Bio
Simon is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey, specialising in financial crime, sanctions and other regulatory matters. In addition, Simon has significant experience as a commercial litigator.
He began his career as a solicitor in Sydney, Australia and has over 30 years’ experience as a lawyer, 20 years of which have been in Guernsey. He was called as a Guernsey Advocate in 2019 and is also admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.
Alongside his role at Appleby, Simon is a member of the Complaints Panel of Guernsey’s Administrative Decision Review Board.
Bio
Simon is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey, specialising in financial crime, sanctions and other regulatory matters. In addition, Simon has significant experience as a commercial litigator.
He began his career as a solicitor in Sydney, Australia and has over 30 years’ experience as a lawyer, 20 years of which have been in Guernsey. He was called as a Guernsey Advocate in 2019 and is also admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.
Alongside his role at Appleby, Simon is a member of the Complaints Panel of Guernsey’s Administrative Decision Review Board.
Simon Florance is fantastic… he always offers a measured and commercial approach, which helps enourmously
Work Highlights
- Acting in financial crime matters including money laundering prosecutions, restraint and confiscation orders, civil forfeiture orders, advice in relation to SARs, and dealing with Guernsey’s Financial Intelligence Unit and other law enforcement agencies.
- Advising on sanction issues in respect of complex company and trust structures involving cross-jurisdictional issues.
- Advising on AML/CFT/CPF issues including advising on setting up new Guernsey funds with higher risk cross-jurisdictional issues (for example, medicinal cannabis/psychedelic investment and gambling).
- Advising on compliance issues including reviewing and drafting client policies and procedures, and assisting with Guernsey Financial Services Commission site visits, thematic reviews and audits.
- Acting in supervisory actions (including client remediation) and enforcements actions by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.
- Advising on competition and utilities regulation advice including dealing with, and acting against, the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority.
- Advising on licensing issues for regulated entities (for example, fiduciaries, insurance managers, administrators and investment funds).
- Acting in complex commercial matters including investor disputes, banking litigation, judicial review, partnership and shareholder disputes, and appears in all the Guernsey courts.
- Acting in asset tracing over multiple jurisdictions including seeking disclosure and freezing orders (usually on an urgent basis).
- Acting in financial crime matters including money laundering prosecutions, restraint and confiscation orders, civil forfeiture orders, advice in relation to SARs, and dealing with Guernsey’s Financial Intelligence Unit and other law enforcement agencies.
- Advising on sanction issues in respect of complex company and trust structures involving cross-jurisdictional issues.
- Advising on AML/CFT/CPF issues including advising on setting up new Guernsey funds with higher risk cross-jurisdictional issues (for example, medicinal cannabis/psychedelic investment and gambling).
- Advising on compliance issues including reviewing and drafting client policies and procedures, and assisting with Guernsey Financial Services Commission site visits, thematic reviews and audits.
- Acting in supervisory actions (including client remediation) and enforcements actions by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.
- Advising on competition and utilities regulation advice including dealing with, and acting against, the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority.
- Advising on licensing issues for regulated entities (for example, fiduciaries, insurance managers, administrators and investment funds).
- Acting in complex commercial matters including investor disputes, banking litigation, judicial review, partnership and shareholder disputes, and appears in all the Guernsey courts.
- Acting in asset tracing over multiple jurisdictions including seeking disclosure and freezing orders (usually on an urgent basis).
Recognition
Simon’s expertise has been recognised by both Legal 500, where he is ranked for Regulatory and White-collar Crime, and the Chambers and Partners UK, Global, and Europe Guides, being ranked for Dispute Resolution.
Clients told Chambers and Partners that Simon “gets to the crux of issues very quickly and provides advice swiftly”. He is also praised for his “extensive” knowledge of Guernsey law, which he applies “in a very practical, commercial, and constructive manner”.
Simon’s expertise has been recognised by both Legal 500, where he is ranked for Regulatory and White-collar Crime, and the Chambers and Partners UK, Global, and Europe Guides, being ranked for Dispute Resolution.
Clients told Chambers and Partners that Simon “gets to the crux of issues very quickly and provides advice swiftly”. He is also praised for his “extensive” knowledge of Guernsey law, which he applies “in a very practical, commercial, and constructive manner”.
Qualifications & Education
Simon was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia and to the High Court of Australia in 1994. He was admitted as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2017. Simon was called as an Advocate of the Royal Court of Guernsey in 2019.
- University of Sydney, 1993.
Simon was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia and to the High Court of Australia in 1994. He was admitted as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2017. Simon was called as an Advocate of the Royal Court of Guernsey in 2019.
- University of Sydney, 1993.
