In a rare move for an “onshore” law firm, the UK-headquartered HFW now has a presence offshore after acquiring the British Virgin Islands office of law firm Lennox Paton.

The newly acquired office will continue to be led by Scott Cruickshank, formerly Lennox Paton's BVI managing partner and head of litigation, and include associates Jonathan Child and Helen Chen.

The team will advise on corporate and commercial litigation, including foreign judgment enforcement and interlocutory relief, insolvency and restructuring, fraud and asset tracing, shareholder and JV disputes, and company law disputes and director claims.

According to HFW, the team will work closely with the firm's litigators in London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and its offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

 “This is a very significant development for our global disputes offering. We have been looking seriously at the BVI for several years,” said Noel Campbell, head of HFW litigation, in a release. “An increasing number of clients are attracted by the BVI’s respected body of law and regulatory regime, which is rooted in English common law.”

Founded in 1986 in the Bahamas, Lennox Paton remains is one of the largest law firms in that country.

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