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Spencer West LLP

Full-service international law firm with specialist offshore crypto structuring — BVI, Cayman, and beyond

London, UKEst. 2010s360+ partners globally; 20+ jurisdictions
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Quick Facts

Best For
Token issuers and crypto fund managers needing expert BVI and Cayman Islands legal structuring, VASP registration, and DAO formation alongside broader international legal capability
Pricing
Mid-market rates — competitive for offshore structuring and fund formation work relative to magic circle and US BigLaw alternatives

Overview

Spencer West LLP is a full-service international law firm with more than 360 partners across 20+ jurisdictions, known for its coverage of offshore financial centres including the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, and Bermuda — jurisdictions that are foundational for crypto fund formation, token issuance, and DAO structuring. The firm's digital assets practice, led by Dan Russell, covers token and SAFT issuance, DAO structuring, Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration, offshore crypto fund formation, and Securities Investment Business licensing. Dan Russell's background in BVI and Cayman Islands law — developed at Ogier and supplemented by a Goldman Sachs legal analyst background — makes Spencer West particularly well-suited for founders needing offshore crypto legal structuring alongside fund and corporate expertise. The firm's global footprint spans the Americas, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Focus Areas

BVI & Cayman Islands Crypto StructuringToken & SAFT IssuanceDAO Legal StructuringVASP Registration & De-registrationOffshore Crypto Fund FormationSecurities Investment Business LicensingCross-border Crypto TransactionsFund Lifecycle Advisory

Who They Work With

Token Issuers Seeking Offshore StructuresCrypto Fund ManagersDAO ProjectsExchanges Seeking VASP RegistrationWeb3 Startups Requiring Cayman/BVI EntitiesInstitutional Investors in Digital Assets

Notable Work

VASP registration, token/SAFT issuance structures, and DAO legal frameworks across BVI and Cayman Islands jurisdictions for crypto fund managers and token issuers.

Key Contacts

  • Dan Russell (Digital Assets, BVI & Cayman Islands Law)
Dan Russell

Office Locations

LondonBVICayman IslandsSingaporeDubaiNew YorkSouth AfricaKenya

Frequently Asked Questions about Spencer West LLP

What crypto and Web3 legal services does Spencer West offer?
Spencer West's digital assets practice covers token and SAFT issuance, DAO legal structuring, Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration and de-registration, offshore crypto fund formation (BVI and Cayman Islands), Securities Investment Business licensing for exchanges and derivatives businesses, and cross-border crypto transactions. The firm's deep coverage of offshore financial centres — BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, Bermuda — makes it particularly well-suited for the entity structuring work that underpins most token launches and crypto fund raises.
Who is Dan Russell and what does he specialise in?
Dan Russell is Spencer West's digital assets specialist, practising BVI, Cayman Islands, and English law. Since 2016 he has practised BVI and Cayman Islands law at leading offshore firms including Ogier. His digital assets work spans token and SAFT issuance, DAO structuring, VASP registration and de-registration, and Securities Investment Business licensing for crypto businesses. Prior to law, Dan completed a two-year legal analyst programme at Goldman Sachs, covering debt and equity capital markets and derivatives — experience that informs his understanding of how traditional finance structures translate into crypto contexts.
Does Spencer West cover BVI and Cayman Islands for crypto structuring?
Yes — BVI and Cayman Islands structuring is a core strength of Spencer West's practice. These offshore jurisdictions are the most commonly used domiciles for crypto token issuance, fund formation, and DAO legal wrappers, and Spencer West's specific expertise in both enables founders to structure these entities alongside broader international legal support from the same firm. VASP registration support in relevant jurisdictions is also within scope.
Is Spencer West suitable for fund structuring alongside token work?
Yes — Spencer West regularly advises on the full lifecycle of open and closed-ended funds, including primary and secondary fund investments, M&A, financing, and private equity. For crypto fund managers who need both token issuance structuring (BVI/Cayman entities, SAFTs) and fund formation advice (LP structures, investment management agreements), Spencer West can provide both from a single firm relationship — a meaningful operational simplification.
What types of clients does Spencer West work with for digital assets?
Spencer West works with token issuers seeking offshore structures, crypto fund managers, DAO projects requiring legal wrappers, exchanges seeking VASP registration, Web3 startups requiring Cayman or BVI entities, and institutional investors in digital assets. The firm's international footprint spanning the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia also makes it a natural fit for cross-border projects that need legal coordination across multiple regions simultaneously.
How do I engage Spencer West for crypto legal work?
Contact Spencer West via spencer-west.com or directly through Dan Russell's team page at spencer-west.com/team/daniel-russell. As a firm with 360+ partners across 20+ jurisdictions, Spencer West has a structured engagement process — an initial scope call with Dan Russell's team is the standard starting point for digital assets mandates, after which the appropriate combination of English, BVI, and Cayman Islands practitioners is assembled based on the specific structuring needs.

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