Bennett Jones has been extremely active in Bermuda and throughout the Caribbean region for several decades. In 2014, our firm was the first North American law firm to establish an office in Bermuda through our association with Bennett Jones (Bermuda) Ltd. We quickly gained a reputation for delivering internationally recognized legal services in Bermuda and into the Caribbean. For all transactions into Bermuda and the Caribbean region, and across the world from Bermuda and Caribbean region, that are not governed by the local laws of those jurisdictions, that extremely active practice now continues from Canada and our international offices.
Bennett Jones remains committed to bringing international clients and investment capital to Bermuda and the Caribbean region. Our firm continues to grow its legal practice in that region to ensure tier-one North American quality of legal service, specialized expertise and transactional experience. In each of the regional jurisdictions where Bennett Jones is retained, we work closely, and collaborate with, local law firms.
Our Bermudian and Caribbean practice is Chaired by Duncan Card, a Bermudian, who managed our firm’s Bermuda office for four years. Duncan is a former Appleby Legal Scholar, is called to the Bermuda and Ontario Bars, and is widely recognized as one of Canada’s leading commercial lawyers, having been cited by Lexpert and American Lawyer Magazine in their prestigious Top 500 Canadian Lawyers ranking for over a decade. Since July 2018, Duncan’s commercial practice has been devoted to the practice of Ontario law, and to continuing to work very closely with our firm’s Caribbean and international clients, and with their local legal advisors, to structure, negotiate, and document highly specialized and complex commercial transactions across the region.
Duncan and his colleagues have been involved in complex and innovative projects, transactions and offshore investment structures in Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Turks & Caicos.
We draw on the rich history of our firm, that began more than 90 years ago with former Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett (later elevated to the House of Lords), and we now practice with over 400 lawyers and advisors across our Canadian and international offices, to help clients achieve their objectives, manage risk and seize opportunities.
Expertise and Results
In addition to Bennett Jones being highly regarded for our global expertise in corporate and commercial transactions, and our support to General Counsel on overflow assignments, the firm provides Bermuda and the Caribbean region with exceptional leadership in the following specialized areas:
- aircraft financing, leasing and related international tax structures and transactions;
- large sports and entertainment projects, including our appointment as the Government of Bermuda’s Chief Legal Counsel for the globally renowned 2017 America’s Cup Challenge;
- complex and innovative infrastructure financing, development and revitalization projects, such as national airports, power generation projects, cruise ship terminal projects, fresh water production projects, including Bermuda’s award-winning International Airport redevelopment project (2014-2017);
- bankruptcy and insolvency law, which is closely based on Canadian laws in many of the region’s jurisdictions;
- all forms of public sector capital, infrastructure, outsourcing, procurement, P3 or joint ventures;
- public sector anti-corruption and corporate governance best practices;
- IT projects, including procurement, cybersecurity, risk management and insurance contracts;
- all procurement transactions and best practices and related contract negotiations;
- Sharia law financing and insurance;
- all aspects of gaming law, governance and regulation;
- anti-money laundering laws and compliance best practices;
- consulting and advisory service transactions;
- privacy law and data protection, which is closely based on Canadian laws in many of the region’s jurisdictions;
- all aspects of telecommunications law and regulation (terrestrial and satellite);
- banking law and regulatory reform, including corresponding bank relationships;
- public-sector pension administration and reform;
- healthcare law and governance, including P3 Hospital Projects and financing; and
- all forms of commercial contract drafting and negotiation.
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