Wakefield Quin Limited

Chief Executive Officer: Erik Gotfredsen
Number of directors (includes shareholders): 7
Number of lawyers: 17
Languages: English, French, German, Portuguese, Turkish

Firm Overview:
Wakefield Quin (WQ) is a leading Bermuda law firm that has earned an international reputation for providing high calibre legal services. WQ is dedicated to providing clients with timely, sophisticated and solution-driven legal advice and is known for delivering personalised and efficient legal service, geared to working to agreed timetables and budgets. WQ achieves a high standard of professionalism by listening to client needs and understanding client requirements. WQ recognises the vital importance of establishing close and continuing business relationships with clients and throughout the firm’s history, has forged valuable networks with legal professionals in the US, UK, Europe and Asia.

The firm’s lawyers are actively involved in professional organisations including the Bermuda Bar Association, Restructuring and Insolvency Specialist Association (RISA), the International Bar Association (IBA), and 100 Women in Hedge Funds.Main Areas of Practice: Banking & Finance:
WQ regularly advises leading international financial institutions, funds and other investors on syndicated and non-syndicated credit facilities and security arrangements in the areas of project and asset finance, property financing and general corporate banking. The firm has extensive experience drafting loan, security, priority, subordination, and inter-creditor agreements as well as rendering transactional and considered legal opinions and securing priority ranking of security over Bermuda assets and security granted by Bermuda entities. WQ advises on ISDA, GMRA and GMSLA documentation, and assists banks, prime brokers and funds on local licensing, registration, netting and collateral issues related to credit and equity derivative transactions, securities lending agreements and prime brokerage structures with Bermuda counterparties.
Contact: Roderick Forrest, Director
Tel: +1 441 494 4040
Email: [email protected]

Corporate:
WQ’s lawyers have extensive experience advising leading financial institutions, public companies, funds, private equity firms and large private companies on a broad range of corporate and financial transactions. The firm regularly advises on primary (IPO) and secondary equity and debt offerings of private and public companies, banking and structured finance transactions, insurance and reinsurance matters, cross-border mergers, acquisitions, disposals and re-domestications, shipping and aviation matters, infrastructure projects, and intellectual property and e-commerce matters. WQ has completed client listings on all major stock exchanges, including NYSE, NASDAQ, AIM and LSE, TSX, and HKEx.
Contact: Erik Gotfredsen, Director and CEO
Tel: +1 441 494 4017
Email: [email protected]

Insurance:
The world’s largest insurance centre after London and New York, Bermuda is a leading jurisdiction for insurance products. WQ’s insurance and reinsurance practice offers advice on the establishment, licensing, and operation of insurance companies including captives and reinsurers, brokers, managers and agencies. The insurance group advises on capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, re-domestications, financing and collateral arrangements, captive programmes, and offers expertise on Solvency II requirements. WQ’s insurance team reviews policies and the form and substance of insurance certificates and cover notes.
Contact: Ian Stone, Director
Tel: +1 441 494 4060
Email: [email protected]

Investment Funds:
WQ acts for leading asset managers, start-up managers, institutional investors, prime brokers and promoters in relation to the establishment and licensing of fund and private equity structures with a wide range of investment strategies and asset classes, including insurance-linked securities (ILS). WQ’s associated companies provide full fund administration, corporate secretarial services, independent directors, registered office, and listing services. WQ’s fund lawyers also act on restructuring, liquidation, insolvency and winding up of investment entities.
Contact: Roderick Forrest, Director
Tel: +1 441 494 4040
Email: [email protected]

Litigation:
WQ litigators regularly appear in leading decisions before all levels of Bermuda courts. WQ advises on international commercial disputes, insurance and reinsurance matters, officer liability claims, shareholder disputes, trust/trustee disputes, employment and immigration matters, and family law. In appropriate circumstances, WQ’s litigation team can advise on alternative dispute resolution methods, including arbitration.
Contact: Richard Horseman, Director, Head of Litigation
Tel: +1 441 494 4020
Email: [email protected]

Private Clients & Trusts:
WQ regularly acts for trustees, beneficiaries and settlors, as well as protectors and enforcers through its associated service company, Church Bay Trust Co. Ltd., and has considerable experience advising international corporate clients on insurance trusts, special purpose trusts, pension trusts, unit trusts and employee benefit trusts. WQ also advises charities, foundations, families and high net worth individuals on investment structures, international estate planning and private trust company arrangements.
Contact: Nicholas Hoskins, Director
Tel: +1 441 494 4050
Email: [email protected]

Property:
WQ has a leading real estate practice in Bermuda, providing innovative and practical legal advice to a broad range of industry participants. WQ regularly acts for lenders, developers and equity investors in all major real estate product areas, including commercial, industrial, multi-family and hospitality. WQ’s lawyers have extensive experience advising on the acquisition, development, management and disposal of real estate, including leases, sale-leasebacks, market standard and complex financings and restructurings.
Contact: Michelle Stone, Head of Property
Tel: +1 441 494 4080
Email: [email protected]

Shipping & Aviation:
WQ represents banks and international financial institutions, lessors, lessees, airline operators, ship managers, and other project developers in registration and financing of ships and aircraft. WQ lawyers advise on sales and leaseback arrangements asset securitisation, purpose trusts and other vessel ownership structures.
Contact: Jemima Fearnside, Senior Counsel
Tel: +1 441 494 4034
Email: [email protected]