Carey Olsen has announced new leadership for its British Virgin Islands and Guernsey offices, with corporate and finance lawyer Tom Carey and Alex Hall Taylor KC set to take over.  

Guernsey welcomed Tom Carey as its new managing partner, with Carey, who joined the firm 19 years ago from Morgan Stanley, stepping up from his existing roles on the executive board and strategy committee.  

He has succeeded Russell Clark, who has spent the past 17 years leading the office and will now focus on fee-earning as head of the Guernsey trusts and private wealth team alongside supporting several management committees. 

Meantime in the BVI, Hall Taylor has taken over as managing partner from corporate lawyer Clinton Hempel, who founded the office back in 2013. For his part, Hall Taylor joined Carey Olsen as a partner in 2020 after two years at Maples and Calder, prior to which he practised at 4 New Square for more than 15 years. He will continue to lead the firm’s BVI dispute resolution and litigation team alongside the managing partner role. 

Writing on LinkedIn, he said: “Joining a law firm after many years at the independent self-employed bar can be a little daunting, but a supportive collegiate partnership and an excellent team has made it a delight rather than a challenge. The people are what make a firm, and I couldn’t imagine working with a better group.” 

His former set celebrated the appointment of former head of chambers, Dame Sue Carr, as the incoming Lord Chief Justice last Friday, with Hall Taylor saying she was an “immeasurable, dauntless, bright, driven, funny and inspiring person”, having worked with her for many years. 

As Guernsey and BVI managing partners, Carey and Hall Taylor will work alongside group managing partner Alex Ohlsson, who congratulated the new appointees on their promotions. 

Ohlsson said: “Both are extremely capable leaders as well as market-leading lawyers and I look forward to working closely with them in their new roles. I would also like to say a sincere thank you to Russell and Clinton for their continued service to the firm, and for the impressive legacies they worked so hard to build.”

Last month Carey Olsen also hired a pair of litigators in Hong Kong, with Matthew Watson joining from Bermuda commercial firm Cox Hallett Wilkinson and Tim Haynes moving over from Kobre & Kim.