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Mourant and Ozannes merger creates largest offshore law firm
Posted: 3 February 2010
Two of the leading law firms in the Channel Islands, Mourant du Feu & Jeune and Ozannes, have announced they plan to merge, and the deal, subject to approval, will be effective May 1, 2010.
The Jersey and Guernsey-based firm will be known as Mourant Ozannes, and will include more dedicated funds and finance partners than any other Channel Islands-based law firm. According to Lipper funds encyclopedias, the firm will be the leading legal advisor of funds by the number of funds it advices. It will also advise more FTSE-100 and FTSE-250 companies than any other offshore law firm, reports Hemscott, an investment research company.
There will be more than 200 fee-earners and 50 partners practicing from the Mourant Ozannes offices in the Cayman Islands, London, Jersey, and Guernsey. An aggregated management committee with members from both firms will be formed, and Jonathan Rigby of Mourant du Feu & Jeune will be appointed as the group managing partner.
"We have always had enormous respect for Ozannes and we regard them as the leading law firm in Guernsey. The opportunity to combine premier practices in Jersey and Guernsey was too good to miss," said Jonathan Rigby, managing partner. "We are very excited by this development and are looking forward to working together on our shared vision, to be consistently recognised as the leading law firm offshore." Ozannes' Peter Ferbrache will be a senior partner, and Ian James of Mourant is set to become the chairman.
"This is an exciting development for both firms, which will enable us to build on the heritage of two very successful offshore law firms," said Robert Shepherd, the managing partner of the Guernsey office and who will continue in that role. "There are many synergies between the firms in terms of focus, structure, culture and talented people, and by combining our market leading offering we endeavour to become the most sought after offshore law firm for clients and staff."