1. First of all, could you please introduce Appleby’s operation in Jersey?
Appleby in Jersey operates three distinct businesses.
First, we are a full-service law firm considered one of the world’s leading offshore providers of wide ranging legal advice. We handle corporate structuring, including M&A, regulatory matters, and the full suite of related services. We have a dispute resolution team that deals with both contentious and non-contentious litigation. Additionally, we have a local business team that supports real estate transactions and licensing needs for local clients and those looking to relocate to Jersey.
The second business is Appleby Regulatory Consulting. As you may know, the regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly complex. Jersey is a highly regulated jurisdiction, and our consulting team helps clients with remediation, advisory services, regulatory resourcing, and training. Many firms struggle to find strong compliance talent, and we help bridge that gap. We also assist boards with navigating regulatory frameworks effectively.
The third business is Appleby Global Services, a regulated service provider offering administration and fund management services to our global client base. We currently employ around 150 people in Jersey, so we have a reasonably large operation here.
2. What is the importance of Jersey to Appleby?
Jurisdictionally, our multijurisdictional structure allows us to have a global reach. Jersey is a core to this due to its position in the European time zone, bridging our Asian and Caribbean. offices. Culturally, Jersey has been central to our group providing the conduit for the provision of integrated advice across not only the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man but also the Caribbean British Overseas Territories where Appleby is firmly established as a leading offshore law firm.. We don’t have a single “mothership”; instead, we operate through a network of substantial offices, each managed locally.
Jersey’s economic stability, strong regulatory framework, and the diverse businesses based on the island provide an excellent infrastructure for providing central services and ancillary support to our global group.
3. What are the key legal sectors driving demand in Jersey’s financial services industry today?
We can look at this from two perspectives: geography and work type.
Geographically, the U.S. has become increasingly important. Post-Brexit, the devaluation of the pound made GBP-denominated assets more attractive to U.S. investors, particularly from the East Coast. This drove interest in Jersey, and over time, U.S. hedge funds began using Jersey more for structuring investments.
There’s also been strong growth in the Middle East, we’re opening an office in Abu Dhabi this July. We see M&A activity and private wealth management as key growth areas there.
In Asia, we were early movers, with three offices in mainland China and another in Mauritius. We see long-term opportunity there, especially in India and Africa.
In terms of work types, we continue to see strong demand in M&A, regulatory advisory, and financing arrangements, primarily using Jersey to acquire international assets.
4. In what ways is innovation influencing legal services in Jersey, particularly in FinTech and emerging financial services?
Jersey is a world-class centre for FinTech, and Appleby has a market-leading global FinTech proposition. We advise clients on how to structure and regulate digital assets, particularly from our Cayman and BVI offices, which are closely connected to U.S. market demand.
Internally, we’re embracing automation, in compliance, document production, and beyond. And yes, we are carefully adopting AI solutions, although as a law firm, we approach this conservatively. But we see significant value in these tools for improving efficiency and client service.
5. How important is Jersey’s connectivity to global markets for Appleby’s international client base?
It’s absolutely crucial. Most of our clients operate across multiple jurisdictions, and so do we. A key strength of Appleby is that we don’t operate in silos—we collaborate across offices. Our clients in the U.S., Europe, and Asia often require multi-jurisdictional legal support, and our culture of collaboration supports that seamlessly.
We work together across locations on nearly every instruction, and that’s a core part of our value proposition. Our multijurisdictional solicitors, attorneys and lawyers are regularly recognised for their professionalism, integrity and excellent client service.
6. How do you see Appleby Jersey evolving over the next five years?
Culture will remain at the heart of everything we do—both for our clients and our colleagues . We prioritize working with people we like, have strong relationships with and trust. We’ll continue to focus on innovation and staying ahead of client needs.
In the past 12 months, we’ve launched new products and entered new jurisdictions. We plan to keep doing that, typically in response to client demand. We’ve always been a pioneering firm, and we intend to remain one. So, the three key words for our future would be: culture, innovation, and pioneering.
7. What trends and challenges do you foresee shaping Jersey’s legal and financial services landscape in the coming years?
One historic challenge has been the anti-offshore sentiment, but that’s fading. There’s now a better understanding of the role international finance centers play in global capital flows and the value they bring—such as the McKinsey report on Jersey’s contribution to the UK economy.
Regulation will continue to be a major focus. Jersey must stay strong and credible in this area while remaining pragmatic and adaptable.
Finally, the U.S. market will be key. It’s the world’s largest economy and will remain central to our growth strategy.
8. Finally, do you have a message for Newsweek readers considering Jersey and Appleby as partners in international finance and law?
Jersey offers economic stability and a robust regulatory framework. As for Appleby, we’re known for our strong culture, market-leading regulatory expertise, and our global relationships, many of which are with FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies.
Our key strength lies in tailoring global strategies to local market needs, and that’s where we really shine.
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