Banking & Finance

The department has unmatched experience in advising the world's most significant banks and financial institutions; it also regularly acts for borrowers and issuers.
 
With a number of lawyers in the BVI either extensively or exclusively involved in debt finance and derivatives work there is a degree of specialisation and market knowledge unique in the jurisdiction. In addition each of our Hong Kong and London offices has associates who have spent at least 4 years with the department in the BVI and who have continued this specialisation in their respective overseas offices.

Banking partners and associates in our Cyprus office have extensive experience in Cypriot banking law, asset finance and financing agreements involving banks, financial institutions, equipment financing and corporate borrowing. Banking partners and associates are also available in our Cayman, London and Hong Kong offices to advise on Cayman transactions.

Clients include Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Gazprombank, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS, Vneshtorgbank, EBRD, Raiffeissen, Erste Bank and OPIC and we are regularly instructed by almost all the world's leading law firms.  

General Banking

We advise on all types of syndicated and bilateral lending including trade finance, debt restructuring, structured finance, property and acquisition finance. In addition the department has been involved in most significant project financings involving the BVI and regularly advises on aircraft and shipping deals in the BVI and Cyprus.  

Capital Markets

In the capital markets sphere the department advises lead managers, issuers and investors on international debt issues. We advise on the full range of debt issues including medium-term note programmes, stand-alone eurobonds, tiered capital issues and euro-commercial paper/programmes. 

Derivatives 

The department advises extensively on all aspects of financial derivative transactions. Its lawyers advise all the major industry bodies and major banks on close-out netting and collateral enforceability issues in respect of derivatives, repo and securities lending documentation.
 
We have been heavily involved in the implementation and policy of the netting legislation in the BVI and are counsel to almost all major industry bodies including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the International Capital Market Association, the Stock Lending and Repo Committee of the Capital Adequacy Directive Working Group, The Futures & Options Association, The British Bankers' Association, The Bond Market Association, The Foreign Exchange Committee, The Financial Markets Lawyers Group and The Japanese Bankers Association.

Contact Pavlos Aristodemou or Colin Riegels for more on Banking & Finance.