Guernsey

Ogier's legal services in Guernsey focus principally on finance, including banking and finance, investment funds and private equity, restructuring and insolvency and commercial and trust dispute resolution, property law (including a specialist property, planning and construction service) and all aspects of trust and private wealth matters.

A number of our partners and senior lawyers joined us from leading international law firms or other jurisdictions and have many years' experience in their fields of expertise. We act for a large number of leading global financial institutions, investment managers and corporate entities and are also instructed by many leading law firms and other intermediaries.  

Our Corporate and Fiduciary services team, Ogier Global, works closely with Ogier's partner-led legal teams to incorporate and administer a wide variety of vehicles. 

We also provide pan-island legal services for local Channel Islands businesses and individuals.

Read more in our Local Legal Services section.

Ogier in Guernsey

Our track record

Ogier in Guernsey is a Tier 1 law firm in Legal 500, Chambers UK and IFLR for Corporate and Finance (including Investment Funds) and Banking work.

We are instructed on many of the noteworthy and complex transactions and cases that involve Guernsey including:

• Advising The Prudential Insurance Company of America on £16 billion longevity risk transfer transaction

• Advising Brookes Macdonald on the acquisition of a Channel Islands wealth management funds business

• Advising Equitix on the £2 billion takeover of John Laing Group

• Advising dMY Technology Group Inc II, a New York Stock Exchange listed special purpose acquisition company, on its successful business combination with UK-based Genius Sports Group Limited

• We are also involved in some of the substantial dispute resolution cases in Guernsey, including the noteworthy insolvencies of Woolworths, Huelin Renouf and Zavvi online and the US$1 billion Carlyle Group investment fund dispute which is Guernsey's most substantial piece of litigation.

We have been at the heart of the island since 1998.

Local advice

We also provide pan-island legal services for local Channel Islands businesses and individuals. Read more in our Local Legal Services section.

Why Guernsey?

First-class finance centre  

The key pillars of Guernsey's finance industry are private wealth, pension, insurance and investment funds. At the end of March 2022 the net asset value (NAV) of Guernsey-domiciled funds passed £300 billion for the first time, according to figures from the Guernsey Finance Services Commission 

The Bailiwick of Guernsey has a well-established legal and regulatory system which has been enhanced over the years by the introduction of modern legislation covering all important aspects of the finance industry. This has resulted in Guernsey developing and maintaining a reputation as a robust, well-regulated, first-class finance centre in which to conduct business.  

Guernsey has more entities listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) than any other jurisdiction globally (excluding the UK), according to figures from the market authority. LSE data shows that at the end of September 2022 there were more than 100 Guernsey-incorporated entities listed on the Main Market, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and the Specialist Fund Market (SFM), more than any other jurisdiction outside the UK, and Guernsey is home to The International Stock Exchange. More than £120 billion of regulated private equity funds are domiciled in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

Tax neutrality 

Guernsey's tax neutrality, its long history of financial and political stability, good banking and professional infrastructure, GMT time zone and proximity to the UK and Europe, have ensured that Guernsey remains a leading offshore financial centre. It was placed on the OECD G20 white list for offshore jurisdictions in 2009, which reflects its high standards of international compliance and transparency.  

Global recognition 

Guernsey is a member of the OECD and was placed on the G20 white list of offshore jurisdictions in 2009. It has also obtained designated territory status under the UK Financial Services and Markets Act, 2000 (the “FSMA”). 

Ogier in Guernsey has been praised for its "high-calibre, experienced experts," and excellent service delivery in the Chambers UK directory.  

The Corporate, Banking and Finance and Investment Funds teams were praised for going "the extra mile," and "utilising technology very efficiently and are good project managers for more complex legal matters". 

The Guernsey Dispute Resolution team has been praised for its "deep bench" of experienced lawyers, who have the ability to "think out of the box", while client feedback said the Property team in Guernsey always provides "sound commercial advice, even when handling complex and sophisticated matters." 

Reputationally and regulatorily sound 

Guernsey is politically and economically safe and secure with 800 years of constitutional autonomy outside of the UK and EU. It possesses an AA- credit rating by Standard & Poor's and has unchanged market access to both the UK and EU following Brexit, including continued access to many EU countries for fund services. 

In August 2015, The EU Commission confirmed its continued endorsement of Guernsey as a cooperative jurisdiction following a meeting between officials in Brussels.  This follows on from the OECD also backing Guernsey as a cooperative jurisdiction in July 2015.  

Firms and clients now look to jurisdiction that can met global substance standards. Research published by Guernsey Finance in 2019 found that 85% of managers consider substance to be a key determinant in choosing a location. The island introduced economic substance legislation in 2019, the same year in which it was whitelisted by both the OECD and the EU review process. Guernsey is also committed to the Base Erosion of Profit Sharing (BEPS) agenda and anti-money laundering.  

World leader in sustainable finance 

The Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC), the island's regulator, launched the Guernsey Green Fund, a world-first regulated green fund product, in 2018 and expanded its product suite in this area with the launch of the Natural Capital Fund in 2022. The NAV of Guernsey Green Funds surpassed £5 billion by the end of June 2022. The GFSC also introduce anti-greenwashing rules in September 2022 and is a founding member of the United Nations' Finance Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) network and the GFSC is member of The Network for Greening the Financial System.

Useful links

About Guernsey 
Moving your business to Guernsey
Relocating your family
Guernsey Finance - the island’s promotional agency for the finance sector
Locate Guernsey - promoting and supporting relocation to the island by individuals and businesses
Guernsey Financial Services Commission - the island’s regulator