Maples and Calder has merged with British Virgin Islands’ (BVI’s) Smith-Hughes Raworth & McKenzie – the second-largest firm in the jurisdiction – and launched a legal practice in Jersey, in a landmark double for the offshore market.

Cayman Islands-based Maples took over 12-lawyer Smith-Hughes last week, securing the firm’s respected corporate practice, with clients including Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays Bank, HSBC and SABMiller, plus additional branches in London and Hong Kong.