We are a well-established legal firm located in Grand Cayman, widely regarded for our high level of service and expertise within our practice areas.
Our guiding ethic is consistently to provide an efficient, personal and highly responsive service combined with a pragmatic approach to the law.
Our extensive experience of doing business in the Cayman Islands, coupled with our noted expertise, make us ideally placed to provide a wide range of high-quality legal services.
Our clients include several financial institutions that are household names, as well as smaller companies, firms and private clients.
Founded in 2000
50 people in their team
Asset Finance & Banking
The firm’s experience extends to the drafting and reviewing of security documents from both creditor and debtor perspectives, advising on a wide range of corporate debt issues, including syndicated and bilateral loans, bond issues, shipping and aircraft finance, and project finance.
Funds & Investment Services
Nelsons has a wealth of experience in advising on the formation and ongoing maintenance of open and closed-ended collective investment schemes structured as exempted companies, limited partnerships, and unit trusts. The firm is well placed to assist with the preparation of offering documents in compliance with Cayman Islands law and best practices, advising on and preparing applications for regulatory approval, and arranging for the optional listing of investment companies on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange.
The firm also assists with establishing and licensing of mutual fund administrators and advising them on the ongoing requirements for compliance with the Mutual Funds Law, and advises investment managers, advisers and other securities investment business providers on the licensing, registration and other requirements of the Securities Investment Business Law.
Insurance
The Cayman Islands are the second largest captive insurance domicile worldwide and are known as the leading domicile for health care captives.
Nelsons advises on all corporate aspects of insurance, both to the captive and traditional markets. The Firm can assist with the preparation of a licensing application under the Insurance Law and liaise with the Insurance Division of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, which is responsible for the supervision of all insurance companies on the Islands, whether they operate domestically as Class “A” companies or are Class “B” insurance companies, accepting overseas risks.
Capital Markets
The Cayman Islands Stock Exchange (CSX) became operational in July 1997 and with an average annual growth rate in listings of 57% is among the fastest-growing offshore exchanges in the world. After three years of operation, the CSX had approved for listing over 400 new issues, and by the end of the second quarter of 2001 market capitalisation stood at CI$29.9 billion (USD 35.6 billion).
The firm advises clients on share issues and listings, both on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and, in conjunction with local counsel and listing agents, on other exchanges around the world, including the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the General Enterprise Market. The firm is also placed to advise on a variety of innovative methods of raising venture capital.
Securitisations & Structured Finance
The trend of conducting securitised and structured finance transactions in the Cayman Islands is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Typically, such a transaction involves a debt issued by a Cayman Islands company specially created for the purpose and the application of the proceeds of that issue, to purchase certain underlying assets from the sponsor of that transaction.
Nelsons can assist with the formation of the special purpose corporate vehicle and advise on the securitisation transaction and can issue an appropriate legal opinion regarding the debt issue which may be required, in the case of the issue of securities which are to receive a credit rating from one of the international rating agencies.
Company Management – Trafalgar CS Ltd
The firm’s associated corporate management company, Trafalgar CS Ltd., provides a wide-ranging company administration service, including company formation, limited partnership formation, registered office services, company and limited partnership secretarial and related services.
Trafalgar’s affiliation with Nelsons ensures that clients have access to current corporate, banking and investment fund regulatory and legal advice when considering the formation or restructuring of bespoke corporate vehicles.
For more information about Trafalgar’s services and fees please contact us at [email protected]
Nelsons provide comprehensive Immigration Law advice regarding applications for short-term visitor work visas, business visitor permits, temporary and long-term work permit grants and renewals for expatriate staff. We also assist with applications for permanent residency (for work permit holders, those of independent means or those making a significant financial investment on the Islands), naturalisation and the right to be Caymanian, together with appeals to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal.
We also advise in relation to the establishment of Cayman Islands offices and branches, including registration, licensing and/or exemption applications under the Companies Act, the Companies Management Act, the Securities Investment Business Act, the Mutual Funds Act, the Banks and Trust Companies Act, the Insurance Act, the Trade and Business Licensing Act and (if necessary) the Local Companies (Control) Act.
Nelsons advises on a variety of property matters including the purchase, sale and development of commercial and residential properties in the Cayman Islands. We also advise banks and other institutions and individuals in connection with mortgage financing, property developers in connection with property development and landlords and tenants in connection with leases and tenancies.
Nelsons boasts a team of family law specialists with a wealth of experience acting both for those seeking to protect wealth and those seeking their fair share of it. The attorneys in our family law team also have experience commercial litigation, trusts and private client work, ensuring our clients receive expert advice and representation in respect to the wide ranging and sometimes complex financial arrangements that come under scrutiny in the divorce process. Our attorneys are formidable, but also approachable and provide exceptional client service.
In addition to the financial aspects of a divorce, we also provide advice to people considering separation, all children related matters including relocation cases. Our family law team also includes an accredited mediator.
Nelsons has a highly experienced trust team which advises exclusively on Cayman Islands trusts. The team is led by Steven Barrie, who has over 24 years of experience in advising high net worth individuals on the establishment, administration and termination of Cayman trusts.
We act for several leading international trust companies advising them and their clients on trust solutions tailored to their client’s individual needs.
We have developed an expertise over the years assisting in the creation of fixed and discretionary trusts, STAR trusts, reserved powers trusts, asset protection trusts, private trust companies, drafting wills and advising on estate and succession issues. We can provide high quality advice, promptly adding value to the often difficult and complex task of creating customised trust structures and estate planning solutions.
Our trust practice with the support of our highly regarded litigation team have been involved in many of the leading trust dispute cases in the Cayman Islands over the last two decades. We have acted in several high-profile trust cases involving international trust structures, dealing with disputes between trustees, protectors and beneficiaries. We provide the realistic and expert advice required on all aspects of trusts.
At Nelsons, we have a well-established and highly regarded Litigation, Insolvency and Dispute Resolution department, with a foremost reputation for high-quality service and results.
Our litigation attorneys are committed to providing practical and cost-effective solutions, and to deliver a personal and approachable service. Our focus at all times is the objectives and expectations of our clients.
In domestic matters or those with an international dimension our lawyers’ down to earth style and ability to see the bigger picture enable us to obtain the best possible results for our clients.
All our litigation attorneys are highly respected and dependable courtroom advocates of at least 10 years standing, with extensive experience in all tiers of the Cayman Islands Courts. Cases handled by our litigation team are regularly reported in the Cayman Islands Law Reports.
With expertise and experience in handling disputes across a wide range of areas, we have acted in some of the largest and most complex cases to come before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, regularly representing and advising:
At Nelsons, we have a well-established and highly regarded Litigation, Insolvency and Dispute Resolution department, with a foremost reputation for high-quality service and results.
Our litigation attorneys are committed to providing practical and cost-effective solutions, and to deliver a personal and approachable service. Our focus at all times is the objectives and expectations of our clients.
In domestic matters or those with an international dimension our lawyers’ down to earth style and ability to see the bigger picture enable us to obtain the best possible results for our clients.
All our litigation attorneys are highly respected and dependable courtroom advocates of at least 10 years standing, with extensive experience in all tiers of the Cayman Islands Courts. Cases handled by our litigation team are regularly reported in the Cayman Islands Law Reports.
With expertise and experience in handling disputes across a wide range of areas, we have acted in some of the largest and most complex cases to come before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, regularly representing and advising:
