Testimonials
Corporate
This compact, specialist team is "a relatively small boutique that punches above its weight". It advises on banking and finance matters, as well as corporate and funds work. Interviewees say the team "provides approachable, friendly and considered legal advice". - Chambers UK, 2011.
"Extremely responsive, thoughtful and considered", Sam Shires "is very calm, dissects the client's position quickly and understands the industry jargon." He advised the board of directors of Aurigny Air Services on its proposed takeover. - Chambers UK 2012
Senior associate Matt Sanders is "approachable, friendly and straight talking". - Chambers UK 2012
AO Hall is a third tier firm within Commercial and Banking. "AO Hall represented the shareholders of the Corazon Capital group on its sale to Collins Stewart". Sam Shires is a contact - Legal 500, 2011
Within investment funds, AO Hall is 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.
"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." and "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." - Legal 500, 2010
“AO Hall is active in restructuring, and Sam Shires has ‘a commercial approach’” – Legal 500, 2009
“AO Hall's Sam Shires has growing market visibility” - Legal 500, 2009
Sam Shires is "very able, very helpful and acts at the drop of a hat in complex commercial matters" - Legal 500, 2008
Dispute Resolution
This "friendly" firm's contentious practice focuses especially on banking, fund and trust disputes for clients such as Kleinwort Benson and Schroders. - Chambers UK, 2011
The "very sharp" Alison Ozanne typically represents financial services sector clients. - Chambers UK, 2011
Jon Barclay is considered to be "a skilful litigator with a fine reputation". - Chambers UK, 2011
Within Dispute resolution AO Hall is a second tier firm. - Legal 500, 2011
Alison Ozanne is "highly intellegent and a joy to work with" and Jon Barclay is "thorough". Elaine Gray is experienced in commercial and trust litigation. Legal 500, 2011
The AO Hall team welcomed Paul Buckle. - Legal 500, 2011
Leading Lawyers in Contentious Trusts: Jon Barclay, Elaine Gray and Alison Ozanne (Citywealth Leaders List 2010)
"Specialist contentious firm AO Hall scores points for its ‘excellent level of service’, with Alison Ozanne singled out as ‘outstanding’, and new associate Charles Moore praised for his ‘ability to grasp the situation quickly’. Trust and insurance litigation are key areas." - Legal 500, 2010
“AO Hall’s ‘excellent’ team has been boosted by the promotion to the partnership of the ‘extremely good’ Jon Barclay and Elaine Gray. . . Name partner Alison Ozanne is ‘widely respected, effective in court’, and has a multi-jurisdictional banking litigation practice” – Legal 500, 2009
“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. Jon Barclay recently joined . . . and is ‘a talented, accomplished lawyer who has a strong presence in court’” – Chambers UK, 2009
“‘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’. . . Jon Barclay acts on a broad range of disputes, including insolvency, trusts, fraud and asset tracing, while also advising on regulatory matters. According to interviewees, he is ‘developing a real flair for the game – he will be very prominent in years to come’” – Chambers Europe, 2009
Employment
Within employment, AO Hall is a first tier firm.
AO Hall is "service and delivery" orientated. It walks the walk, and the team shares the passions and ethos of the firm. Managing Partner Louise Hall stands out for non-contentious matters, and clients also praise litigator Elaine Gray. - Legal 500, 2011
"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’, and Elaine Gray has an ‘excellent manner in court’. The firm shines across redundancy issues, constructive dismissal claims and corporate support work." - Legal 500, 2010
“AO Hall’s ‘superb’ Louise Hall is the leading non-contentious employment lawyer in Guernsey, while newly promoted partner Elaine Gray ‘knows her stuff’ in employment litigation. Large financial institutions dominate Hall’s client base, and she is active in advising on redundancies” – Legal 500, 2009
“One of the few firms to have a specialist employment team . . . Louise Hall is a popular choice for any employment work in Guernsey . . . Elaine Gray has expertise in contentious and non-contentious employment” – Chambers Europe, 2009
Fiduciary
Paul Buckle recently joined AO Hall. Sources say he is "a star" who is known for his pensions expertise - Chambers UK, 2011
‘Respected for pensions advice’
and
‘First choice for pension matters’ – Legal 500
‘Deeply practical and always on top of the latest developments in the law’,
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‘Helpful and approachable Paul Buckle advises on the formation of trusts and pension schemes and on disputes’ – Chambers UK
‘Very well informed’ - Chambers Global,
Prominent Figure in Contentious Trusts – Citywealth Leaders List, 2010
Intellectual Property
Elaine Gray has a robust IP practice. -Legal 500, 2011
“Elaine Gray . . . has a focus on IP and has ‘shown great enthusiasm for progressing the IP environment in Guernsey’”– Legal 500, 2009
