We advise on all areas of commercial property, including sales and purchases, leasing, development and property finance transactions. Our clients include developers, investors, business occupiers, banking institutions and private individuals.

Leading legal directories Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and PLC Which Lawyer? consistently rank Appleby in the top and leading tiers for property work in each of our jurisdictions.

Bermuda

Appleby’s property lawyers in Bermuda have an excellent reputation. They are regarded as one of the Island’s leading property teams and have been for many years.

The team is recognised as a leading law firm in Bermuda for Corporate Real Estate by PLC Which Lawyer?

Experienced in advising on all aspects of commercial property transactions, the team has been involved in some of the major development projects in Bermuda, including:

  • Acting in respect of the sale of the Lantana Hotel Development in Sandys Parish, Bermuda.
  • Providing Bank of Bermuda Limited with security and loan advice in respect of the Tucker’s Point development – one of the largest residential/hotel developments in Bermuda.
  • Providing Butterfield Bank with security and loan advice in respect of the Waterfront Development, Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke Parish – one of the largest and most prestigious commercial building developments in Bermuda.
  • Assisting in setting up and selling a number of major, local residential townhouse developments including the Pink Beach/Hidden Cove (19 units), the Hamptons (28 units) and the Mango Hill residential townhouse development.
  • Acting for numerous purchasers of residential and fractional dwelling units at Tucker’s Point.

Cayman Islands

Appleby’s Cayman Islands property team is acknowledged as the leader in commercial property work in the Cayman Islands. Our property lawyers have outstanding reputations and vast experience in the property market.

The property team advises clients on all areas of commercial property, including acquisitions and disposals, property development, leasing, finance, title structuring, planning and construction matters. The team acts for a range of high-profile clients and leading players in the local property market, including financial institutions, developers, hoteliers, resort properties, government agencies and private investors.

The team’s clients receive a personal and innovative service closely aligned with the client’s commercial objectives. The team’s depth of experience and access to the vast resources of a global firm ensures that transactions are handled promptly and effectively.

The team is recognised as a leading law firm in the Cayman Islands for Corporate Real Estate by PLC Which Lawyer?

We have been involved in many of the most significant transactions in the Cayman Islands, including:

  • Continual representation of the leading lending banks in the Cayman Islands with respect to property financing transactions.
  • Acting for the owner and developer of Camana Bay in relation to the ongoing development of this new town and most recently in title structuring matters and the negotiation of large-scale commercial leases for tenants such as Ernst & Young, Cayman National Bank, State Street, Ogier and Citco.
  • Acting for the owner and developer of a proposed new five-star resort in the Beach Bay district of Grand Cayman.
  • Negotiating and finalising the leasehold extension with the Crown for the strata corporation at Villas of the Galleon, the first-ever extension of a Crown leasehold strata in the Cayman Islands.
  • Acting for the owner and developer of a three-phase residential development in Prospect, expected to be the largest development east of George Town with an estimated development cost of US$300 million.
  • Representing the owner and developer of the Ritz-Carlton and Dragon Bay resorts in relation to ongoing development matters.
  • Acting for the owner and developer of Park Place on Seven Mile Beach, the first mixed-use (commercial/residential) strata plan in the Cayman Islands.

Isle of Man

Appleby’s Isle of Man property team has been providing services to commercial clients for over a century.

As the largest commercial law firm on the Island, the team provides advice for many leading commercial entities. Confidence in the efficiency of the service provided has meant that clients return time and again in the knowledge that their transactions will be handled in the most professional manner.

We have been involved in many significant transactions, including:

  • Acting on the acquisition of two major office developments in the Isle of Man, including the preparation of occupational leases for two institutional tenants and the leasing of the prestigious new Court House development in the centre of the business district.
  • Acting as Manx counsel to the lender on the sale and leaseback of a portfolio of properties owned by a major international bank.
  • Acting on the refinancing of 60 public houses and commercial properties.

Jersey

Appleby’s property lawyers have been at the forefront of Jersey commercial property work for many years, earning a reputation for technical excellence, innovation and commerciality. Led by partners recognised for their experience and skill, we have consistently been ranked in the top tier in legal directories.

We advise developers, investors, financial institutions, corporate occupiers and governmental agencies on all aspects of commercial property work, including:

  • Development – commercial, residential and mixed-use, including some of the largest and most high-profile schemes in the Island
  • Investment sales and purchases – offices, retail units, hotels and other commercial property investments
  • Commercial leases – including preliminary agreements to lease
  • Property finance – acting for both lending institutions and borrowers
  • Regulatory advice – in connection with the acquisition, development, occupation and use of commercial property
  • Property support – co-ordinated advice in conjunction with colleagues in other practice areas

Recent work highlights include:

1. Purchase of Carey Olsen Jersey offices

Acting for a private investor in the purchase from Legal and General Assurance Society Limited of the Jersey offices of law firm Carey Olsen

2. Structuring of Dandara Castle Quay development

Acting for established developer client Dandara in the completion of the complex legal structuring of its Castle Quay development at St Helier Waterfront

3. The sale of 17-21 Seaton Place

Acting for the JCN Group in the sale of 17-21 Seaton Place (part of the new office headquarters of legal and fiduciary group Ogier) to a property fund promoted by Cenkos Channel Islands

4. Letting State Street office building in Colomberie, St. Helier

Acting for the Brocken Group in the letting of the substantial new State Street office building in Colomberie, St. Helier

5. Advising Barclays sale of Library Place premises

Advising Barclays on the sale and leaseback of its Library Place banking hall and office premises to investment house Hotbed

Our Experts

Norman Klein

Managing Partner: Cayman Islands

T +1 345 814 2050
E Email Norman

Tom Brook

Partner: Isle of Man

T +44 (0)1624 647 624
E Email Tom

Adam Johnson

Partner: Cayman Islands

T +1 345 814 2983
E Email Adam

Alexandra Dernie (née Watterson)

Senior Associate: Isle of Man

T +44 (0)1624 647 972
E Email Alexandra

Eleanor Harding

Counsel: Isle of Man

T +44 (0)1624 647 690
E Email Eleanor

John Bisson

Partner: Jersey

T +44 (0)1534 818 024
E Email John

Michel Bougeard

Legal Manager: Jersey

T +44 (0)1534 818 340
E Email Michel

Wendy Denman

Legal Manager: Cayman Islands

T +1 345 814 2076
E Email Wendy

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