Mourant du Feu & Jeune is the top-rated law firm in the Cayman Islands for hedge fund legal services, according to an independent survey of onshore lawyers.
HFM Week, a leading hedge fund publication, surveyed 90 onshore lawyers in the US and UK on the performance of offshore law firms for hedge fund launches, liquidations, restructuring and litigation across a number of jurisdictions.
Mourant du Feu & Jeune was top-rated for its cost of legal advice; professionalism; strength of brand, in terms of market position and visibility; and, its understanding of local law and how this relates to a hedge fund’s needs.
It was also the only law firm in the Cayman Islands to receive an overall rating of ‘very good’ and received the highest score of any firm in the survey.
“Mourant received consistently good reports from onshore lawyers,” said the report. “Many lawyers described Mourant as ‘one of the best’ and ‘very proactive’, whilst the Cayman office ‘has the edge when it comes to responsiveness and professionalism’.”
Two of the firm’s lawyers were singled out for praise. Partner Neal Lomax, head of Mourant du Feu & Jeune’s Cayman office, was named in the research as the ‘most recommended’ lawyer at the firm and was described by clients as “thorough, responsive and sharp”, “easy to reach” and “experienced”. Matthew Feargrieve, a partner providing Cayman legal advice from the firm’s London office, was seen as a “stand-out lawyer” said to be “capable and commercial”.
In response to the survey results, Neal commented:
“We are delighted to be ranked as the number one law firm in the Cayman Islands for hedge fund legal services, particularly as this ranking is based on a survey of leading onshore hedge fund lawyers. Our presence and reputation in Cayman has grown considerably over the past few years and we are continuing to make strategic appointments to strengthen the team further in order to continue the firm’s success.”
The findings have been published in the HFM Week Offshore Legal Survey 2010.
Mourant du Feu & Jeune was also recently crowned the “Overall Law Firm of the Year, Cayman” in the ACQ Finance Country Law Awards 2009 and was acknowledged in the Legal 500 directory as having "witnessed impressive growth" and being "one to watch" in the Cayman Islands.