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Jon Barclay

Jon is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. He advises on high-value financial services litigation, fraud and asset tracing, insolvency disputes, contentious trusts and cross-border enforcement.Jon has practised as a Guernsey Advocate for over 20 years, having previously practised as a barrister at a leading set of chambers in the UK. He appears regularly before the Royal Court of Guernsey and the Guernsey Court of Appeal and is recognised for his advocacy and judgement in complex commercial disputes.Alongside his role at Appleby, Jon is a director of the Institute of Law, Guernsey and an adjunct lecturer on the Guernsey Bar Course, teaching civil practice and procedure and professional conduct and ethics.Jon's experience includes:Acting in significant commercial and financial services disputes before the Royal Court of Guernsey and the Guernsey Court of Appeal.Advising in fraud, asset tracing, and asset preservation matters, including freezing injunctions and related disclosure orders.Acting in contentious trust disputes involving trustees, beneficiaries, protectors and other fiduciaries.Advising on cross-border enforcement, recognition and recovery issues involving Guernsey structures and assets.Acting in insolvency and restructuring disputes, including claims involving directors, shareholders, creditors and office-holders.Advising financial services businesses on regulatory, AML and compliance-related disputes, including matters arising from Guernsey’s anti-money laundering framework.

Jeremy Berchem

Jeremy Berchem is a Group Partner in the Corporate team. From April 2020 to April 2023 Jeremy was the Office Managing Group Partner in Guernsey. Jeremy has extensive experience of all areas of banking and finance work including advising both lenders and borrowers in relation to all aspects of subscription, acquisition, property and asset finance transactions. In addition Jeremy advises on the issuance of bonds and other debt instruments and their listing on the TISE, the sale and purchase of companies, corporate governance matters and the restructuring of corporate and debt structures. He also has a broad corporate and commercial practice and advises on general corporate matters. Notable transactions include:Acting as Guernsey counsel to HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA in connection with its acquisition of HSBC’s private banking business in Guernsey.Acting for Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Plc acting as agent for a syndicate of 3 banks in the accession of various sub-funds to, and amendments to, existing subscription facilities of up to EUR 4,000,000,000 currently made available to a major Guernsey fund.Acting as lead counsel to The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited in respect of various investor backed loan facilities made available to Lakestar funds.Acting as Alderney counsel to a syndicate of lenders (including Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, Lloyds Bank plc, NatWest, Barclays Bank PLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. and Santander) in connection with the amendment and restatement, including a facility increase, of a £1.5 billion facility and a USD 2 billion facility.Acting as Guernsey counsel to the States of Guernsey in putting in place with Lloyds Bank plc a bilateral £100,000,000 facility to replace the States’ existing £250,000,000 syndicated facility.Acting regularly for Investec Bank plc in connection with funds finance and property finance transactions. He has acted on 16 transactions during 2022.Acting regularly (in excess of 15 transactions during 2022) for the private bank division of HSBC Guernsey in lending to high net worth individuals and their structures.

Melissa Dinis

Melissa is a Paralegal in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. She supports the department in a wide range of matters relating to commercial and civil disputes.

Daisy Fakude

Daisy is Counsel in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. She advises on various aspects of commercial litigation and dispute resolution. She has experience regarding a wide range of contentious dispute resolution matters including commercial disputes, contractual disputes, debt and asset recovery, shareholder disputes, director liability disputes, contentious trust disputes, insolvency matters and insolvency related court proceedings. She has acted for various stakeholders including large corporations, creditors (mostly corporations and financial institutions), liquidators, trustees and high net worth individuals. Notable work highlights include:Successfully defending a trustee of two guernsey trusts and the corporate director of a company within the trust structure in a claim before the Royal Court for losses which were allegedly suffered by the trusts owing to the gross negligence of the trustee in respect to the administration of the assets of the trusts. As well as further loses which allegedly arose as a result of the corporate director breaching its fiduciary duties in its capacity as the director of the underlying company within the trust structure [A Kazzaz and others v Standard Chartered Trust (Guernsey) Ltd (in liquidation) & Songbird Limited [2023] GRC049]. The claims in the aforesaid proceedings involved complex issues of trust, regulatory, commercial and insolvency law.Acting for an erstwhile fund administrator to defend claims in the region of US$18 million brought by the liquidators of a Guernsey fund;Acting for a beneficiary of three Guernsey trusts (with combined assets in excess of £600 million) in connection with various contentious proceedings before the Royal Court.Acting for a director of a Guernsey fiduciary services provider in connection with regulatory enforcement proceedings brought by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.Advising an erstwhile trustee in connection with a breach of trust claim brought by a beneficiary of the trust arising from the transfer of the entirety of the trust fund out of the trust, and the resultant termination of the trust.Prior experience:Acting for various shareholders of the Steinhoff Group regarding their claims (cumulatively in excess of R2 billion) arising from the reduction in value of their shares following the major accounting scandal in December 2017.Acting for the business rescue practitioner of five companies within a leading South African construction group regarding various issues arising from the business rescue process, including the cancellation or suspension of the companies’ obligations under various contracts, preparing and/or reviewing post commencement finance agreements and advising the business rescue practitioner on the restructure of the group.Acting for the liquidators of two South African companies regarding the investigation and institution of proceedings against the former directors of the companies in order to hold the directors personally liable for the debts of the companies (which were in excess of R500 million).Acting for a prominent South African Bank regarding its R80 million claim against an Irish debtor arising from the debtor’s default under various loan agreements concluded and implemented in South Africa.  

Simon Florance

Simon is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey, specialising in financial crime, sanctions and other regulatory matters. In addition, Simon has significant experience as a commercial litigator.He began his career as a solicitor in Sydney, Australia and has over 30 years’ experience as a lawyer, 20 years of which have been in Guernsey. He was called as a Guernsey Advocate in 2019 and is also admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.Alongside his role at Appleby, Simon is a member of the Complaints Panel of Guernsey’s Administrative Decision Review Board.Simon's experience includes: Acting in financial crime matters including money laundering prosecutions, restraint and confiscation orders, civil forfeiture orders, advice in relation to SARs, and dealing with Guernsey’s Financial Intelligence Unit and other law enforcement agencies.Advising on sanction issues in respect of complex company and trust structures involving cross-jurisdictional issues.Advising on AML/CFT/CPF issues including advising on setting up new Guernsey funds with higher risk cross-jurisdictional issues (for example, medicinal cannabis/psychedelic investment and gambling).Advising on compliance issues including reviewing and drafting client policies and procedures, and assisting with Guernsey Financial Services Commission site visits, thematic reviews and audits.Acting in supervisory actions (including client remediation) and enforcements actions by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.Advising on competition and utilities regulation advice including dealing with, and acting against, the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority.Advising on licensing issues for regulated entities (for example, fiduciaries, insurance managers, administrators and investment funds).Acting in complex commercial matters including investor disputes, banking litigation, judicial review, partnership and shareholder disputes, and appears in all the Guernsey courts.Acting in asset tracing over multiple jurisdictions including seeking disclosure and freezing orders (usually on an urgent basis).

Tendai Gakanje

Tendai is a Senior Associate in the Corporate Team in Guernsey. She has a wide range of experience dealing in acting for both international and local clients in relation to complex and high value corporate and finance matters and has particular experience in the Guernsey insurance and reinsurance sector advising in relation to Insurance-linked securities (ILS), cellular structures and regulatory issues. Prior to joining Appleby in September 2025, Tendai was a Senior Associate at another leading international law firm in Guernsey.

James Gallimore

James is a Senior Associate in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. James qualified as an English solicitor in 2019. James advises on contentious and non-contentious employment issues for a wide range of clients including international companies and financial institutions. He has worked on Employment Tribunal claims relating to unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and disability discrimination. James has experience on multi-jurisdictional employment projects and undertaking corporate support work. James also drafts employment-related documentation, such as contracts of employment, HR policies, director’s service agreements and settlement agreements.  

Gareth Grand

Gareth is a Senior Associate in the Corporate department in Guernsey. He advises on a broad range of corporate, finance and regulatory matters and has particular experience in relation to banking and finance transactions. Gareth qualified into the London Restructuring department of DLA Piper in 2015. Prior to joining Appleby in July 2025, he was a Senior Associate in the Banking and Finance team at Burges Salmon in Bristol.

Dylan Latimer

Dylan is a Partner in the Corporate Department in Guernsey. Dylan has considerable expertise in a wide range of corporate, banking and investment fund matters. He specialises in banking and finance (including real estate finance, fund finance and security enforcement), M&A and investment funds. He also advises on insurance matters including captives and reinsurance structures. Dylan trained at Maples and Calder in Dublin. Prior to joining Appleby, he was a Partner at an international law firm in Guernsey.

Leona Maharaj

Leona is a Senior Associate in Appleby’s Corporate department in Guernsey. Leona’s expertise is predominantly in the areas of general banking and debt finance, syndicated lending, commercial property finance, acquisition finance, fund finance, leveraged finance and related security structures acting on behalf of both borrowers and lenders.    

Koketso Mathebula

Koketso is a Senior Associate in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. Koketso hosts an array of practice experience in litigation, alternative dispute resolution (arbitration & mediation), fraud investigation and regulatory advisory with a keen focus on complex commercial law issues, varied contractual disputes, recovery of debts, contentious insolvency proceedings, trust disputes including debatement of trust account, and perfection of securities. His experience further covers regulatory compliance within the cyber-crime and data protection sector, the procurement of urgent relief, corporate litigation, particularly, directors’ liability and shareholder disputes, and investigations within the financial services sector. He has acted for clients in the consumer goods and retail sectors, financial services, hospitality, telecommunications, insurance and real estate.  

Anna Okewole

Anna is an Associate in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. Anna has experience representing both individuals and corporate clients in a wide range of complex, high value, multi-jurisdictional disputes. Anna has acted in claims involving allegations of conspiracy, dishonesty, misappropriation of funds, shareholder disputes, as well as asset recovery and asset tracing matters. Anna has also advised individual and corporate clients on the UK sanctions regulations and co-ordinated international sanctions advice from the US, EU and other jurisdictions. Prior to joining Appleby in February 2025, Anna worked in the UK at Mishcon de Reya.

Kate Ovenden

Kate is a partner in the Corporate Department in Guernsey. Kate has considerable experience in advising international and local clients and intermediaries on a wide range of mandates. She has particular expertise in banking and finance and corporate real estate matters as well as having a significant corporate and commercial practice. She also advises on the establishment and lifecycle of all types of investment structures, financial services and regulatory matters and insolvency and enforcement. Kate trained and qualified at City law firm Withers LLP, where she worked for 10 years before relocating to Guernsey in 2006. Prior to joining Appleby, Kate was a partner at an international law firm in Guernsey for over 15 years.

Tristan Ozanne

Tristan is a Group Partner in the Corporate Department in Guernsey and joined Appleby in 2024. Tristan has an extremely broad and in-depth experience of all Corporate & Commercial, Banking and Finance and Regulatory work, gained through over 20 years of offshore practice. He has particular expertise in corporate acquisitions and corporate advisory, together with fund finance and real estate finance. Tristan frequently advises on regulatory matters across all supervisory laws pertaining to collective investment funds and licensees. He is described as having “a sound legal mind and common sense judgement. An asset to have on your side.” and as being “extremely well-connected throughout the region.” Other client feedback includes: “Tristan provides efficient, strong legal advice and is a pleasure to work with.” “In addition to his legal knowledge, Tristan also keeps an eye on the business challenges of his clients. He provides helpful and valuable advice on legal matters.” “Tristan is helpful and responsive.” “Tristan is very good, very thorough and easy to talk to.” “Tristan is great on lending and has a strong team with him.” “A sound legal mind and common sense judgement”. “An asset to have on your side”. “Extremely well-connected throughout the region”. “Great knowledge of Guernsey law”. “Keeps an eye on the business challenges of his clients”. “Tristan’s advice is clear and targeted to the client’s objectives”. “Tristan is very responsive and easy to work with”. “Tristan is solid and dependable”. “Swift and well thought out solutions”. “Knowledgeable, proactive and easy to work with”. “Highly responsive with strong industry knowledge.” “Tristan is both smart and responsive and a pleasure to work with”. “Tristan is so helpful and knowledgeable. We feel safe in his hands”. “A dynamic and friendly lawyer with great ambition”.  

Richard Sheldon

Richard is the Managing Group Partner in Guernsey and member of the Dispute Resolution team, specialising in advising clients on employment law and regulatory issues. Richard leads the Channel Islands employment team, and is one of the pre-eminent employment lawyers in the region, advising on all areas of employment law including, strategic advice, litigation, transactional support and director / shareholder disputes, as well as advising on matters such as executive severance, employee share schemes, pensions, restrictive covenants, bonus disputes and trade union issues. In addition, Richard has advised on a number of major contentious regulatory matters including in particular enforcement action by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) against both companies and their directors, and has a particular expertise in the field of complex investigations into regulatory issues. Richard has a growing reputation in the field and has been the lead adviser on a number of regulatory enforcement cases over the years such as Blenheim, Richmond and Artemis, representing those companies through the enforcement process. Richard also regularly represents directors at voluntary interviews with the GFSC. Over recent years Richard has conducted a number of complex investigations for clients, relating to potential employee frauds, breaches of fiduciary duties, compliance around sanctions as well as sexual harassment in the workplace. Richard’s experience includes advising;A global financial services business on the investigation and dismissal of a senior director in respect of allegations of sexual harassmentA tech business in relation the exit of a senior employee, and successfully defending claims before the Tribunal of discrimination on the grounds of sex and maternityThe successful appellants in the case of Domaille & others v Guernsey Financial Services Commission in overturning on appeal before the Royal Court, regulatory enforcement sanctions imposed by the GFSC.A 50% owner of a professional services firm in relation to a dispute with his fellow owner, including successfully exiting the other party from the firm, as shareholder, director and employee.A former director of a fund administrator in relation to regulatory enforcement action taken by the GFSC, including successfully negotiating a private reprimand rather any form of public censure.A international financial services business on a post-acquisition integration restructure, including harmonisation of terms and conditions.

Simon Smith

Simon is an Associate in the Dispute Resolution team in Guernsey. Simon has extensive experience advising on commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Simon advises on all core areas of dispute resolution including insurance disputes, shareholder disputes, regulatory investigations, trust disputes, contractual claims, international enforcement actions and cross-border insolvency claims. Since qualification, Simon has specialised in high value and complex commercial litigation, acting for international and domestic companies, stakeholders and insurers across a broad range of disputes. Prior to joining Appleby in January 2025, Simon practised as an Associate Solicitor at Kennedys Dublin, which is widely recognised as one of the leading Dispute Resolution law firms in Ireland.

Josh Tonks

Josh is an Associate* in the Corporate department in Guernsey. Josh has experience in corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions on both buy and sell side, as well as experience in corporate restructuring transactions. He has acted for corporate entities (across sectors including financial services, gaming, fitness, healthcare, retail and fintech), private equity institutions, as well as various corporate stakeholders. Prior to joining Appleby in April 2025, Josh practised as an Associate Solicitor at Shakespeare Martineau LLP in London, and trained at Gateley PLC, also in London.

Stuart Tyler

Stuart Tyler is a Partner and Group Head within the Corporate Department in Guernsey. Stuart deals with a number of corporate and commercial matters including fund raising, acquisitions, debt finance, financial services regulatory matters, insolvency, shareholder arrangements, insurance structures and the commercial aspects of trusts and foundations law.

Lisa Upham

Lisa Upham is a Guernsey Advocate and a Notary Public. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2000 and qualified as a local advocate in 2003. Lisa is a senior professional support lawyer, although she is based in Guernsey, she supports both of Appleby’s Channel Island offices. Before joining Appleby in 2018, Lisa established a knowledge management team at another offshore legal firm. She is an experienced commercial lawyer, she was previously a senior associate advising on a wide range of commercial and corporate matters with an emphasis on corporate reorganisations, business acquisitions, financing and banking transactions. She is also a full TEP member of STEP and has extensive private client experience.