Small local law firm merges with global offshore player
Sophia Harris
(CNS): After 20 years as a small but full service law firm in Grand Cayman, Solomon Harris is merging with the much bigger offshore law firm, Bedell Cristin. Founded in 1998 and employing 28 people, the local firm will be re-branded as the Cayman arm of the larger global player. Bedell Cristin already employs 140 people in BVI, Guernsey, Jersey, London, and Singapore and the take-over of Solomon Harris adds Cayman to the list. “This move is a natural development in the growth of our business as we expand our horizons into new markets,” said Sophia Harris, the founding partner.
“Our common areas of focus, the strength of experience from Bedell Cristin and their presence in a range of leading jurisdictions, makes them an excellent fit, broadening the range of expertise available to our clients,” she said, adding that under the new name the firm’s services and the size of the team will grow.
Welcoming the deal, which is expected to be completed by August, David Cadin, Global Managing Partner at Bedell Cristin, said, “The merger with Solomon Harris is an exciting, strategic move which extends our global footprint into another leading offshore jurisdiction. Solomon Harris has developed a reputation over 20 years as a top quality legal practice in Cayman, and we are delighted to be joining forces with them.
“The ability to provide Cayman legal advice from an experienced team of Cayman-based lawyers enhances the capabilities of our firm globally and will be particularly beneficial to our clients in the Far East and Middle East, many of whom access our services through our office in Singapore.”
Category: Business, Financial Services
Congratulations, Sophie! Cuban schooling wasn’t needed here. To the top you go!!
Congratulations Sophia and everyone at Solomon Harris. It is wonderful to see a Caymanian business woman building a successful business and doing so well. This is good for Cayman with another global firm with a significant local presence here. It is great to see Solomon Harris recognised as being in that top league of firms. Well done!
Would have been nice if they could have kept some semblance or portion of the SH firm’s name. Companies have to do what they have to do to survive.
As is clear from the headline, this is not a merger of equals.
I’d love to see a merger announcement between all the locally owned and operated firms, backed by the Government. We need to grow up and take control of our future and stop relying on outside forces to take us to the future
That would create a true legal powerhouse.
Do you understand the concept of conflict of interest?
One large Cayman law firm is not the answer. When the two parties in a lawsuit require representation they cannot use the same firm!
Then the other Party can go to Maples, Walkers, Appleby, Ogier, HSM etc and dont tell me they are Caymanian firms because they have Equity Partners who are not Caymanian
Ms. Harris has worked hard to be where she is, congrats.
Funny how good news about a Caymanian gets so few comments.
It’s a takeover. Not by Solomon Harris.
The announcement says it is a merger which is different to a takeover. Why confusion in this announcement? Which is it?
A merger between a firm of 28 and a firm of 140 is a takeover by the firm of 140. The smaller firm has no bargaining power because of what they are gaining. The days of local firms even wanting to keep part of their names when they merge with bigger firms are over. We gave away the industry so long ago that names like Hunter & Hunter and Boxalls are footnotes in history. Any ‘mergers’ from here on out will recognise that reality and seek to leverage the added resources and better name, not insist out of ego that part of the current name be kept. It’s a takeover by agreement, basically. An offer that couldn’t be refused.
Sheesh, this is not a company traded on the NSE, it’s a small private firm. The owners sold some or most of their shares to another company. The size of either company is irrelevant. Solomon Harris could have done the same thing with a firm of 2 lawyer if they offered up enough money.
Anyway, congrats to some homegrown talent. This island is full of local talent, they are quiet because they’re busy.
“A merger between a firm of 28 and a firm of 140 is a takeover by the firm of 140.”
Not convinced by this. Do you know for a fact it is a takeover?
Congrats Sophia …you are a role model to many.
Locally to be known as Solemly Large Bills.