Cains

More informationMore information

The banking, finance and capital markets team at Cains regularly advises on some of the most significant high profile transactions in the market on behalf of a range of leading lenders, borrowers and financial institutions. Additionally, the team provides regulatory advice across a range of banking and finance matters, including those surrounding real estate, securitisations and bond issues. Team leader Tim Shepherd handles banking, finance and capital markets work on a domestic and international level, while Tristan Head regularly advises on complex multi-jurisdictional transactions. Steven Quayle  specialises in asset finance and Scott Leonard-Morgan handles significant corporate finance transactions. Stephanie Chew is another key name, regularly advising on acquisition, real estate and development finance. Catherine Hamill advises on a range of regulatory matters affecting the financial services industry.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘We worked with Catherine Hammill on a number of financings and she was excellent.’

  • ‘Holly McGarrigle was very professional. We worked a large transaction together and we found her to be available after hours when the transaction required. She is very knowledgeable in her area.’

  • ‘The team is proactive and very responsive. Gets the deal done within the timescales’

  • ‘Cains have an enviable reputation in the Isle of Man, built on solid expertise and excellent service levels.’

  • ‘Tristan Head is excellent to work with, always delivering on time with comprehensive but succinct advice.’

  • ‘The Cains team dealt with the Isle of Man aspects of a financing for one of our lender clients. They were very efficient and proactive and ensured that this aspect of the transaction was dealt with in a very streamlined manner.’

  • ‘Tristan Head and Matthew Wilkinson acted on the financing. Both were excellent and a pleasure to work with.’

Key clients

  • HSBC Bank Plc
  • Lloyds Banks Plc
  • Standard Bank
  • Barclays Bank PLC
  • Nedbank
  • Natwest
  • Citibank, N.A.
  • The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited

Lawyers

Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Catherine Hamill
Catherine is a Consultant within Cains’ Corporate, Banking and Commercial departments with over 12 years’ experience advising on general corporate and commercial matters. She has significant expertise advising lenders (including financial institutions and alternative lenders) and borrowers in complex multi-jurisdictional banking and asset finance transactions and also has considerable experience advising clients within the financial services sector on regulatory matters including, without limitation, change of control matters. She also regularly advises financial institutions, borrowers, law firms and corporate service providers on general corporate and restructuring matters, mergers and acquisitions and redomiciliations. Catherine is ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ by The Legal 500 for Banking and Finance and was described as a “world-class commercial lawyer” in client feedback.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Tristan Head
Tristan is a Director and joint head of our top tier Corporate and Commercial team. He is one of the Isle of Man’s leading corporate lawyers and has over 20 years’ experience of advising on complex corporate, commercial and finance transactions. In addition to advising on domestic and cross-border corporate finance transactions including initial public offerings, rights issues and public/private bond issues, Tristan has extensive experience advising on local and multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions primarily involving financial services businesses. He also regularly advises on corporate restructurings, banking and finance transactions, captive insurance structuring matters and joint venture arrangements. Together with Lindsey Bermingham, Tristan co-leads our Regulatory team which provides contentious and non-contentious advice on all Isle of Man regulatory matters. Tristan is ranked as a ‘Leading Individual’ in both the Banking, Finance and Capital Markets and Corporate and Commercial categories by The Legal 500 UK 2021.  Clients praise Tristan for providing a high calibre of work and being extremely responsive, knowledgeable and personable. He is also praised by clients for his strong attention to detail, integrity and commitment.
Scott Leonard-Morgan
  Scott is a Director and joint head of Cains’ top tier Corporate and Commercial team and has over 20 years’ experience in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and public and private securities offerings.  He works across a wide range of sectors that includes a strong focus on technology, gaming and the financial services and payments industries. Scott has extensive experience in advising shareholders, investors and companies from early stage through to venture capital and private equity fundraisings, M&A, exits and international listings, as well as advising boards of directors on their internal governance issues.  In addition to advising on corporate and commercial matters Scott advises within the Banking and Finance sectors, including real estate finance, refinancing and restructurings and financial services regulation.  He practiced in London, both as a partner in private practice and as in-house general counsel, before joining Cains in 2015. Scott is ranked as a ‘Leading Individual’ by The Legal 500, both for Corporate and Commercial as well as Banking and Finance and was described as a “world-class commercial lawyer” in client feedback.  
Steven Quayle
Steven is a Director and head of Cains' top tier Shipping and Aviation practice. He has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border asset finance, but with particular focus on business and commercial aviation, ship and super-yacht finance. He also regularly advises clients in connection with Isle of Man business jet sale and purchase, aviation regulation, insolvency and asset repossession. His clients range from financial institutions, airlines and ship owners to high-net-worth individuals. Steven is recognised by The Legal 500 as a ‘Leading Individual’ in his field and clients describe Steven as “easily the best aviation lawyer in the Isle of Man”. Steven has also presented at conferences including EBACE, the NBAA Business Aircraft Finance, Registration and Legal Conference, the Isle of Man Aviation Conference, the Corporate Jet Investor Summer School and the Google Lunar X-Prize Summit.
Tim Shepherd
Tim is Cains’ Managing Director and the head of our top tier Banking and Finance team and has over 25 years’ experience of specialising in complex multi-jurisdictional finance transactions for both lenders and borrowers. He practiced in London and Bermuda before joining Cains in 2006 and specialises in providing partner-led, practical commercial legal advice. He has significant experience across a wide range of banking and finance areas including acquisition and real estate finance, refinancing and restructuring, insolvency and financial services regulation. He also advises on general corporate matters including private equity and joint ventures, share and debt offerings on all major stock exchanges and mergers and acquisitions. Due to his in-depth industry knowledge, Tim is regularly instructed to advise international banks and other financial institutions, alternative lenders, advisory firms (including those providing restructuring services) and corporate entities in a wide range of industry sectors Tim is ranked as a 'Leading Individual' by The Legal 500 with clients commenting 'Tim Shepherd is one of the leading advocates in dealing with the financing and refinancing of assets’.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Stephanie Chew
Stephanie is a Managing Associate with more than 10 years’ experience advising on Isle of Man law within Cains' top tier Banking and Finance practice and Corporate and Commercial practice. Stephanie regularly acts for financial institutions (including alternative lenders) and borrowers across a variety of sectors on high-value, multi-jurisdictional financing (and refinancing) transactions and has significant experience advising on real estate financings (acquisition and development facilities), syndicated lending and senior/mezzanine facilities.   Stephanie also has experience advising on corporate and commercial transactions including complex group restructurings and corporate acquisitions and disposals (either by way of shares or assets). She is ranked as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ by The Legal 500, for the practice areas of Banking and Finance, as well as Corporate and Commercial, and is described by clients as “very impressive” and “a great contact – she gives thorough and timely advice, and is friendly and approachable”.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Tim Shepherd

Other key lawyers

Tristan Head, Scott Leonard-Morgan, Steven Quayle, Stephanie Chew, Matthew Wilkinson, Holly McGarrigle, Catherine Hamill