Bermuda Firms Shine In Off-Shore Law Rankings
Bermuda is now home to four of the 20 largest off-shore law firms in the world — including Appleby, which “continues to streak ahead of its peers” according to a new survey in a weekly British magazine for commercial lawyers and corporate directors.
According to “The Lawyer’s” updated list of off-shore firms — which are ranked according to number of partners — Bermuda-headquartered Appleby boosted its partnership by eight in the past year and now has 82 partners spread throughout its 12 global offices.
The other multi-jurisdictional Bermuda firms in “The Lawyer’s” top 20 rankings are Conyers Dill & Pearman at number five, Mello Jones & Martin — making its first appearance on the list — at number 15 and Cox Hallett & Wilkinson at number 19.
“A little more than a year after its merger with Dickinson Cruickshank, Appleby has consolidated its position as the world’s largest offshore law firm,” said “The Lawyer’s” Joanne Harris. “This was helped by the January 2010 addition of a Guernsey office with the hire of a four-partner team from Ozannes.
Appleby, which traces its Bermuda office’s history back to 1897, now has 82 partners and more than 220 lawyers in its 12 worldwide locations, plus another 200-plus staff in its fiduciary group.
The firm’s Bermudian managing partner Peter Bubenzer told “The Lawyer” he expects corporate and commercial work to flourish in the next 12 months, but litigation and insolvency activity beginning to gradually decline.
Appleby also wants to expand its fiduciary business, expanding the jurisdictions from which it offers its services due to an expected increase in work.
The Bermuda legal practice was named “Offshore Law Firm of the Year” at the Legal Week British Legal Awards held in London last December.
More recently both Appleby and Conyers, Dill and Pearman laid off staff at their Bermuda offices, citing an ongoing downturn in the local economy.
Chart: “The Lawyer”
