Wayne is a qualified Guernsey Advocate and BVI Attorney, working with a broad range of regulated entities and investment funds on fundraising, transaction and investment structuring, commercial contracts and mergers and acquisitions.
As one of the leaders of Collas Crill's risk and regulatory team he also regularly advises businesses on regulatory compliance including money-laundering issues, listing rules requirements, competition law, data protection, ESG matters and Guernsey financial services regulation more generally.
Experience
Wayne has built considerable expertise in assisting company boards and activist shareholders in relation to contentious general meetings and associated issues arising out of investor actions.
A regular speaker at seminars and conferences in relation to company law, regulatory and fund matters, Wayne is well known for his down-to-earth plain speaking approach to explaining complex legal and regulatory issues.
Background
Having attended St John's College at the University of Cambridge, Wayne trained and qualified as a corporate lawyer with Herbert Smith in London, working primarily in the firm's investment funds and regulatory team. Following this he spent a number of years in the British Virgin Islands advising on a range of investment funds and general corporate transactions before joining Collas Crill in 2009.
He joined the Board of the Guernsey Nature Commission in 2023.
Awards
Wayne is listed as a Next Generation Partner in Legal 500, and in band 3 in Chambers and Partners UK. He has also been recognised as one of the world's leading practitioners in the Lexology Index: Private Funds 2025.
"It's my job to help clients achieve their objectives with as little unnecessary cost, stress and risk as possible."
Wayne Atkinson is very responsive and understands clients’ businesses.
Legal 500
Credible across all areas.
Client feedback
Wayne Atkinson is easily approachable and responsive. He provides an amazing service.
Chambers UK 2023
Always proactive, excellent at balancing legal requirements with the needs and wishes of the client.
Client feedback
Responsive and innovative.
Legal 500
Wayne has excellent personal experience in the corporate finance field and a very strong knowledge of all legal and regulatory aspects. He always thinks outside the box.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Always proactive and excellent at balancing legal requirements with the needs and wishes of the client.
Client feedback
Incredibly knowledgeable and approachable
Legal 500 (UK) 2024
Extremely knowledgeable but not protective of that knowledge...very approachable and always willing to assist.
Client feedback
Wayne Atkinson and Ben Le Page are personable and commercial as well as being technically excellent. They provide quick and pragmatic solutions and consistently go above and beyond.
Legal 500 (UK) 2026
The first person we trust
Legal 500 (UK), 2024
Wayne is commercially astute, technically strong, thorough in his approach and very responsive.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Wayne is a very good technical practitioner.
Chambers UK Guide 2026
Resonates with clients.
Legal 500 (UK) 2024
Wayne Atkinson provides first class service in a collaborative way. He is like an extension of our team.
Legal 500 (UK) 2026
Wayne Atkinson is an outstanding partner, very commercial, experienced and very considered in advice and support in transactions.
Legal 500 (UK) 2026
Wayne Atkinson provides excellent and hands-on Guernsey real estate finance experience.
Legal 500 (UK) 2026
Wayne Atkinson is a very thoughtful lawyer who sees a big picture without neglecting minutiae. Very experienced.
Legal 500 (UK) 2023
Technically sound and very responsive.
Chambers UK 2024
Incredibly helpful.
Client
He's a good technical lawyer. I have found he delivers efficient, focused points of advice, which is exactly what you want.
Chambers & Partners 2022
Client focused, with a straightforward approach which is underpinned by deep industry knowledge and technical expertise
Legal 500 (UK), 2024
Wayne Atkinson’s laid back manner with clients belies his tenacity in ensuring that both he and his team get the job done on a timely and cost-effective basis.
Legal 500 (UK) 2024
His knowledge of law and its application is extensive and has resulted in good results for many of the clients we have introduced to the firm.
Legal 500 (UK) 2024
Wayne Atkinson has a particularly pragmatic approach backed up by an in depth knowledge and excellent coordination and communication skills.
Legal 500 (UK) 2023
Always available, approachable and thinks outside of the box.
Legal 500 (UK) 2024
Technically very knowledgeable.
Legal 500 (UK) 2024
Expertise
Successfully navigating the modern global business environment, taking advantage of opportunities as they arise while avoiding legal and regulatory pitfalls, is a challenge for any entrepreneur, business or corporation, during all phases of the corporate life cycle.
Data is the most valuable asset for many of our clients and data protection is a growing facet of offshore business. We have advised a number of institutional clients on their commercial obligations in terms of data security and data protection and regularly provide advice on contract terms in this difficult area. We also have significant experience in using the full range of legal remedies available to obtain access to data and information held, and so are ideally placed to advise clients on either side of the data protection equation.
E-gaming and e-commerce have become increasingly important sectors to the economy, having grown exponentially in recent years. Collas Crill has a particular specialism in e-gaming. The opportunities are huge, but the legislative and regulatory issues facing the industry require close attention. Our specialists can advise and assist companies and other organisations on the issues in setting up and managing online businesses as well as managing the risks to succeed in a global market.
Our uniquely diverse practice regularly assists with the establishment of both open and closed-ended fund structures. In addition to traditional Channel Island private equity and real estate structures and Caribbean hedge funds, we have advised on a number of alternative and esoteric classes. We work alongside our clients to understand their investment thesis and provide bespoke drafting to build the fund they want as opposed to generic template structures and documentation.
We advise clients at every step of the process, including preparing offer documents, investor negotiations, the preparation of agreements, and in the closing of transactions.
It is a fact of life that all regulated businesses today face ever increasing pressure in the areas of compliance, regulation and risk management. Not only are our businesses required to comply with regulations and laws imposed within each jurisdiction, we need to be alert to impending changes in the UK, EU and elsewhere which could have an impact on the way we operate.
We work with a number of local utilities assisting them with their work with regulators and pricing control commissioners as well as advising on the effects of proposed changes in legislation, commercial contracts and corporate governance.
Whether set up for asset protection purposes, as part of succession or tax planning, or for family governance or confidentiality reasons, offshore private wealth structures are common and often large and complicated.
We assist wealthy individuals, family offices, family-controlled businesses and entrepreneurs, often working alongside their trustees, bankers, tax advisors, accountants and other professional advisers, with the legal support needed within private wealth structures. We work with a broad range of vehicles including family investment companies, family limited partnerships, trusts and foundations.
We can assist with all legal aspects of establishing, operating, restructuring, funding/leveraging, relocating and winding up such vehicles.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing regions in the world. With diversifying markets and governments keen to enact strategies and legislation to bring further innovation, MENA is primed for further transformation and growth.
The demand for professional advisers who understand this rapidly changing environment and the opportunities and challenges it brings has never been higher or more important.
Regional clients with worldwide investments as well as international clients conducting business in the area trust Collas Crill to guide them through their business dealings and wealth planning, with expertise in Shariah-compliant products allied with decades of experience using traditional structures to meet the needs of clients wherever their focus lies.
The Middle East is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing regions in the world. With diversifying markets and governments keen to enact strategies and legislation to bring further innovation, the region is primed for further transformation and growth.
The demand for professional advisers who understand this rapidly changing environment and the opportunities and challenges it brings has never been higher or more important.
Regional clients with worldwide investments as well as international clients conducting business in the area trust Collas Crill to guide them through their business dealings and wealth planning, with expertise in Shariah-compliant products allied with decades of experience using traditional structures to meet the needs of clients wherever their focus lies.
There's little doubt that for every challenge in the current market, an opportunity emerges. Having the right team to exploit these opportunities gives you a definite advantage. At Collas Crill we work with our clients to take advantage of opportunities at all stages in the investment lifecycle.
We advise in relation to a broad range of legal issues involving crypto and digital assets:
Collective investment schemes including advising Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) regarding licensing, regulation and the migration of structures between jurisdictions
Corporate structures (including foundations, decentralised autonomous organizations (DAOs) and token offering structures) together with associated services, development and access agreements
Private wealth structures including succession planning and dealing with digital assets as part of estate administration on death
Digital asset fraud and recovery on insolvency, including obtaining freezing injunctions in relation to crypto assets
Defence of directors, trustees, managers or other defendants facing civil, criminal or regulatory action as a result of dealings with digital assets
We advise Web3 and digital firms looking for regulatory guidance and support in drafting terms of service; token issuers and digital businesses looking to incorporate virtual assets; financial services firms considering adding a digital assets offering; investors establishing structures and appointing agents/trustees/custodians to invest in or hold digital assets; and high-net-worth individuals and family offices conducting succession planning for digital asset holdings.
We can also advise regulated corporate service providers to make informed decisions on the use of crypto platforms and crypto asset exchanges.
Regulation and legal risk management are placing increasing burdens on companies and businesses in terms of time, costs and resources, and the consequences of getting this wrong can be severe.
We can assist with all regulatory and compliance issues in Jersey, Guernsey, BVI and Cayman including:
anti-money laundering and proceeds of crime legislation
FATCA and CRS reporting
licensing
economic substance
beneficial ownership
sanctions
tax information exchange requests
AIFMD
Additionally we can help with regulator investigations and visits, enforcement and remediation including representation before regulators, tribunals committees and courts. We have an excellent record in defending corporates and their directors and officers in regulatory proceedings.
Please view our Regulatory page for more information.
Offshore vehicles are used for a huge range of purposes either standing alone or as part of large multi-jurisdictional structures.
Our highly commercial team specialises in advising clients on the most effective uses of such vehicles and their on-going operation, including normal and cellular companies as well as foundations, unit trusts, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, segregated portfolio and restricted purpose companies.
We are able to advise what jurisdiction among the 'Big Four' that we advise on will best suit our client's needs and regularly advise on solvent restructuring by way of merger, consolidation, continuation or balance sheet optimisation as well as court based corporate procedures such as schemes and plans of arrangement.
With our mix of non-contentious and litigation restructuring specialists, Collas Crill offers the unique advantage of having being able to provide a team to seamlessly take a transaction from start to finish.
Directors are legally obliged to act in good faith, exercise independent judgment, and promote the best interests of the company.
Our offshore regulatory lawyers regularly provide expert legal guidance to directors as to their duties in offshore jurisdictions and corporate governance frameworks, as failure to comply with these expected duties potentially results in significant personal liability for directors.
Our experienced team advises on fiduciary responsibilities, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance to ensure directors meet their obligations with confidence. Whether you're forming an offshore entity or navigating complex corporate challenges, we can offer trusted, practical solutions tailored to your needs.
Regulation and legal risk management are placing increasing burdens on companies and businesses in terms of time, costs and resources, and the consequences of getting this wrong can be severe. We can assist with all regulatory and compliance issues in Jersey, Guernsey, BVI and Cayman including:
Anti money laundering and proceeds of crime legislation
FATCA and CRS reporting
Licensing
Economic substance
Beneficial ownership
Sanctions
Tax information exchange requests
AIFMD
Additionally we can help with regulator investigations and visits, enforcement and remediation including representation before regulators, tribunals committees and courts. We have an excellent record in defending corporates and their directors and officers in regulatory proceedings.
