“Leading Isle of Man law and professional services group” Cains has been given top Band 1 rankings in the esteemed Chambers UK Guide for 2016.

Cains has been top-ranked in two practice areas including Corporate and Finance and Dispute Resolution by the annual independent guide to the best UK law firms. It was also ranked in Band 2 in Employment.

A total of seven Cains lawyers have been ranked as “Leading Individuals” in the latest edition, with the firm’s managing director Andrew Corlett OBE named as a highly influential “Eminent Practitioner”.

Every year, law firms and individual lawyers are ranked based on the research of Chambers’ 150 full-time editors and researchers who rely heavily on in-depth interviews with lawyers and clients.

The 2016 commentary refers to Cains as “expert in advising clients on capital markets, e-business, international banking and financial services, shipping and space and satellite” and adds that “Cains acts for a broad range of clients including multi-national corporations, financial institutions, regulatory bodies and family offices and has a strong track record of working in partnership with leading law firms to effect international transactions, including market listings, for clients”.

One client is quoted as saying "I have a lot of time for Cains. The people I deal with there are very reasonable and very able”. One individual praised “their ability to turn their hand to absolutely anything at an impressive level” and another said Cains stood out because they are “good academic lawyers but client-focused too."

The guide refers to examples of the work undertaken by Cains in the last 12 months. Work highlighted for Corporate and Finance includes advising the Amaya Gaming Group on its USD4.9 billion purchase of Oldford Group and advising Lamprell on its USD66.2 million sale of International Inspection Services to Intertek Testing Services Holdings.

Highlights for Dispute Resolution include defending HSBC in relation to a claim alleging its maladministration of an offshore corporate pension scheme. Peter Clucas, who manages the litigation department, is noted for advising and representing Andrew Paul Shimmin as liquidator of Isis, a subsidiary of Kaupthing, in connection with a scheme of arrangement presented to the Isle of Man High Court.

Richard Vanderplank, who is head of the firm’s corporate team, is referred to by one commentator as "probably the pre-eminent corporate commercial lawyer on the island". Lindsey Bermingham is hailed as "brilliant" and "amazing" by sources, who reveal that "there are clients who brief her because they don't want her on the other side. You couldn't ask for better in a corporate or white-collar lawyer." Commentators also say Andrew Baker "is very easy to work with, extremely efficient and to the point" and Robert Colquitt is noted by interviewees for his "sound judgement".

Photo - Cains director Lindsey Bermingham is hailed as "brilliant" and "amazing" by sources quoted in the Chambers UK Guide.