Babbé LLP

Babbé LLP is a leading, independent, Guernsey-based law firm, with a reputation for providing excellent dispute resolution, regulatory, corporate and other transactional legal services. Our independence enables us to put our clients first, making us a leader in client relationships in the Bailiwick.

We listen, understand, innovate and tailor practical solutions to help international corporates, financial institutions, and high net worth individuals succeed.

The firm: In a demanding and challenging business environment, clients value the firm’s dynamic ethos and its focus on directness and efficiency, combined with a strong tradition of personal service. Our firm is widely recognised for the depth of experience of our lawyers and has a consistent track record of acting on leading and landmark cases in Guernsey. We provide our clients, with whom we have formed partnerships built over a century of practice, with an integrated and seamless service. We are approachable and accessible, and have the skills, expertise and scale to handle the most demanding, complex and innovative instructions.

Types of work undertaken
Dispute resolution: We offer strategic thinking and exceptional advocacy to help our clients deal with commercial and financial disputes. We work across a full range of commercial activity, but with a particular focus on finance-related matters. We are widely acknowledged for our expertise in a number of fields including contentious trust litigation, investment fund litigation, commercial fraud, insolvency, and professional indemnity.

Our top tier-ranked dispute resolution team has a consistent track record of acting on the leading and landmark cases in Guernsey and is widely recognised as the first choice for many in complex commercial litigation or contentious regulatory advice. Our advocates have represented clients in more judgments relating to large commercial disputes than any other firm in the island. We have one of the largest dispute resolution teams in Guernsey, known for its pre-eminent advocacy skills and experience and strength of team, with a focus on international work.

Regulatory services: We deliver realistic and valued regulatory advice to complex compliance issues.

Babbé’s regulatory team specialises in providing high quality legal advice and support on regulatory issues. We strive for excellence, to deliver exceptional client service to help our clients meet their regulatory obligations, respond to regulatory investigations and interventions when the continued operation or reputation of the individual or the business is at stake. We advise on a diverse range of contentious and non-contentious regulatory issues, including regulatory investigations, AML/CFT, sanctions, data protection, risk, enforcement or any other transaction in which compliance is required.

Restructuring and insolvency: Our restructuring and insolvency lawyers are at the forefront of the most significant cross-border restructuring and insolvency cases involving complex multi-jurisdictional issues and insolvency laws. We provide commercial and time-critical advice to directors, shareholders, lenders, investors, private equity sponsors, insurers and insolvency practitioners in a wide range of corporate distress situations. Our expertise ranges from directors’ and officers’ duties and liabilities to debt and security restructuring, distressed financing, and disposal of assets by insolvent companies.

At Babbé, we put our clients first and focus on providing the best outcome to maximize the returns for our clients.

Our experience, combined with our top-flight advocacy capability, has resulted in frequent instructions to advise and appear on behalf of stakeholders in the largest and most complex corporate insolvencies that have come before the Royal Court of Guernsey, this includes advising on the first ever Scheme of Arrangement under Guernsey law.

Trusts and private clients: We use our experience to provide excellent private and commercial trust solutions for our clients. Our extensive trust practice advises on a full range of private and commercial trusts, family offices, and foundations in Guernsey. Our speciality is providing advice on the establishment and all other aspects of complex asset-holding and wealth management structures utilising trusts, foundations and private trust companies. We are a market leader in advising on the establishment and running of family office structures, including designing bespoke structures and advising on governance and regulatory issues.

Our team has a wealth of experience in the private trust sector. Our expertise is enhanced by having both in-house and private practice experience, enabling the team to have a substantially deeper understanding of our clients and their businesses. Additionally each member of the team, whilst predominantly acting on private trust matters, has individual specialisms including foundations and family offices.

The independence and structure of our practice promotes a thorough and deep understanding of our clients and their businesses. We provide a fully integrated service to meet the needs of our clients and our unified team works closely with specialist lawyers throughout the Firm.

Banking and finance: Babbé LLP’s reputable banking and finance practice has a wealth of expertise which enables it to deliver clear and practical advice on a wide range of banking and finance transactions, from simple commercial loans to larger complex structured deals.

The firm acts for investment banks, insurers, fund managers and corporates, whether lenders, borrowers, or advisors, on the full range of banking and financial services including; LMA grade facility arrangements, securitisations, capital markets, structured products, alternative debt financing and on any related regulatory aspects.

Corporate: Our corporate practice provides advice to international and domestic companies, directors, shareholders and other stakeholders on a full range of corporate activity. Our focus is to ensure we provide tailored, practical advice that helps our clients succeed. We consider our clients’ objectives and the stage of development of their project and business. We use our experience, skills and resources to advise on all the options and potential risks to deliver a successful outcome.

Our unified team has an integrated approach, working alongside our regulatory, employment, trust, dispute resolution and property team to deliver exceptional client service and excellent legal advice. We have strong and long-lasting relationships with our clients, intermediaries and regulators.

Investment funds: Babbé LLP helps clients navigate the Guernsey fund landscape and assists with the formation and ongoing legal advice regarding all types of collective investment schemes, whether open or closed ended and authorised or registered.  The firm has extensive experience with all types of funds, whether it be private equity, infrastructure, property, debt, qualifying investor funds, feeders, carry vehicles or private investment funds and can assist with listings if required.

Employment: Babbé LLP provides specialist employment advice, on both contentious and non-contentious employment issues. Our employment lawyers provide practical advice on all types of employment challenges and opportunities, including foundational policies, disciplinary and grievance issues, restructuring teams, departments and businesses and assisting clients to manage their workforce effectively.

Our employment practice is supported by a strong dispute resolution team who work alongside our trust, corporate and regulatory practices to support employment issues arising from regulatory investigations, trust company mergers and acquisitions and corporate activity. We provide highly-responsive and realistic advice to resolve matters protecting the best interests of our clients.