Bio
Jeremy Berchem is the Office Managing Group Partner* in Guernsey. Jeremy has extensive experience of all areas of banking and finance work including advising both lenders and borrowers in relation to all aspects of subscription, acquisition, property and asset finance transactions.
In addition Jeremy advises on the issuance of bonds and other debt instruments and their listing on the TISE, the sale and purchase of companies, corporate governance matters and the restructuring of corporate and debt structures. He also has a broad corporate and commercial practice and advises on general corporate matters.
Jeremy was named as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2023. Jeremy is praised for being “incredibly well versed in Guernsey law” and “able to provide advice on some of the most complex transactions”. The team “have a market leading brand and global platform, with deep legal and industry knowledge. They provide local service backed by international quality advice and lawyers.” Legal 500 go on to say “what really sets Appleby apart is its commercial understanding of the market – as well as being technically on the money, its assistance in bringing deals to a commercially agreeable position is invaluable.”
Chambers UK 2023 recognise Jeremy for being a ‘Notable Practitioner’. Clients say that “he’s incredibly commercial, responsive and finds solutions.” The team are commended for being “very good in cross-jurisdictional matters” and described as ‘extremely responsive, commercially astute… and very knowledgeable in the markets they operate in.”
IFLR1000 named Jeremy as ´Highly Regarded´ in the 2022/3 edition for his Corporate and M&A work. Clients told IFLR1000 that “Appleby combines market-leading knowledge with a partner-led service and an extremely commercial and pragmatic approach. They understand and always deliver at the levels of service City firms expect.” In addition that “Jeremy is excellent – he is responsive, knowledgeable and extremely user-friendly” and he “is an outstanding lawyer technically but balances that with being an incredibly commercial and solution-focussed lawyer.”
Jeremy joined Appleby as counsel in October 2012 having previously worked for another offshore law firm in the Channel Islands since 2006. Prior to this, Jeremy worked in the banking departments of Travers Smith in London and Dickinson Dees in Newcastle. Jeremy qualified as an English Solicitor in 1997.
Expertise:
Notable transactions include:
- Acting as Guernsey counsel to Lloyds Corporate Capital Markets plc (as agent, security agent and issuing agent) in connection with the revolving credit facility agreement provided to Bridgepoint Europe VI.
- Acting as Guernsey counsel to Barclays Bank plc in connection with a new equity commitment facility to Bridgepoint Funding V Limited to fund the subscription of the loan notes and to fund the acquisition of Herculean CC S.à r.l. (Target) and refinancing certain financial indebtedness of the Target Group.
- Acting as Guernsey counsel to the senior lender, ReAssure Limited, in respect of the refinancing of the Gort portfolio, comprising 19 industrial, retail and office assets located across the UK.
- Acting as Guernsey counsel to Investec Bank plc in respect of a £30million revolving facility agreement provided to certain members of the Zenprop Group.
- Advising PraxisIFM Group Limited and its subsidiaries (including various entities regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission) in connection with its borrowing of multicurrency term and revolving facilities from The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited.
- Advising Silicon Valley Bank in connection with its loans to Cairngorm Capital Partners I, LP and Cairngorm Capital Partners II, LP.
- Advising HSBC Holdings Plc in connection with the restructuring of the HSBC group, including the transfer HSBC Bank plc to an intermediate holding company in the context of the Group’s implementation of regulatory requirements in the United Kingdom which necessitate the separation (or “ring-fencing”) of the Group’s UK retail and commercial banking business from its wholesale and investment banking divisions.
- Acting as Guernsey and Alderney counsel to Nomura as arranger to a syndicate of lenders in respect of the provision of facilities to GVC.
Education:
University College, Durham (England)
BBP Law School, London (England)
* admitted in England and Wales
Jeremy’s advice and knowledge of Guernsey structures and financing issues are very impressive.
