Wendy Benjamin

Wendy Benjamin leads the Banking and Asset Finance and Corporate Finance teams in Jersey. She specialises in banking, corporate and commercial law, and has an excellent reputation in IP, IT and data protection.

As well as working regularly with top-tier UK and US law firms on cross-border transactions, and restructuring and insolvency work, Wendy’s client-base encompasses significant local companies, public bodies and financial institutions.

Wendy was named as a 'Leader in her Field' by Chambers UK 2012. She was also named as a ‘Leader in her Field’ by Chambers Europe 2011 and 2010. Wendy was described as "fantastic" in Legal 500 UK 2011 edition. Wendy's team was also described as "always responsive and knowledgeable" in Legal 500 UK 2010 edition. IFLR1000 2009 described Wendy’s work as “thorough and commercially focused”. She was named as a ‘leading individual’ for corporate and commercial by Legal 500 UK 2008 and 2009. The 2008 edition described her as “always clear and commercially focused”. Wendy was recognised as "highly recommended" for banking work, and “recommended” for corporate/ M&A in the 2009 edition of PLC Which Lawyer. Chambers Global 2009 described Wendy as “among the leading writers in her field”.

Wendy qualified as an English Solicitor in 1990, and re-qualified as a Jersey Advocate in 2002. She became a partner in 2003. Prior to her move to Jersey, Wendy was the Legal Adviser to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales between 1995 and 1999. Before this she was a partner with a leading UK based international law firm.

Wendy is a member of the Jersey Companies Registry User Group and Jersey Law Society. She was previously the Legal Adviser to the Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

She has contributed to numerous publications. Wendy is also the Editor of Appleby’s Finance newsletter.

Recent examples of work include advising:

• Barclays Private Bank & Trust Limited in its capacity as corporate director of certain of the companies in the Belgravia Group giving urgent advice on the various winding up and other options available in light of the insolvency of certain of the companies, including a consideration of director’s duties and conflicts of interests and necessitated working closely with the Jersey Financial Services Commission as well as with the proposed liquidators
  
  
• Standard Chartered Private Bank on new product and transaction documentation particularly for Korean, Malaysian and Indian investments
  
  
• A leading investor and private equity fund manager and its portfolio companies active in the energy sector in Russia, India and other transforming markets on a bridging facility of US $210 million for significant investment in oil and gas assets and subsequently refinancing
  
  
• Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG as Jersey counsel in respect of guarantees to support EUR €460 million bond private placement in connection with refinancing of banking facilities
  
  
• In the debt restructuring of a major healthcare group established through combined Jersey/ Cayman corporate structures, worth in excess of $1.6 billion
  
  
• Barclays Bank Plc, Jersey branch on $250 million term loan facility to a Liberian company to support the expansion of a financial services business in Angola
  
  
• Red and White Securities Limited in the purchase of its 14.58% stake in Arsenal Holdings Plc for £75 million, and on a number of subsequent acquisitions, which was a high-profile sporting development widely reported by the UK and international press
  
  
• In the sale of a Jersey holding company and its group portfolio of approximately 30 industrial and office buildings in the UK, for a consideration of circa £400 million, including complex pre-sale and pre-completion group restructuring with complicated share exchanges, inter company transfers of loans and receivables, and repayment of loan notes and charges
  
  
• On the launch of the Standard Chartered Private Bank including reviewing all account, credit and security documentation and investment terms and conditions, which is a major initiative uniquely synchronising their private banking offering in Jersey, London, Dubai, China, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea
  
  
• ABN Amro Bank N.V. on a US $350 million facility to Hurriyet Invest B.V. in relation to acquisition of securities of Trader Media East Group listed on the London Stock Exchange and subsequent de-listing, and, additionally, advising on a US $200 million refinancing facility to Trader Media East Group, a leader in online and print classified advertising serving Central and Eastern Europe

• Banking & Asset Finance
• Capital Markets
• Intellectual Property
• Telecommunications & Technology

University College Cardiff (Wales)