Corporate and Commercial

Nelsons can advise on a variety of commercial matters, including initial public offerings, joint ventures, corresponding shareholders’ agreements, amalgamations and take-overs, private placements, corporate restructurings, re-domiciliations, sale and purchase of shares of exempted companies, and special purpose vehicles

Asset Finance & Banking

The firm’s experience extends to the drafting and reviewing of security documents from both creditor and debtor perspectives, advising on a wide range of corporate debt issues, including syndicated and bilateral loans, bond issues, shipping and aircraft finance, and project finance.

Funds & Investment Services

Nelsons has a wealth of experience in advising on the formation and ongoing maintenance of open and closed-ended collective investment schemes structured as exempted companies, limited partnerships, and unit trusts. The firm is well placed to assist with the preparation of offering documents in compliance with Cayman Islands law and best practices, advising on and preparing applications for regulatory approval, and arranging for the optional listing of investment companies on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange.

The firm also assists with establishing and licensing of mutual fund administrators and advising them on the ongoing requirements for compliance with the Mutual Funds Law, and advises investment managers, advisers and other securities investment business providers on the licensing, registration and other requirements of the Securities Investment Business Law.

Insurance

The Cayman Islands are the second largest captive insurance domicile worldwide and are known as the leading domicile for health care captives.

Nelsons  advises on all corporate aspects of insurance, both to the captive and traditional markets. The Firm can assist with the preparation of a licensing application under the Insurance Law and liaise with the Insurance Division of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, which is responsible for the supervision of all insurance companies on the Islands, whether they operate domestically as Class “A” companies or are Class “B” insurance companies, accepting overseas risks.

Capital Markets

The Cayman Islands Stock Exchange (CSX) became operational in July 1997 and with an average annual growth rate in listings of 57% is among the  fastest-growing offshore exchanges in the world. After three years of operation, the CSX had approved for listing over 400 new issues, and by the end of the second quarter of 2001 market capitalisation stood at CI$29.9 billion (USD 35.6 billion).

The firm advises clients on share issues and listings, both on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange and, in conjunction with local counsel and listing agents, on other exchanges around the world, including the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the General Enterprise Market. The firm is also placed to advise on a variety of innovative methods of raising venture capital.

Securitisations & Structured Finance

The trend of conducting securitised and structured finance transactions in the Cayman Islands is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Typically, such a transaction involves a debt issued by a Cayman Islands company specially created for the purpose and the application of the proceeds of that issue, to purchase certain underlying assets from the sponsor of that transaction.

Nelsons can assist with the formation of the special purpose corporate vehicle and advise on the securitisation transaction and can issue an appropriate legal opinion regarding the debt issue which may be required, in the case of the issue of securities which are to receive a credit rating from one of the international rating agencies.

Company Management – Maricorp Services Ltd

The firm’s associated corporate management company, Maricorp Services Ltd., provides a wide-ranging company administration service, including company formation, limited partnership formation, registered office services, company and limited partnership secretarial and related services. If instructed, Maricorp will deal with all the necessary annual filings.

Maricorp’s affiliation with Nelsons ensures that clients have access to current corporate, banking and investment fund regulatory and legal advice when considering the formation or restructuring of bespoke corporate vehicles.

Incorporation documents can typically be prepared and filed on the day of receiving complete instructions, and the Companies Registry offers an optional expedited service of processing the corporate documents within one working day.

For more information about Maricorp’s services and fees please contact us at msl@nellaw.com