November 10, 2016 – Tortola – British Virgin Islands-based law firm O’Neal Webster announced today that the firm and seven lawyers in three key practice areas have been recommended by the editor of The Legal 500 in the 2017 Caribbean edition. For 28 years, The Legal 500 has been analyzing the capabilities of law firms across the world, employing a comprehensive research program, to offer the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The firm was recommended in the practice area categories of “Corporate and commercial,” “Dispute resolution,” and “Trusts/private client” for the BVI. Partners Kerry Anderson, Paul Dennis QC, Vanessa King, Christopher McKenzie, Christopher Simpson, and Willa Tavernier were once again recommended lawyers, while Senior Associate Nadine Whyte was newly recommended in the 2017 edition.
Managing Partner Kerry Anderson was recommended for the fifth consecutive year for BVI Corporate and commercial. He advises on investment funds and regulatory, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and corporate matters. Key clients are U.S. and EU-based fund managers, closed-ended funds, open-ended funds, public funds, and segregated portfolio company funds, as well as international private and public corporations in various industries, including food, technology, and shipping.
Queens Counsel and Litigation Department Head Paul Dennis was recommended for Dispute resolution and debuts in the Trusts/private client category. His practice is focused on resolving contentious commercial, insolvency, admiralty, and probate matters, as well as complex cross-border litigation emanating from the BVI.
Vanessa King, corporate department head, was again recommended for Corporate and commercial and debuts in Trusts/private client. Ms. King, who the editor noted is ‘reactive, commercial and a trusted adviser; always accommodating and a pleasure to work with,’ regularly handles banking, finance, corporate and commercial, merger and acquisition, intellectual property, and trust and estate matters for both BVI and international clients.
Christopher McKenzie, resident in the firm’s London, UK office and head of the firm’s trust and estate department, was recommended in the Trusts/private client category. Mr. McKenzie is best known for his pivotal involvement, chairing the legislative drafting committee for STEP BVI, in drafting the Virgin Islands Special Trust Act, which revolutionized the trust industry in the BVI.
Partner Christopher Simpson was again recommended for Corporate and commercial. Mr. Simpson advises leading financial institutions, corporations, and law firms on all aspects of corporate finance, including joint ventures, initial public offerings, private placements, mergers, arrangements, corporate restructuring, bilateral and syndicated loans, bond issues, property financing, project finance, special purpose vehicles, investment funds, and general aspects of corporate law.
Willa Tavernier, head of the firm’s business and real estate department, was recommended for Corporate and commercial. Mrs. Tavernier advises on a broad remit including real estate and employment issues, business contracts, joint venture structures, shipping, and aviation matters.
Nadine Whyte, senior associate, was newly recommended in Dispute resolution. The editor noted that Ms. Whyte is a ‘confident adviser with strong connections and experience across the Caribbean’. Her practice includes contentious commercial, insolvency, and probate matters. Ms. Whyte also heads the firm’s litigation support team in complex cross-border litigation emanating from the BVI.
About O’Neal Webster
O’Neal Webster holds a decidedly unique position among all British Virgin Islands law firms, being among the first to establish exclusively in the BVI. The firm serves local and offshore corporate, finance, banking, business, real estate and trust and estate clients, and is well known for its expert handling of transactional, regulatory, and adversarial matters.
About the Legal 500
The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 100 jurisdictions. The rankings, based on a series of criteria, highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel and others. Research is based on feedback from 250,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms, and interviews with leading private practice lawyers. The team of researchers is considered to have unrivalled experience in the legal market.
