Stephen Ball, Chief Executive Officer of Mourant du Feu & Jeune, said,

“This is a very significant development for the offshore legal world. New York is a vital feeder market for the Cayman Islands, and we’re very excited to be the first Cayman law firm to open an office there.

It will be a key element in the business development strategy for our enlarged Cayman practice, following the merger with Quin & Hampson announced on 19 February.”

Senior associate Simon Felton is relocating from Mourant’s London office in April. He will be Mourant’s first foreign legal consultant in New York and will not be practicing New York law. He will be based at the firm’s existing Manhattan office, which has grown to a team of 35 people since opening in March 2005. It provides third party fund administration and tax compliance services to some of the highest profile private equity funds in North America.

The firm has ambitious plans to grow the new office along the lines of its hugely successful four- partner London office, one of the largest offshore practices in the City.

Mourant is a specialist professional services group serving top international corporations, financial institutions, fund managers and high net worth individuals. It currently operates from offices in Jersey, Guernsey, London, Luxembourg, Cayman, New York, San Francisco and Dubai.

Mourant’s three divisions are Mourant du Feu & Jeune, one of the world’s leading offshore law firms, it specialises in providing offshore legal advice to the International finance and funds markets. Following its intended merger with Quin & Hampson, it will have 34 partners and a total of some 110 lawyers.

There is also Mourant International Finance Administration, a leading international provider of fund and corporate administration services, with over $100 billion in fund assets under its administration.

Mourant Private Wealth, provides lawyer-led independent wealth structuring for clients. It enables high net worth individuals and families to protect the wealth and welfare of present and future generations.

Throughout the years, the organisation has won numerous awards including a 2005 award for Offshore Law Firm of the Year (The Lawyer) and 2006 Jersey Law Firm of the Year (Who’s Who Legal).

www.mourant.com