Nathalie West and Rachel Nightingale have been elevated to the position of senior counsel at law firm, Walkers Bermuda.

Ms West and Ms Nightingale work in the firm’s corporate, finance, funds and insurance group.

Ms West joined Walkers' Bermuda office in 2018.

Her practice includes a range of finance and corporate transactions in connection with leveraged buy-outs, share and bond offerings, subscription finance, securitisations, CLOs, restructurings, project and infrastructure finance and other complex cross-border financing.

Ms West has extensive experience in leveraged and acquisition financings. She also advises clients across the aviation and shipping industries including major operating lessors, financiers, airliners and ship operators, as well as leading onshore law firms on a variety of finance, leasing and registration transactions.

Ms Nightingale joined Walkers in 2017.

She has extensive corporate transactional and advisory experience. Her practice involves advising clients in relation to cross-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private equity investments, amalgamations, corporate governance and complex restructuring projects, including redomiciliations.

The firm said Ms Nightingale has particular expertise advising on Bermuda's digital asset legal and regulatory framework and represents a variety of fintech clients at different stages of their life cycle from start-up, to industry leaders.

She has contributed to articles and legal publications on Bermuda law matters and has spoken at seminars on topics relating to compliance with Bermuda's digital asset licensing legal and regulatory framework.

Ms Nightingale also sits on the Bermuda Business Development Agency's technology legal and regulatory sub-committee.

Kevin Taylor, Walkers Bermuda managing partner, said: "Nathalie and Rachel's promotions are very well-deserved and are a reflection of their commitment to our clients and their desire to continuously develop and strengthen their skills as attorneys.

"Beyond their capabilities and professional growth, both young women have also played integral roles in our pupillage programme, acting as mentor to pupils during their formal legal training.

"We could not be prouder of their achievements and congratulate them on their most recent promotions."

At Walkers, the firm said, Ms West and Ms Nightingale have acted on several significant deals in Bermuda, including on behalf of:

•Saturn Group on the development of the island's first solar farm;

•Norwegian Cruise Line on their recent multibillion debt and equity offerings;

•Athene Holding Ltd on the Bermuda law aspects of its merger with Apollo Global Management Inc;

•Apex Group on its various acquisitions including its recent acquisition of FundRock Management Company SA and FundRock Partners Ltd;

•Gemini Trust Company, a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian, on the launch of its captive insurance company, Nakamoto Ltd – the world's first captive to insure crypto currency; and

•Diamond Standard Ltd with respect to its application for a class M licence under the Digital Asset Business Act 2018 (as amended).