing reputation and success in the Cayman Islands and the hard work and talent of our people.
'It is particularly gratifying to read the feedback from our clients and peers, which reflects everything we seek to achieve as a firm. By offering incisive, strategic advice, whilst always maintaining our clients' goals front of mind, we have become leaders in our field. My heart-felt congratulations to the team.'
In the BVI, Collas Crill's banking, finance and capital markets practice has jumped up the rankings to claim its place in tier 2. The team is led by BVI managing partner Ellie Crespi who joined the firm in March of this year, and maintained her Leading Individual ranking. Of Ellie, one client noted that 'when it comes to structured finance and secured lending, there is simply no one else in the offshore market with greater depth and breadth of experience.' Associate Aliki Skelton-Lettsome is noted as 'a hard-working and highly promising home-grown talent.'
The firm's corporate and commercial practice in the BVI has retained its tier 3 status. Ellie Crespi gets further praise with one interviewee commenting that she 'literally wrote the book on BVI Commercial Law' and that 'it is very positive for the jurisdiction to have a lawyer who spent the best part of a decade working in Hong Kong heading up one of the big international offshore firms here.'
BVI's dispute resolution team is ranked in Tier 4 and recognised as being 'incredibly responsible and able to handle the most challenging clients and cases.' The directory includes a string of endorsements for head of practice David Harby with one client describing as a 'a real string to the team's bow, a robust litigator with excellent judgement.' Senior Associate Dave Marshall is noted as 'a stellar performer – hugely industrious, charming and thoughtful.'
Ellie Crespi said: 'This year's rankings and feedback are an immensely gratifying read and much-deserved praise for the brilliant team here in the BVI. Big congratulations to them all.
'This is a firm that's going places and it's an absolute privilege to be leading the team as we write the next chapter of our success story. I'm excited to see what we can achieve together and on behalf of our clients next year.'
The Legal 500 series is an independent guide, in which firms and individuals recommended purely on merit. It is now in its 35th year.
For more information on Collas Crill's services in the Cayman Islands, click here.
For more information on our services in the BVI, click here.
