On 4 November 2011, independent legal directory “Legal 500” revealed the Cayman Islands law firm rankings in its 2011 edition. Described as “the best law firm in the Cayman Islands”, Maples and Calder was the only firm to consistently retain the coveted “first tier” ranking in every practice area.

The Corporate & Commercial category, jointly comprising the corporate and finance groups, placed Maples and Calder in tier 1 for another year, with the added distinction of being the sole Cayman Islands law firm to hold this ranking. Clients were impressed that Maples and Calder ‘always meets deadlines and the advice is commercially useful’.

Heads of their respective areas of practice, Alasdair Robertson (finance), Tim Frawley (insurance), Justin Appleyard (trusts) and George Loutas (real estate) were specifically mentioned along with several other partners, whom the directory recommended as well regarded and widely praised.

The Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution group also returned to the top position, headed by Aristos Galatopoulos who ‘has the wonderful gift of conveying complex legal issues in everyday language’. Mac Imrie, Colin McKie and Matthew Crawford were described as ‘excellent litigators’ by clients.

Further success was achieved by the Investment Funds, Insurance/Reinsurance, Real Estate and Trusts/Private Client groups, each of which earned tier 1 status on their inaugural ranking in Legal 500.  Noting that the firm is ‘consistent across the board’ with ‘very knowledgeable and experienced lawyers who are also business savvy and practical in their approach to problem solving’, the directory mentioned several deals including the third largest private equity deal launched in 2010.

Among many of the firm’s lawyers who earned accolades in Legal 500, the ‘highly thought of’ Jon Fowler, head of investment funds, and the ‘great and’ ‘incredibly responsive and very thoughtful’ Iain McMurdo, head of private equity, came highly recommended.

“Maples and Calder has consistently achieved top tier ratings and our clients and competitors alike acknowledge us as the market leader in each of our principal practice areas,” said Paul Lumsden, Cayman Managing Partner and head of the corporate group. “The Legal 500 rankings are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our teams and the commitment to deliver the highest quality of legal advice to our clients. We are proud of our reputation as an innovative, entrepreneurial firm, and we strive hard to maintain it.”

Maples and Calder has also maintained first tier rankings in IFLR, Chambers and Partners and PLC Which Lawyer directories for each of its core practice areas.