Appleby, the offshore legal, fiduciary and administration services firm, has opened a new office in Guernsey as part of its continued expansion plans.

The new office will practise Guernsey law with a focus on corporate and commercial law, private client and trust matters, litigation, insolvency and restructuring, and will offer a complete range of fiduciary services, the firm having secured approval from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.

The Guernsey team initially comprises Barney Lee and Helen Crossley, corporate and commercial group partners; Jeremy Le Tissier, litigation partner, and Gavin Ferguson, private client and trust partner – each of whom joined from a local law firm. The office’s managing director is David Clark, who has relocated from Appleby London. Chris Ward, formerly managing director of Rothschild Trust Guernsey, will head up the fiduciary and administration services business.

“Our entry into the Guernsey market further builds our strength and depth across multiple jurisdictions providing greater resources and a wider choice to our clients,” said Peter Bubenzer, Appleby’s global managing partner.

The Guernsey launch brings Appleby’s global network of offices to 12, the firm having opened in the Isle of Man in October of last year following a merger with the law firm Dickinson Cruickshank.