Wakefield Quin

The firm

WQ is a leading Bermuda law firm that has earned an international reputation for providing high-calibre legal services. WQ is dedicated to providing clients with timely, sophisticated and solution-driven legal advice and is known for delivering a personalised and efficient legal service, geared to working to agreed timetables and budgets. WQ achieves a high standard of professionalism by listening to client needs and understanding client requirements. We recognise the vital importance of establishing close and continuing business relationships with our clients and throughout our firm’s history, have forged valuable networks with other legal professionals in the US, UK, Europe, and Asia.

WQ offers an all-inclusive service to clients, utilising the firm’s associated services companies, including WQ International Ltd. and M Q Services Ltd., which provides a full range of corporate, administrative and registered office and agent services; Harbour Financial Services Limited, which provides fund administration, investor relation, financial accounting, and independent director services; and Winchester Global Trust Company Limited, which provides trust and private client services.

Directors of the firm are actively involved in many professional organisations, including the Bermuda Bar Association, Restructuring and Insolvency Specialist Association (RISA), and the International Bar Association (IBA).

Areas of practice

Corporate and commercial WQ’s lawyers have extensive experience advising leading financial institutions, public companies, funds, private equity firms and large private companies on a broad range of corporate and financial transactions.

WQ has expertise advising on:

(a) primary (IPO) and secondary equity and debt offerings of private and public companies;

(b) banking and structured finance;

(c) investment and private equity funds;

(d) insurance and reinsurance;

(e) cross-border mergers, acquisitions, disposals and re-domestications;

(f) shipping and aviation;

(g) infrastructure projects;

(h) trusts and private client;

(i) insolvency and restructuring;

(j) regulation and compliance; and

(k) intellectual property and e-commerce.

Litigation WQ litigators regularly appear in leading decisions before the Bermuda courts. WQ advises on international commercial disputes, insurance and reinsurance matters, officer liability claims, shareholder disputes, trust/trustee disputes, employment and immigration matters and general family law.

Real estate WQ has one of the leading real estate practices in Bermuda. Our lawyers provide innovative and practical legal advice to a broad range of industry participants. We regularly act for lenders, developers and equity investors in all major real estate product areas, including office, commercial, industrial, multi-family and hospitality. WQ’s lawyers have extensive experience advising on the acquisition, development, management and disposal of real estate, including leases, sale-leasebacks, market standard and complex financings, and restructurings.

Private client WQ regularly acts for trustees, beneficiaries and settlors, as well as protectors and enforcers, and has considerable experience advising international corporate clients on insurance trusts, special purpose trusts, pension trusts, unit trusts and employee benefit trusts. WQ also advises charities, foundations, families and high-net-worth individuals on investment structures, international estate planning and private trust company arrangements.