British Virgin Islands-based offshore law firm Harney Westwood & Riegels has announced the addition to the firm's partnership of Jonathan Culshaw in the Cayman Islands and Paul Lau in

British Virgin Islands-based offshore law firm Harney Westwood & Riegels has announced the addition to the firm's partnership of Jonathan Culshaw in the Cayman Islands and Paul Lau in Hong Kong.

Cayman law specialist Culshaw (photo) joins Harneys from Walkers, where he developed a private equity and investment funds practice. Previously he practised law at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, working on structured and acquisition finance matters.

His practice focuses on the establishment of offshore hedge, venture capital and private equity funds and the Cayman structuring of private equity portfolio acquisitions. Culshaw also has onshore and offshore experience of structured finance and capital markets transactions including repackaging, securitisation, segregated portfolio company debt issuance and derivatives.

Lau, who has extensive experience in Cayman Islands and BVI law, joins Harneys from Conyers Dill & Pearman in Hong Kong. He was previously legal director for Europe at GE Capital and regional counsel for the Asia-Pacific region with General Electric, having earlier practised law with Freshfields in London and Singapore, specialising in banking and finance. Lau's areas of expertise include Cayman and BVI corporate and commercial disciplines, particularly in relation to acquisitions, investment funds and securities exchange listings.

'Our Cayman practice is growing rapidly with demand from each of our major markets,' says Harneys managing partner Richard Peters. 'Our Hong Kong office's capability to provide Cayman and BVI expertise strengthens our international presence, particularly in Asia. It is essential that we can deliver quality service of the very highest level to all of our clients, in whichever time zone they may be located.'

Through its network of offices and affiliates in the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, Harneys provides law firms, financial institutions and corporations with legal services relating to BVI, Cayman, Cyprus and Anguillan law and also offers company, trust and fund formation and administration services through its affiliated corporate services business.