Ogier is one of the world's leading providers of offshore legal and fiduciary services. Ogier has a presence in eleven jurisdictions around the world employing over 800 professional and support staff and opened its Tokyo office in October 2008.

Overview

Offshore vehicles, principally formed in the Cayman Islands, have for some time been used in Japan to facilitate the issuance of a wide variety of debt and equity instruments, bonds and other types of products. These vehicles are frequently set up as "orphans" in order to achieve off balance sheet treatment.

The ease of use of these entities for such structures has facilitated the expansion of capital markets in Japan which has also increased the demand for legal and a number of ancillary fiduciary and administration services in respect of which Ogier is a market leader.

Independent deal ranking operations, such as FactSet, consistently place Ogier at the top of the league table for structured finance transactions and mezzanine financings.

The Ogier Solution

Ogier has built its reputation on providing practical, solutions-based advice of the highest standard. Ogier provides an assured commercial approach together with the experience and technical skills required to advise and implement a wide range of structured finance products in a responsive manner. In addition it is the only offshore law firm to be able to offer legal and administration services for British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman, Guernsey and Jersey companies, trusts and limited partnerships across all time zones.

Ogier provides services to Japan-based clients through the combined efforts of its Tokyo and Hong Kong offices with support from its fiduciary teams in Cayman, BVI and Jersey. Ogier's partner and management group in Hong Kong and Tokyo collectively boast over 30 years of experience in the offshore arena. Both offices employ fluent Japanese speakers enabling effective support services throughout the life of a transaction.

Structured Finance Team (Hong Kong and Tokyo)

Among the Structured Finance team's core strengths are:

  • expertise in debt and equity financings and capital markets products;
  • technical excellence and commercial experience in providing structuring advice; and
  • the establishment and maintenance of vehicles for securitisations, MTN/repackaging programmes, alternative risk transfer structures, CDO structures, convertibles, and asset financing transactions (including, where appropriate, the use of bankruptcy remote vehicles to achieve off balance sheet treatment).

Ogier Fiduciary Services, Tokyo

To demonstrate Ogier's commitment to the Japanese market, Ogier established an office in October 2008 (OFS Tokyo) and is able to provide effective support services to clients based in Japan throughout the transaction. The Tokyo office is headed by Skip Hashimoto who has more than 13 years of experience in Japan working with Japan-based clients who require offshore legal and fiduciary services.

Ogier Fiduciary Services

Ogier Fiduciary Services (OFS) provides a range of services which may benefit structured finance transactions utilising corporate special purpose vehicles (SPVs). These services include acting as a share trustee and providing directors to SPVs as well as providing registered office and corporate secretarial services.

Industry Recognition

Ogier has received significant industry recognition and is regularly placed at the top of offshore transaction league tables.

2008 Awards

'Offshore Law Firm of the Year 2008' - British Legal Awards

'Securitisation Deal of the Year 2008' - IFLR Awards

2007 Awards

'Offshore Law Firm of the Year' - The Lawyer Awards 2007

'Offshore Law Firm of the Year 2007' - CityWealth Magic Circle Awards 2007

'Top Offshore Law Firm' - Alpha Awards - 2007

'Offshore Legal Team of the Year 2007' - STEP Awards

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.