Hassans

The firm: Hassans was founded in 1939 and is the largest firm in Gibraltar. It is one of the world’s foremost offshore law firms which combines an old world approach to client service with a new world approach to business and technology. Hassans are trusted advisers to clients both locally and overseas who seek legal guidance in a fast-moving, multi-jurisdictional world. Though rooted in Gibraltar, the firm has an international clientele in key jurisdictions around the world, with many assignments involving cross-border advice. The extent of the firm’s expertise, combined with its worldwide network including major London, continental and UK law firm links, gives Hassans the reach to satisfy all of its clients’ needs.

Areas of practice
Corporate and commercial: The firm provides a full range of legal services for clients ranging from small businesses to major multinationals. It advises corporate clients working in or through Gibraltar on a wide variety of cross-border transactions and financing structures. Other matters handled include international corporate restructures, joint ventures, M&A and corporate franchising, tax and e-commerce.

Data protection: The firm’s data protection team has been specialising in data protection since the early 2000s. With the increased threat of penalties for non-compliance of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) the team is able to work with clients on strategy, drafting policies and delivering in-house training to ensure full compliance and mitigate risk.

Environmental: The team has developed a range of experience in all aspects of environmental work, including assisting with the drafting of environment and climate change legislation, reviewing the environmental aspects of legal documents relating to planning and construction, and facilitating the trading of green assets internationally.

FinTech: Gibraltar has fast become a key crypto harbor which Hassans has contributed to on a wide scale; the firm has been deeply involved in assisting the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission with the drafting of the Guidance Notes to Gibraltar’s DLT Providers Regulations and has attracted a significant number of initial coin offerings/token sales and other distributed ledger technology related matters, including licence applications under Gibraltar’s DLT Providers Regulations.

Funds: The fund industry in Gibraltar has seen rapid and impressive growth, and it continues to expand at a phenomenal rate. As a result, Gibraltar has become a serious option for individuals and companies considering where to base investment funds. Hassans has been at the fore front of this development, advising both the Government of Gibraltar and most of the funds domiciled in Gibraltar.

Gaming: The firm has advised some of the major on-line betting operators on setting up their operations in Gibraltar and on their IPOs on the London Stock Exchange. The firm has also been heavily involved in assisting the Gibraltar government and industry in drafting the Gambling Act, which has modernised gaming legislation.

Insurance: Hassans is not only part of the Gibraltar insurance industry, the firm helped create it. The firm’s innovative approach has delivered value to insurance clients over the last 20 years working with some of the biggest names in the industry.

International finance and banking: The firm has particular experience in banking and financial markets. It is the only firm in Gibraltar to combine specialist expertise in derivatives regulation with a substantial banking, tax and securitisation practice. The firm advises on banking regulation and licensing, including the establishment of offshore operations and regulatory advice, as well as the implementation of various legal and tax structures including repackaging and securitisation.

Litigation: The department handles most aspects of litigation, with a niche focus on international commercial and trust litigation. The firm’s litigators practise as both barristers and solicitors, and provide a full range of litigation services.

Pensions: Hassans has a specialist pensions law advice function which boasts a team of lawyers with an unrivalled background in and knowledge of the UK and Gibraltar tax system. The team, together with Hassans’ associated company management firm, Line Group Limited and its pension trusts arm, Quantum Trust Corporation Limited, is able to provide professional advice and regulatory guidance on the best possible options for clients, on a case by case basis.

Private client: Many clients choose to obtain Gibraltar residence and thereby benefit from our very favourable tax system. The team can advise on everything our clients need including securing resident status, obtaining Cat 2 status, transferring assets, taxes, permits, property, re-domiciling corporate vehicles and setting up trusts. Whilst the firm naturally focus on Gibraltar’s competitive legal and fiscal system, the firm’s expertise covers a broad range of jurisdictions. The firm is therefore able to create bespoke structures for private clients establishing trusts and companies both inside and outside of Gibraltar, if required.

Property: The firm acts for most of the major local and international developers and builders. The firm advises on matters concerned with secured lending, mortgages and charges for most banks and building societies in Gibraltar.

Shipping: The firm has strong links with major English shipping firms and has been involved in a number of significant international admiralty cases. The firm also handles ship registration and finance.

Spanish law: The firm’s English-speaking, Spanish qualified lawyers based in Sotogrande, Cadiz (www.hassans.es) help international corporate and private clients, as well as expatriates in Spain, navigate the Spanish system on all matters including banking and finance, corporate and commercial, real estate, residency matters and tax.

Sports law: The firm’s multi-disciplinary sports team comprises a dedicated team of contentious and non-contentious lawyers who are passionate about sport. The Team is supported by experts across the firm who have significant experience in areas such as immigration, employment, brand protection, real estate, financial services and tax. The team is international in outlook – it acts for clients from around the world and its members are fluent in a number of foreign languages.

Trust and company administration: Through an associated company (Line Group Ltd) the firm provides administration services for both companies and trusts. Among the users of these services are international clients who the firm advises on the use of Gibraltar trusts and offshore companies.

International work: Three quarters of the firm’s work is related to international clients. Many of them use Gibraltar companies and trusts to structure their fiscal, fiduciary or investment requirements, and over the years strong links have been forged with major multinationals, financial institutions, banks, law and accountancy firms throughout the world.

Clients: The firm’s international clients predominantly come from the US, the UK, Israel and continental Europe (in particular Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain and Portugal). They include global corporations, private equity groups, international banks and insurance companies.