Erin Panton, center, the latest articled clerk from Walkers to be admitted to the Cayman Bar, is pictured with, from left, Walkers' Jordana Clarke, Head of Training and Development; Partners Dorothy Scott and Caroline Heal; Ingrid Pierce, Global Managing Partner; Ramesh Maharaj, Partner; and Mellony Bryan-Waugh, Training and Development Administrator.

Walkers Articled Clerk Erin Panton complete her legal training and was called to the Cayman Islands Bar on Sept. 22.

Her application was moved by Ingrid Pierce, Walkers’ Global Managing Partner, before Justice Robin McMillan. Ms. Panton is Walkers’ 46th Caymanian articled clerk to be called to the Bar. She was articled to Partner Dorothy Scott.

Ms. Panton is a recipient of the 2014 Walkers Legal Scholarship. She attended Cayman Prep and High School in until Year 11 and then completed her schooling at Wando High School in Charleston, South Carolina. Ms. Panton began her legal studies at the Truman Bodden Law School of the Cayman Islands in September 2011 and completed her LLB with an upper second-class degree classification in the summer of 2014.

During her time at the law school, Ms. Panton was the recipient of several awards, including the Sweet & Maxwell Prize for best performance in first-year modules, the Butterworths Law Prize and University of Liverpool Law Association prize for best performance and overall results in the second-year modules, and the Dillon Eustace Travel Bursary for the Top Performing Caymanian LLB graduate.

Ms. Panton completed the Legal Practice Course in 2015 at the University of Law (Bloomsbury) in London and was awarded a Distinction. She spent six weeks volunteering as a policy officer at the ministry of Financial Services before commencing her articles.

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Cable & Wireless launches foundation with $500K donation

C&W Communications, parent company of Flow, has launched the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation with US$500,000 to support humanitarian efforts across the region.

The initial primary purpose of the foundation is to serve as a fundraising hub, enabling money raised to be directed to local, regional and international agencies to execute projects in affected territories. In the longer term, the foundation will also support other charitable and community causes in markets the company serves.

C&W also announced a drive to raise more funding from partners, suppliers and individual donors, including starting a “Text To Donate” campaign. Customers in the Caribbean can pledge a $1 donation to aid the relief effort through the foundation by texting ‘GIVE’ to shortcode 2300.

“The 2017 hurricane season continues to have a grave impact upon some of the markets in which we operate, and the present situation requires a concerted effort to provide much needed relief,” said John Reid, C&W’s chief executive. “What has been truly uplifting, however, is the huge desire amongst our employees, partners, and customers – as well as our extended Liberty Global family – to help improve the situation on the ground. The establishment of the foundation is our commitment to do just that – and we’re looking to get everyone involved to help drive hurricane relief and other humanitarian efforts.”

CIBC FirstCaribbean Walk for the Cure raises a quarter-million

Fundraising for one of the region’s largest cancer care and awareness events has kicked off across the Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean. So far, CIBC FirstCaribbean has raised US$267,119 from 160 corporate supporters.

The sixth edition of CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Walk for the Cure will take place this weekend across the 17 territories where the bank operates.

“We are really excited about this year’s walk. There is a surge of energy throughout our organization as hundreds of our staff are already busy with a number of fundraising events as well as planning for the various walks,” said Trevor Torzsas, executive co-chair of the walk and managing director, Customer Relationship and Management.

“Last year we raised $500,000 all of which we donated to support the life-changing work of our partner cancer care organizations in each of the countries where we operate. This year we are going to do all that we can to ensure that we surpass last year’s figures,” said Mark St. Hill, the other executive co-chair and managing director, Retail and Business Banking.

This year the bank’s business in Cayman has partnered with the Cayman Islands Cancer Society to stage the Walk for the Cure.

KPMG sponsors ICCI’s online-hybrid program

Beginning Oct. 2, students will have the opportunity to enroll in various areas of study through an online-hybrid program. The program will include associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees with concentrations in financial services, hospitality and tourism, information systems, human resources and general studies. Accounting firm KPMG made a $25,000 donation to the “smarten-up” program, which will make learning more accessible and flexible, especially for students who work full time or part time while completing their degree.

“KPMG’s donation will help in making higher education more accessible in the Cayman Islands,” said ICCI’s board chairman Mike Mannisto. “We are very proud that the investments we have been making at ICCI in people, quality, accreditation, technology, online learning, our 100 percent digital campus, academic policies and academic standards are working.”

Kevin Lloyd, managing partner of KPMG, said, “We support programs that will allow individuals to continue their education and become future leaders. Over the years, we have seen the achievements of ICCI and their passion for the growth of these islands. We continue to support their cause and look forward to the success of their Smarten-up and other educational programs.”

Ogier advises on crowdfunding platform IPO

Ogier has advised crowdfunding platform Dragon Victory International Ltd. on its initial public offering of shares listed on Nasdaq. Dragon Victory International offers reward-based crowdfunding, business incubation services and financial services to entrepreneurs in China. The IPO raised $8.5 million.

Ogier partner Bradley Kruger, who leads the firm’s Caribbean & Asia corporate practice group, with managing associate Mark Santangeli and associate Tommy Tuohy, advised on the Cayman Islands law aspects of the transaction.