Commercial, Banking & Corporate Law Firm in Cayman Islands

Stuarts Walker Hersant, Attorneys at Law

Main Office
4th Floor Cayman Financial Centre
36A Dr. Roy's Drive, Grand Cayman
George Town KY1-1104
Cayman Islands

+1 345 9493344

+1 345 9492888

www.stuartslaw.com

Contact Mr. Andrew Hersant

Published Articles

Law Firm Overview

Stuarts Walker Hersant or “Stuarts”, located in Cayman Islands is a leading legal practice with international reach. Offering a full range of corporate and commercial legal advice together with a constant client focus, our experienced attorneys assist our clients on their most significant and challenging commercial transactions, structures, liabilities and obligations. Our proven track-record in advising leading international law firms, investment managers, investment companies and high-net-worth individuals is a result of the deep understanding of our markets.

At Stuarts, we strive to build and maintain lasting relationships with our clients through the combined legal expertise and business acumen of our practice groups providing a diverse client base with top-notch representation and service.

Stuarts is a founding member of The Alternative Investment Management Association Limited and is a listing agent for the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange.

Year this Office was Established: 2002

Languages: English, French and Spanish

Associates

	Mr. Anthony Akiwumi Head of Litigation Banking Law, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law		Mr. Richard Annette Senior Counsel Arbitration, Banking Law, Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation, Commercial Litigation
	Allain Forget Associate Banking and Finance		Buck Grizzel Associate Admiralty and Maritime, Banking and Finance, Immigration, Real Estate
	Paul Keohane Associate Asset Protection, Business Formation, Business Law, Capital Markets, Commercial Law		Chris Levers Associate Litigation
	Paul Murphy Associate Litigation		Mr. Stephen Porter Senior Associate Administrative Law, Admiralty and Maritime, Civil Litigation, Commercial Law, Corporate Law
	Sarah Singleton Paralegal Business and Industry		Gary Smith Senior Associate Asset Protection, Banking Law, Capital Markets, Corporate Finance, Finance
	Aaron Walker Associate Banking and Finance, Business and Industry, Commercial Law, Contracts, Corporate Governance

Lawyers

Mr. Andrew E Hersant
Chairman
Banking Law, Capital Markets, Commercial Law, Corporate Finance, Corporate Law

Mr. Chris Humphries
Managing Director
Admiralty and Maritime, Aviation Law, Banking and Finance, Banking Law, Capital Markets

Of Counsel

Sarah Dobbyn
Of Counsel
Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Business Litigation, Civil Litigation, Commercial Litigation

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: Mutual and Hedge Funds; Regulatory Compliance; Disposals; Preservation Law; Finance Transaction Law; Aircraft Leasing; Aircraft Registration and De-Registration; Mortgage Registration; Security Enforcement; Re-Domiciliation; Regulatory Compliance.

Areas of Law Description

- Investment Funds

Stuarts Walker Hersant is one of the leading providers of offshore legal services and has an experienced team of corporate and commercial lawyers who offer in-depth market knowledge, understanding and expertise in relation to the investment funds market. Our Investment Funds Team provides offshore legal advice on fund formation, structures, regulation, de-registration, liquidation and on-going advice to both investment funds and managers.

- Private Equity

Stuarts has a dedicated and enthusiastic team of professionals advising on all aspects of offshore private equity transactions in addition to fund formation, the formation of alternative investment vehicles, international leveraged buy outs and equity financing where the structure involves offshore jurisdictional advice. We assist in the implementation of IPOs, company sales or mergers and recapitalization and advise on structuring, secured lending and due diligence.

- Corporate and Commercial

We advise corporate clients, including leading financial institutions, prominent US, European & South American banks, investment managers, Fortune 500 companies and several of the world's largest insurance companies, in connection with a wide range of cross border commercial arrangements and international transactions. Commercial services to clients include the structuring, drafting and negotiation of their international commercial agreements including joint venture relationships, licensing and commercialization agencies, franchising & licensing agreements and financing arrangements with banks and commercial leaders.

- Capital Markets & Structured Finance

Our lawyers are experienced in advising in relation to financial structuring using a broad range of debt, equity and structured products including securitizations; securities regulation including the provision of advice to brokers, dealers, issuers and managers and all associated regulation and licensing issues in connection with the sale and distribution of securities; aircraft financing; collateralized debt obligations; commercial paper and note programs.

- Restructuring

Stuarts has developed a niche practice in the restructuring of Cayman Islands companies and has become one of the leading Cayman firms in this field. Our team has considerable expertise and experience in implementing schemes of arrangement to affect the refinancing or reorganization of a company’s affairs. We advise and represent distressed companies in corporate rescue situations as well as solvent companies in all aspects of reorganizing through mergers, spin offs and takeovers.

- Management Services

Stuarts Corporate Services Ltd. and its affiliates ("SCS") specializes in the provision of corporate support services for private equity, real estate and mezzanine funds. SCS also provides registered office services. The Management Group delivers timely, effective service based on an in-depth knowledge of the regulations and commercial environment in the jurisdictions from which it operates. The Group is committed to the provision of premier quality services and the effective and cost-efficient servicing of client needs.

- Litigation

We provide comprehensive advice and representation in the courts of the Cayman Islands at every level and on all aspects of commercial, regulatory and criminal law. Our inter-disciplinary team approach enables us to provide effective representation throughout the litigation and dispute resolution process including advising directors, partners and trustees on their obligations and potential liabilities and as to rights and remedies, advising on the enforceability of judgments and arbitral awards, asset tracing, protection and interlocutory applications for restraint orders, individual bankruptcy and corporate insolvency, regulatory actions and requests for assistance under mutual legal assistance treaties and memoranda of understanding, banking and contractual disputes, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims and insurance and professional indemnity claims.

- Insurance

Stuarts has an experienced team of insurance lawyers who offer in-depth market knowledge in relation to the insurance market. We assist in all aspects of establishment, licensing, structuring, regulation and operation of insurance companies and captives. We work closely with leading Cayman Island insurance managers and advise Cayman-based insurers on every aspect of their business including compliance and review of policies and advise both private and listed companies in relation to: alternative risk transactions, captive incorporations, captive and rent-a-captive programs, catastrophe bonds, insurance and reinsurance policy wording, mergers and acquisitions, mutual insurance companies, policy and contract review, re-domiciliation, regulatory compliance, segregated portfolio companies, and the listing of insurance companies.

- Project Finance

We have acted as Cayman Counsel to private equity lenders and multilateral lending institutions in connection with a wide variety of capital projects throughout the world, such as electricity generating plants, oil fields and other infrastructure projects and privatizations across South America, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. We have experience in the establishment of a wide range of debt, equity and hybrid interests in project finance ventures.

- Banking and Asset Finance

The banking and asset finance team acts for some of the world's leading banks, financial institutions and businesses. In addition to deals involving international institutions, the group is involved in many of the Cayman Islands' biggest financial transactions. The team offers our clients a wide range of services in relation to numerous forms of financing transactions.
We act on behalf of banks and other financial institutions and have extensive experience in advising on syndicated letter of credit facilities in support of insurance/reinsurance and capital market liability, on-shore lending secured by a portfolio of securities offshore with or without custodial obligations and trade finance e.g. documentary credits, ISDA agreements.

-PCL & Anti-Money Laundering

In response to the growing need for practical and concrete compliance advice following the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Law and the Money Laundering Regulations, we have assembled a specialist team with practical and technical expertise in compliance matters who are available to advise on Cayman Islands compliance issues for both international and domestic clients. We are able to provide expert advice in relation to suspicious activity reporting obligations, the application of licensing laws for banks, trust companies, mutual fund administrators, insurance and securities investment business and can assist with licensing applications, exemptions and amendments.

- Regulatory and Financial Services

In a climate of increased regulation, it is vital for businesses to take professional advice on regulatory matters. Stuarts' regulatory team advises insurers, banks and other regulated financial institutions and entities on all aspects of financial regulation in the Cayman Islands and have extensive knowledge of applicable laws, regulations and rules. We offer concise and clear advice to clients and can draw upon compliance experts. With the continuing development of the regulatory environment, the role of our regulatory team is critical in identifying the various regulatory risks our clients may face and in the implementation of controls for protection against those risks.

- Private Client and Trusts

We provide advice to many trust companies in the Cayman Islands on trust and related private client matters including unit trusts, off balance sheet vehicle share ownerships, performance and escrow arrangements, and transaction specific purpose trusts. We provide advice in relation to the establishment of charities and foundations as trusts or corporations to achieve charitable and philanthropic objectives.

- Real Estate

Our attorneys have experience advising on all aspects of Cayman Islands real estate law. We regularly advise on the purchase and sale of commercial and residential properties in the Cayman Islands. We also advise banks and other local institutions in connection with mortgage financing, property developers in connection with property development, and landlords and tenants in connection with leases and tenancies.

- Marine & Shipping

The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry has developed a strong reputation as an attractive quality ship-registration jurisdiction. Stuarts is available to provide assistance in connection with a variety of matters relating to Cayman Islands Shipping Law. These include assisting purchasers of ships, yachts and other vessels in registering vessels with or transferring a foreign-flagged vessel to the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry as well as advising banks or other financing institutions on the preparation and registration of mortgages and other security documentation over Cayman Islands registered vessels.

- Aviation

We have a particular focus on assisting clients in relation to the registration of private and corporate jets and regularly advise private clients, family offices, corporates, lenders and insurers based in Europe, North and South America and, increasingly, Asia. Our team has a good working relationship with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands ("CAACI") and a comprehensive understanding of Cayman Islands aviation law, enabling us to provide our clients with an efficient and dependable service.