Neal Lomax

Mourant du Feu & Jeune’s Cayman Islands practice ‘has witnessed impressive growth’ and is regarded as ‘one to watch’, according to the latest Legal 500 rankings.

Legal 500 researcher for Cayman, Miguel Cortez, also acknowledged the strong relationships Mourant du Feu & Jeune has with a number of top international law firms for investment funds work, including Dechert LLP and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.

Mr Cortez said: “Mourant du Feu & Jeune has witnessed an impressive growth. Its excellent Cayman Islands team is regarded as one to watch.”

He added: “With a strong focus on hedge funds, private equity, banking and M&A, the ‘always available and highly professional’ Neal Lomax and the ‘very knowledgeable’ Richard de Basto receive high praise from clients. Transactional highlights include advising on various Cayman insolvency issues arising from the financial difficulties of Sigma Finance. The firm also acted for Natixis on the Cayman aspects of the financing of the construction and operation of four oil rigs.”

Mourant du Feu & Jeune’s commercial disputes practice, one of the largest in the Cayman Islands, was also highly regarded by the researcher.

“Mourant du Feu & Jeune’s eight lawyer team is spearheaded by the ‘highly skilled and extremely knowledgeable’ Hector Robinson,” said Mr Cortez. “Spanning banking and trust litigation, complex fraud, insolvency and restructuring, asset recovery, and anti-money laundering, some of the firm’s most notable clients include JPMorgan, Bank of America and Deloitte. The firm represented directors of Cayman Bear Stearns in connection with the winding up of Bear Stearns’ Cayman funds. Counsel Kenneth Farrow is highly recommended.”

The recognition by Legal 500, a major international legal directory, acknowledges the firm’s status as one of the leading law firms in the Cayman Islands.

Neal Lomax, head of Mourant du Feu & Jeune’s Cayman office, said: “The recognition that our Cayman Islands practice has received from Legal 500 is very pleasing and we are excited about the future development of the office.

“Mourant du Feu & Jeune is one of the world’s leading offshore law firms. Operating from offices in Cayman, Guernsey, Jersey and London, we specialise in providing offshore legal services to the world’s leading financial institutions, corporations, fund promoters and high net worth individuals.

The Cayman office has an international reputation as one of the leading hedge fund and private equity funds practices in the Cayman Islands. It is also internationally recognized as having premier insolvency & restructuring and commercial litigation practices.

The firm has seen spectacular growth [in Cayman]. ‘Top marks for business acumen and industry knowledge, as well as for my overall confidence in their team,’ one client said.”