Here’s everything you need to know about one of the world’s largest offshore law firms that was included in the Paradise Papers leak.
What is Appleby?
- Appleby was set up in 1898
- It is a prestigious offshore law firm that has won several awards:
- Corporate law firm of the year in 2015
- Has won Offshore Law Firm of the Year
- Sees itself as an Industry leader
It’s part of the Offshore Magic Circle (an informal collection of the world’s biggest offshore law firms that jostle for the same business).
- It makes $100 million in revenue per year annually
- Has more than 400 employees globally
- It is “hard-working” and “friendly.” according to clients
What does Appleby do?
- Sets up shell companies
- Establishes trusts
- Drafts wills
- Litigates for workplace accidents
- Divorce settlements
- Advises corporations
Where does Appleby work?
- Founded in Bermuda
- Majority of its work is in North America (each of the 50 states)
- Hong Kong office established in 1990
- Office in most tax havens: Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Mauritius
- First offshore law firm to open an office in mainland China
Who are Appleby’s clients?
- KPMG
- EY (formerly Ernst & Young)
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Uber
- Apple
- Nike
- Glencore
- In 2014, its top 20 clients included these major banks:
- Citigroup
- Bank of America
- HSBC
- Credit Suisse
- Wells Fargo
Want more? Read about Appleby’s record of compliance failures.