APPLEBY LEADS WITH MOST TIER 1 RANKINGS – legal 500
Appleby leads the Bermuda marketplace with top-tier rankings across all six practice categories: Banking, Finance & Capital Markets; Corporate & Commercial; Dispute Resolution; Insurance/Reinsurance; Regulatory & Compliance; Trusts/Private Client. Appleby continues to be the only firm in Bermuda ranked Tier 1 across all of these six practice categories in Legal 500’s 2024 Caribbean Guide. Click for more.
CLIENT RECOGNISITION
“Appleby is the foremost legal firm in Bermuda, bar none. If you have a large or high-profile deal there is no better place to go, and no safer place to go.” – Legal 500
“Brilliant client service. They always take a commercial approach and are always willing to help and go the extra mile to get deals over the line within tight deadlines.” – Legal 500
“The team individuals are highly competent and responsive.” – Legal 500
“Appleby in Bermuda represents an excellence benchmark against which other firms are competing to be viewed and judged against.” – Legal 500
“The dedicated team delivers clear, concise, and practical advice, grounded in a pragmatic and common-sense approach.” – Legal 500
“Appleby is a market leader for dispute resolution in Bermuda. It easily outclasses most other firms in terms of the quality of its attorneys and the resources it can muster to support big-ticket offshore litigation.” – Legal 500
BERMUDA LAW FIRM
Bermuda is one of the world’s leading financial centres, and one of the largest re/insurance markets, with a long history of providing sophisticated financial and professional services to international businesses while maintaining a respected track record of transparency and regulatory effectiveness.
Appleby’s market-leading Bermuda lawyers offer significant depth across our key practice areas of Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Regulatory and Private Client & Trusts. We are consistently ranked in Band 1 across all our practice areas, by the leading legal directories. Through Appleby Global Services (AGS), we provide a range of administration, reporting and fiduciary services focused on corporate and trust structures.
We have one of the largest Corporate practices in Bermuda and advise local and international organisations, including a large number of FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, on every aspect of corporate and commercial law. We specialise in particular on re/insurance, mergers and acquisitions, banking and asset finance, regulatory and compliance, technology and innovation, funds and investment services, transport and logistics, energy and natural resources, and intellectual property.
We are the leader for re/insurance in Bermuda with the only dedicated insurance and reinsurance team on island. Our practice involves advising on the establishment, regulatory compliance and business operations of re/insurance companies, as well as re/insurance managers and brokers based in offshore jurisdictions. We advise in all aspects of re/insurance, including cat bonds, SPls, sidecars and other ILS, in addition to capital raising, M&A and InsurTech.
Appleby was the first to establish a dedicated regulatory practice in Bermuda. Our experienced, multi-disciplinary team is at the forefront of changes in the regulatory landscape and offer best in class advice on the regulatory issues facing Bermuda companies, including meeting Economic Substance requirements. We advise in all key areas of business and financial services regulation, including compliance, corporate governance and regulatory advisory services, and are skilled at applying technical regulatory information in a commercial context. We also offer Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer services through our corporate administration specialist, AGS.
Our technology experts help businesses meet the new challenges and support clients across a broad range of emerging technologies. Our team is leading the way with advising on the most Digital Asset Business Act (DABA) license applications on the island, and has the largest and most proficient team advising on the laws and regulations that are critical to innovative and technologically driven clients.
We also have an established funds and investment services practice that is well-placed to advise on the full lifecycle of Bermuda funds. The team has great familiarity with the ILS fund market for which Bermuda is well-known, in addition to providing detailed advice in the growing technology and digital asset sectors as related to funds.
Our first-class Dispute Resolution team is one of the largest litigation practices in Bermuda. Our dedicated, specialised litigators advise on a full range of legal issues for high-profile, high-value, sophisticated and complex disputes, including: commercial, restructuring and insolvency, regulatory, funds, trusts, employment and immigration, and re/insurance. Our team advise on the largest complex and multi-jurisdictional restructuring and insolvency matters in Bermuda, working with leading restructuring and insolvency practices across the globe. As the leading regulatory advisory practice in Bermuda, we also advise re/insurers, captives, hedge funds, investment advisers, and financial institutions in regards to BMA and Regulatory Authority of Bermuda investigations and enforcement actions.
Our Private Client & Trusts specialists, which include members from our trust disputes team, offer a breadth and depth of expertise on contentious and non-contentious trust matters. The complexity and scope of the matters we advise on include the establishment, administration, restructuring and termination of private, charitable, purpose and commercial trusts. Our Bermuda office also provides expert legal advice on all aspects of commercial and residential property.
BROCHURES
Click the links below to view our Bermuda Brochures.
Meet the bermuda Dispute Resolution team
Learn more about our Dispute Resolution team in Bermuda and our extensive experience advising on a wide variety of high-profile, sophisticated and complex disputes.
Our Dispute Resolution department
Our Dispute Resolution department is one of the largest litigation practices in Bermuda. Our dedicated and passionate lawyers advise on a full range of legal issues for high-profile, high-value, sophisticated and complex disputes, including: insolvency and restructuring, regulatory, funds, trusts, employment and immigration, re/insurance and commercial. Click for more.
Our Insolvency & Restructuring Team
Our Insolvency & Restructuring team, led by John Wasty, advises on the largest insolvency and restructuring matters in the jurisdiction working with leading insolvency and restructuring practices in London, New York, Chicago, Asia, Europe and Offshore. Click for more.
our REGULATORY DISPUTES Team
Our Regulatory Disputes team, led by John Wasty, provides advice to clients preparing for any interaction with regulators, and addresses any exposure to civil, criminal and administrative sanctions across a wide range of business activities. Click for more.
our trust DISPUTES Team
Our Trust Disputes team, led by Partner Hannah Tildesley, offers a wide breadth and depth of expertise on contentious trust matters. Our solution driven team delivers the highest level of client service, advising and acting on behalf of trustees, settlors, protectors and beneficiaries in high-value trust litigation and court approved restructurings, often with a strong multi-jurisdictional element. Click for more.
our INSURANCE DISPUTES Team
Our Insurance Disputes team, led by John Wasty, is a recognised industry leader with involvement in numerous high-profile disputes. We have market leading experience representing a wide range of parties in high-value arbitration, litigation and mediation matters, including reinsurers and insurers, policyholders, captives and brokers, with the legal and commercial acumen necessary to obtain a desirable resolution in this dynamic field. Click for more.
our Employment & Immigration Team
Our Employment & Immigration team, led by Theodora Hand, offer a seamless service, advising international and local companies on all matters connected to employment and immigration law. We have the ability to provide a joined-up service for clients, advising on a variety of non-contentious matters and investigations, as well as providing experienced advice and representation in contentious matters and legal disputes before Bermuda’s courts and tribunals. Click for more.
THE BERMUDA SHORTS PODCAST SERIES
The Appleby ‘Bermuda Shorts’ podcast features short talks on all things business and Bermuda with our lawyers from Bermuda and other industry experts. Our ‘Tech Talks’ series focuses on topics and trends in technology which are transforming businesses, markets and everyday life. Listen to learn more about Appleby, Bermuda and our Technology expertise.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Bermuda Football Association (BFA)
We have sponsored the BFA Youth Program since 2004, which aims to improve sportsmanship and instill values in players from a young age, on and off the field. In addition to the Children (ages 7-13) and Youth (ages 14-17) Divisions, our support helps BFA to organise coaching, administration and referee development programs conducted by local and overseas instructors. We are proud of our commitment to youth in Bermuda, which through the BFA Youth Program attracts more than 1,500 youth players each year.
The Reading Clinic
We provide financial assistance to The Reading Clinic, a not-for profit, registered charity founded in 1968. TRC has grown from providing specialised tutoring based in the founder’s home to offering literacy and math programmes to meet the needs of children with specific learning disabilities.
Bermuda National Trust (BNT)
We provide financial support and are partners with BNT in helping to restore and preserve the Sherwin Nature Reserve in Warwick. Our staff volunteer efforts include tree planting and clearing invasive plant species throughout the Reserve’s walking trails and adjacent road, as well as restoring or levelling educational signs for better use. A part of BNT’s mission is to protect and promote Bermuda’s unique natural heritage through land conservation.
Supportive Therapy for AIDS Persons and Their Relatives (STAR)
Since 1998, we have participated in STAR’s annual Holiday Donation Drive by assisting families with food hampers, fruit baskets, gifts, vouchers and Christmas trees. STAR has provided comprehensive support to persons with HIV/AIDS and their families since 1986.
HOME
Dedicated to ending homelessness in Bermuda, we made a financial contribution to charitable organisation ‘Home’ which opened in 2021 to help individuals and families receive shelter, health and social services, and to track progress in preventing, reducing and ending homelessness.
Saving Children and Revealing Secrets (SCARS)
We sponsored and fundraised for SCARS’ annual ‘Kayak 4 Kids’, where kayakers and paddleboarders fundraise to circumnavigate Bermuda on a 40-mile journey. SCARS’ mission is to reduce the risk of child sexual abuse by raising public awareness, educating the adult population in prevention, and supporting policies and procedures to best protect children.
BERMUDA HOSPITAL VACCINATION CLINIC
In April 2021, we donated $25,000 to assist with operating costs for the King Edward Memorial Hospital Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic.
WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE
An organisation with more than 30 years in Bermuda, our financial support has helped the charity in their mission to promote gender equality and to support women facing life challenges with information, appropriate referrals, confidential counseling, and educational and training programmes.
International Women’s Day
We participate in the annual International Women’s Day Bermuda celebration, highlighting women in our community who make a positive impact. The fundraising event helps to raise money for the Women’s Resource Centre.
WeSpeak
We supported WeSpeak, an organisation for women by women in Bermuda, in its establishment and registration as a charity, through sponsorship of a local event and with some of our women partners currently serving as coaches. WeSpeak seeks to focus on women’s professional development helping to give women the confidence to speak up and speak out in their corporate communities.
LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Whilst Covid-19 restrictions were in place in 2020 and 2021, we purchased gift cards from a restaurant group as part of an effort to support workers in the struggling hospitality industry; the gift cards were given to our employees.
BERMUDA SOCIETY OF ARTS (BSoA)
We provide pro bono support to BSoA, the oldest established arts organisation in Bermuda, whose mission is to nurture the growth of visual art and artists by providing a superior venue to showcase local artists’ work and helping to prepare them for international exposure.
SailGP Earth Hour
We partnered with SailGP and other sponsors in 2021 to support Earth Hour – a worldwide movement organised annually in Bermuda by local charity Greenrock -- to advocate for our planet, and raise awareness of nature loss and climate change.
BERMUDA BALL HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (BBHA)
Started in the late 1990s as a group of Canadian fans playing ‘pick-up’ hockey, our sponsorship helps BBHA, a charity which now consists of two leagues, a national team and a youth programme.
BERMUDA FESTIVAL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
Featuring international and local performing artists from a range of disciplines, we served as a corporate sponsor of this annual event which also provides outreach programmes for students and seniors.
Bermuda Half Marathon
We proudly sponsored and volunteered for this historical and popular mainstay on Bermuda’s cultural events calendar for 14 years – with five years as title sponsor -- which sees more than 1,000 runners participating annually.
TEDxBermuda
We sponsored this local event– part of the TED global community devoted to spreading ideas - which featured video and live speakers to spark deep discussions and connections in small groups.
CENTRE ON PHILANTHROPY GIVE BACK GAMES
We sponsored and participated in this former annual competition hosted by the Centre on Philanthropy which featured corporate teams raising money for a charity of choice.
Youthnet
We proudly supported YouthNet, which operated for 25 years, in its efforts to empower students to make positive life choices through school-based mentoring.
Bermuda Pride
As a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion, we support Bermuda Pride through registered charity OUTBermuda via community events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and their many allies on island. We have a long history of supporting our diverse workforce, and believe in the value of our differences and in equality for everyone.