Corporate Law Firm

Our offshore corporate practice is renowned for its expertise and experience in providing comprehensive legal advice and assistance to a diverse range of clients, ensuring that all aspects of their corporate and commercial law needs are met. As one of the largest and most recognised offshore corporate law firms, we advise a variety of local and international organisations, including a significant number of FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies. Whether requiring assistance with financing, mergers and acquisitions, funds advice or other corporate legal matters, our team of offshore corporate lawyers is here to help.

Our Corporate Lawyers

As a leading offshore corporate law firm, our team of corporate solicitors and lawyers specialise in providing comprehensive legal solutions for businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes.

Our experienced offshore corporate lawyers offer a wide range of advice in corporate and commercial law, with particular expertise and focus on financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, capital markets, joint ventures, fintech, insurance and investment funds.

We understand the uniqueness of working in the offshore sector and are committed to providing customised solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients. Whether a multinational corporation or a small business, we have the knowledge and commercial acumen required as an offshore corporate law firm of choice to ensure clients achieve their goals and receive the legal support they need to succeed.

Offshore Corporate Law

The laws, rules, regulations and practices that govern the formation and operation of corporations are complex. Our talented, experienced and solution driven team is committed to delivering the highest possible level of client service and regularly work together across our global locations to provide expert multi-jurisdictional advice.

We have offices in ten highly regarded, well-regulated global locations and practise the laws of eight jurisdictions. Our office locations include the key international jurisdictions of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, as well as the international financial centres of Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Corporate Services

  • Banking & Asset Finance

    Our banking and asset finance team are experienced in all aspects of law relating to banking, ship and aircraft registration and finance, asset backed finance and project and infrastructure finance.

  • Corporate Finance

    Appleby’s multi-jurisdictional team of expert corporate finance lawyers and solicitors advise some of the world’s most prominent financial institutions and corporations on corporate law services and all aspects of international corporate finance law.

  • Derivatives

    Our experienced team advise on an extensive range of over the counter, exchange-traded and centrally cleared derivatives transactions across all asset classes. We also provide advice on capacity, authority, enforceability and insolvency matters in relation to offshore counterparties. We are also counsel to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) in Bermuda and provide netting opinions in Bermuda and the Isle of Man.

  • Fund Finance

    As the number of fund financing products increases and fund structures become more bespoke, our experienced team of fund finance lawyers are experts in advising banks, funds and finance providers in the development of sophisticated financing solutions. Whether lending requirements are in the tens of millions or billions, our fund finance lawyers in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Jersey and Mauritius are perfectly placed to assist.

  • Fund Governance

    Our Fund Governance Advisory team advise investment funds and private equity fund boards, general partners, trustees, independent directors and non-executive directors, regarding their responsibilities, duties, obligations and liabilities collectively and individually.

  • Funds & Investment Services

    Our expert investment funds lawyers advise investment managers, institutional investors, family offices, insurers, administrators, custodians and other financial services providers on offshore funds law and the formation, structuring, registration, launch, operation, ongoing management, compliance, insolvency, restructuring, litigation, deregistration and termination of private equity, hedge fund and managed account structures.

  • Insurance & Reinsurance

    Global (re)insurance is a dynamic and ever-changing industry, responding to emerging and existing challenges, including major catastrophe losses, varying risk appetites, volatile investment markets and changes to regulatory practices. Insurance and reinsurance companies seeking greater strategic value in order to meet their growth objectives in this evolving climate have found success working with Appleby as their global (re)insurance law firm.

  • Intellectual Property

    One of the most valuable assets of any business in the twenty first century is its know-how and intellectual property. All businesses need to be aware of the intellectual property they are generating, how to protect it and how to use it to their commercial advantage. Recognising the issues affecting businesses, governments, research institutes, individual inventors, artists and authors, we are well placed to advise clients in all areas of intellectual property law.

  • Islamic Finance

    We recognise the importance of the development of Islamic Finance and it is a key global focus for our business.

  • Listing Services

    Our listing team is highly regarded for their expertise in supporting initial public offerings (IPOs), introductions, placements and subsequent listings of both equity and debt securities of Bermuda, BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man Jersey, Mauritius and Seychelles companies on the world’s major exchanges.

    In addition our Hong Kong team has extensive expertise in supporting offshore companies with IPOs on the Hong Kong, US, Singapore and many other internationally recognised stock exchanges.

  • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)

    Our mergers and acquisitions (M&A) lawyers work on a broad range of M&A transactions, from single jurisdiction transactions to complex multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary deals, across a wide range of sectors, including regulated sectors. As one of the best mergers and acquisitions law firms in the offshore sector, our clients include major private equity and venture capital funds, listed companies (including FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies), financial services businesses, tech companies and other large privately-owned businesses and investment companies.

  • Technology & Innovation

    Technological innovation is transforming businesses, markets and our everyday life. The Appleby multi-disciplinary global technology and innovation group comprises experts from each of our 10 offices to help businesses meet the new challenges and support clients across a broad range of emerging technologies.  The group is ranked Tier 1 by Chambers Global, noting that “the expertise of all the advisers at Appleby is at an extremely high level”.

  • Real Estate Finance

    As the world’s largest asset class, the real estate market remains dynamic and continually evolving, driven by influential factors such as globalisation, technology advancements, urbanisation and demography converging.

    Gain invaluable insight to navigate the intricate landscape of real estate finance law with the help of Appleby’s team of expert real estate lawyers.

  • Structured Finance

    Structuring sophisticated financial products requires a deep understanding of structured finance law and the regulatory environment in which prospective issuers, investors and other market participants operate. Our talented, experienced and solution driven structured finance law firm team is committed to delivering the highest possible level of client service and regularly work together across our global locations to provide expert multi-jurisdictional advice.

Key Contacts
  • All
  • Bermuda (9)
  • Cayman Islands (10)
  • Guernsey (12)
  • Mauritius (9)
  • Isle of Man (13)
  • Hong Kong (15)
  • Shanghai (3)
  • Shenzhen (2)
  • Jersey (4)
  • BVI (4)
  • Seychelles (2)
Kitty_Chan_WEBPROFILE

Kitty Chan

Partner | Shanghai ; Registered Foreign Lawyer (England & Wales) | Hong Kong : Hong Kong, Shanghai

T +852 2905 5722
E Email Kitty

AJ Photo Jan 2022

Andrew Jowett

Group Partner: BVI

T +44 (0) 1534 818057 and +1 284 393 5316
E Email Andrew

Eduardo Fox

Eduardo Fox

Consultant - Private Client & Trusts and Latin America, Corporate: Bermuda

T +1 441 505 2125
E Email Eduardo

More news
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Key Developments in the BVI Beneficial Ownership Regime

The BVI Business Companies and Limited Partnerships (Beneficial Ownership) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (the “Amendment Regulations”) were gazetted and came into effect on 1 July 2025.  The Amendment Regulations introduced important changes and additions to the BVI Business Companies and Limited Partnerships (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations, 2024 (the “BO Regulations”) including, amongst other changes:   providing additional categories of entities that are exempt from the requirement to file beneficial ownership information with the BVI Registrar of Corporate Affairs (the “Registrar”);   changing the threshold for determination of a “subsidiary” in the relevant exemption from “more than 75%” to “75% or more”; the introduction of provisions for the imposition, effect of and withdrawal of restrictions notices;  the introduction of criteria for legitimate interest access to beneficial ownership information together with a process to apply to the Registrar for an exemption from the disclosure of beneficial ownership information; and  the addition of further penalty provisions in Schedule 3 to the BO Regulations. Transitional provisions: The Amendment Regulations provide that for legal entities incorporated, registered or continued prior to 1 July, 2025, they must be in compliance with the Amendment Regulations within 6 months (by 1 January 2026).  Entities that failed to make their filings by the due date will not be considered to be in good standing.  However, there is a moratorium on filing fees and penalties until 31 March 2026. In addition, applications for inspection of, or a copy of an entry in, a beneficial ownership register (BO Register) will not be accepted before 1 April 2026.  Persons may apply for an exemption from disclosure of beneficial ownership information from 2 January 2026.

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The New Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework – Relevance for Cayman Investment Funds

The Tax Information Authority (International Tax Compliance) (Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework) Regulations, 2025 (CARF Regulations) came into effect on 1 January 2026 and provide for the collection, reporting and automatic exchange of information on transactions in crypto-assets.  The CARF Regulations will operate in a similar fashion to the existing Cayman Common Reporting Standard (CRS) regime which facilitates the automatic exchange of financial account information.  For information on recent changes to the CRS, please see our December advisory here.

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Fund Finance Laws and Regulations 2026 – Jersey

The Appleby Jersey team provides comprehensive insight into legal trends and developments in the fund sector in 2026.

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Fund Finance Laws and Regulations 2026 – Mauritius

The Mauritius fund industry demonstrated significant resilience and adaptability in 2025, successfully navigating a complex period of global tax reform and heightened regulatory standards. The year was defined by the integration of the 2025 Finance Act’s new tax framework (including the Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax, or QDMTT) and a reinforced focus on economic substance, such as the two resident director rule for global business companies (GBCs). This pivot has further solidified the jurisdiction’s move from a tax-led financial centre to a substance-based one. Private equity and debt funds, particularly those focused on African and Asian markets, continue todominate the landscape, with Mauritius retaining its top-tier ranking as an investment gateway for Africa. The variable capital company (VCC) structure remains a popular choice for its flexibility, supplemented by a mature ecosystem of legal and administrative experts.