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In short, the PQE requirements vary in each jurisdiction.
Cayman Islands
You are legally required to have 3 years PQE to practice as a lawyer. Most of the major law firms will interview candidates at the 2.5PQE mark with a view to employing them shortly after their 3PQE anniversary.
BVI
No legal requirement regarding PQE, but most firms look for a minimum of 2 years of experience.
Bermuda
Again no legal requirement, but it is very rare for firms to hire ex-pat lawyers with fewer than 5 years PQE.
Offshore firms in other jurisdictions such as the Channel Islands, Hong Kong, and Singapore will consider lawyers from NQ level upwards, as long as your training contract experience is relevant to the opportunity.
Every firm has a different pay structure. Some pay a salary plus a bonus, some pay a salary plus commission, and some firms pay only a generous salary, preferring their Associates to enjoy a better work/life balance.
Traditionally, depending on the firm, your skillset and your PQE/PAE, you can expect to see salaries of between US$100,000 (tax-free or low tax) and US$220,000 with benefits on top. With generous commission schemes at the top firms, you can take your yearly earnings over US$500,000 with low or no income tax.
Read more on offshore legal compensation in our dedicated article on the subject here.
Traditionally less than in London if you are moving to a firm in Bermuda or the Caribbean; you may enjoy 2-3 hours more leisure time each day due to shorter commutes.
Cayman Islands & Bermuda
To practice law in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda, you must be admitted and have practised in a commonwealth jurisdiction for the requisite number of years mentioned above. The majority of the ex-pat lawyers in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda come from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
BVI
To practice in the BVI, you must be admitted as a solicitor or barrister in England & Wales, so the vast majority of ex-pat lawyers in BVI tend to come directly from the UK or other offshore jurisdictions.
Channel Islands
You are permitted to practice as a lawyer in the Channel Islands so long as you have commonwealth experience. However, those with long term plans to live in the Channel Islands may also wish to gain admittance to the local bar. To become ‘Jersey qualified,’ you must have practised law on the island for two years and then sit a set of six exams. To become ‘Guernsey qualified’, you must have practised law on the island for three years and then sit a series of exams.
As the fifth-largest financial center by transaction value, there is a consistent demand for lawyers and barristers with heavyweight international experience in Corporate, Finance, Funds, Commercial Litigation, Insolvency or Trust practice areas. There is also a smaller market for Property, Family, Employment, Criminal, In-House and General Practice lawyers.
If you have the right experience and a desire to take your life and your career to the next level, we would love to hear from you.
Cayman, BVI, and Bermuda require non-citizens to have work permits, which must be obtained by the employer based on a specific job. Regarding relocating with a partner or spouse, a legal spouse can be classified as a dependant on their partner’s work permit to reside on-island. They are also legally permitted to search for work as a ‘dependant’ on their spouse’s permit. Unmarried partners are not permitted to reside without having a job and permit of their own.
In the Channel Islands, work permits are not required for UK passport holders. Commonwealth citizens may be exempt if they qualify for a UK ancestry visa, and all other professionals will need to obtain a ‘Skilled Worker Visa’.
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