Our Achievements

We feel that we have achieved when we deliver results to our clients, but how do you know that we can deliver? We’re pleased that we have received a significant number of independent endorsements. These recognise our impressive reputation within our specialist areas.

Two of the leading independent reviews of the legal world are the Legal 500 and Chambers directories.  Here is a selection of what they have said about us:

Legal 500 (2011) 

In Commercial and banking. AO Hall is a third tier firm: AO HALL represented the shareholders of the Corazon Capital Group on its sale to Collins Stewart. Sam Shires is a key contact.

In Investments Funds, AO Hall is branded a fourth tier firm; AO HALL acted for Confiance as promoter and manager of a new closed-ended protected cell company designed to act as an umbrella fund structure for a number of film product funds. Sam Shires is a principal contact.

In Dispute Resolution, AO HALL is a second tier firm, AO HALL acted for the trustee in a dispute about a wrongfully clawed back reduction in M & E charges from an insurance vehicle. Alison Ozanne is ‘highly intelligent and a joy to work with’. The team welcomed Paul Buckle from Carey Olsen.

In Employment, AO Hall is branded a first tier firm; AO HALL is ‘service and delivery oriented. It walks the walk, and the team shares the passion and ethos of the firm’. Managing partner Louise Hall stands out for non-contentious matters.

Chambers 2011

The Firm following on from its successful establishment at the beginning of 2005, AO HALL continues to grow their fields of corporate, dispute resolution, employment and Fiduciary to provide an integrated and complementary range of legal services. This dynamic firm is committed to respecting and meeting the needs of the board base of institutional and individual clients who are based, both in and outside Guernsey.

Litigation, Dispute Resolution, Regulation and Compliance: AO HALL’s Dispute Resolution team has significant experience in handling complex private and public/regulatory law issues. AO HALL has acted for clients in multi-jurisdictional asset tracing, pension mis-selling multi and cross-jurisdictional contact, trust and shareholder disputes. The firm is frequently instructed by other city-based and offshore lawyers and prides itself on providing pragmatic commercial advice.

Financial Services and Investment Funds: The firm is a full-service provider to participants in the financial services and investment funds industries. The team advised on all aspects of fund establishment, restructuring and ongoing activity, with particular expertise in funds listed on the Official List and Alternative Investment Market of the LSE and also the Channel Islands Stock Exchange. The team also advises on general matters of Guernsey corporate law.

Human resources and Employment: The team advises on employment aspects of business start-ups, acquisition, data protection, redundancies, unfair dismissal, sex discrimination, restrictive covenants, and on drafting termination conditions of employment, policies and procedures. Instructions come mainly from institutional clients including international corporate, financial and regulatory institutions.

Legal 500 (2010) 

In Commercial and banking, AO HALL is a third tier firm: "AO Hall fields an active restructuring practice but is also branching out into general corporate matters and M&A under the leadership of Sam Shires."

In Investment funds, AO Hall is banded as tier 4:  "AO Hall's Sam Shires is valued for his ‘ability to adapt to a constantly adjusting financial environment’. Shires advised on the establishment of a new closed-ended umbrella fund, The International Investments PCC."

In Dispute resolution, AO HALL is a third tier firm:  "Specialist contentious firm AO Hall scores points for its ‘excellent level of service’, with Alison Ozanne singled out as ‘outstanding. Trust and insurance litigation are key areas".

In Employment, AO HALL is a first tier firm: "AO Hall attracts outstanding feedback; for some it is ‘the best on the island for employment’ and ‘on a par with London firms’, and it has a reputation for responsiveness and in-depth knowledge. Non-contentious specialist Louise Hall is ‘the benchmark for employment lawyers’. The firm shines across redundancy issues, constructive dismissal claims and corporate support work."

Legal 500 (2009)  

In Corporate, “AO Hall is active in restructuring, and Sam Shires has ‘a commercial approach’” and “AO Hall’s Sam Shires has growing market visibility”.

In Dispute Resolution, “AO Hall’s ‘excellent’ team.. . . Named partner Alison Ozanne is ‘widely respected, effective in court’, and has a multi-jurisdictional banking litigation practice”. 

In Employment, “AO Hall’s ‘superb’ Louise Hall is the leading non-contentious employment lawyer in Guernsey. Large financial institutions dominate Hall’s client base, and she is active in advising on redundancies”.

We are ranked in Tier 3 for Commercial and Banking, Tier 2 for Dispute Resolution and Tier 1 for Employment. Alison Ozanne and Louise Hall are rated as “Leading Individuals”.

Chambers Europe (2009) 

In Dispute Resolution, “‘They bring City standards to Guernsey’. The highly sought-after Alison Ozanne has ‘good commercial sense and excellent knowledge of Guernsey procedure’. . . She is praised for being approachable and for providing ‘practical, useful advice that is not shrouded in legalese’.

In Employment, “One of the few firms to have a specialist employment team . . . Louise Hall is a popular choice for any employment work in Guernsey.

We are ranked as a Leading Firm in Band 3 for Dispute Resolution and Band 1 for Employment.  Alison Ozanne and Louise Hall are rated as “Leading Individuals”. 

Chambers UK (2009)  

In Dispute Resolution, “Alison Ozanne heads the group and specialises in litigation involving trusts, banking, corporate disputes, money laundering, insolvency and insurance; she also has an active mediation practice. 

We are ranked in Band 3, ahead of larger rivals, for Dispute Resolution. 

Citywealth Leaders List (2010)

Citywealth is a leading publication for the global wealth management sector.  In Contentious Trusts, Alison Ozanne,was ranked as a Leading Lawyer in the category “Prominent Individuals”.