Richard qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in March 1995 and has over 20 years’ experience of complex international commercial litigation, arbitration and insolvency matters. He was admitted as an Attorney-at-Law in the Cayman Islands in June 2000 and joined Stuarts Walker Hersant Humphries in March 2005. He has consistently been recommended by the Legal 500 in respect of litigation work in the Cayman Islands. Having previously worked for over 5 years at Clifford Chance in London and for over 2 years at White & Case in London, Richard’s experience includes a wide variety of corporate, commercial and insurance disputes.
These include:
Advising as to corporate governance issues, directors duties, acting for both investment funds and investors in connection with disputes concerning redemptions, suspensions, gate provisions and with regard to fund documentation generally
Acting for creditors in multiple winding-up proceedings; for a Cayman Islands limited partnership in winding-up proceedings for a company subject to heavily contested winding-up proceedings leading to appeals to both the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal and the Privy Council, for a group of shareholders in an action to remove a voluntary liquidator, in proceedings seeking the recognition of an English Receiver in the Cayman Islands, for directors of a BVI company resisting the recognition of a BVI liquidator in the Cayman Islands and in connection with U.S. SEC investigations including conducting negotiations with an SEC appointed receiver
Acting in Cayman Islands proceedings concerning the effect of U.S. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Proceedings on Cayman Islands Winding-up Proceedings
Acting in a share valuation dispute under Section 238 of the Companies Law
Acting in substantial professional negligence proceedings concerning attorneys’ breach of fiduciary, contractual and tortious duties of care
Obtaining evidence for U.S. Proceedings pursuant to the Hague Convention and Letters Rogatory
Assisting in the provision of Expert evidence as to Cayman Islands Law before the U.S. Courts
Advising on regulatory disputes and investigations undertaken by the SEC and by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority
Acting in a wide variety of commercial disputes including obtaining and seeking the discharge of Mareva (freezing) Injunctions and other ancillary relief, advising as to the cross-border effect of Mareva Injunctions granted by the Cayman Islands Courts, breach of contract actions, asset-tracing matters, complex multi-jurisdictional fraud disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, garnishee proceedings and misrepresentation claims
Advising and challenging the grant of Norwich Pharmacal and Bankers Trust Relief before the Grand Court in the context of Brazilian Bankruptcy Proceedings and claims over assets in excess of US$500 million
Acting for banks in connection with compliance and regulatory matters generally, including reporting to the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and the Financial Reporting Authority and in drafting anti money laundering policies and procedures. Richard has also advised on disputes relating to banking confidentiality
Breach of bank mandate claims, interpleader proceedings and a range of other banking and regulatory matters
Advising insurance companies in connection with membership disputes, Lloyd’s underwriters in connection with professional indemnity claims, as well as advising generally on insurance policy terms and conditions
Advising insurers in respect of a range of claims before both the Cayman Islands Courts and in Mediation
Providing trust advice and advising on amending trust deeds
Acting in a multi-jurisdictional Trust dispute and advising on Forum issues
Obtaining Cayman Islands recognition for a foreign appointed receiver
Acting in defamation proceedings
Recent reported decisions include:-
Braga –v- Equity Trust Co. (Cayman) Ltd. [2011] (I) CILR 402
Culross Global SPC Ltd –v- Strategic Turnaround Master Partnership Ltd, (the Privy Council) [2010] UKPC 33, [2010] UKPC 33, [2010] ALL ER (D) 296, Privy Council
In the Matter of Strategic Turnaround Master Partnership Limited [2008] CILR, 447 Cayman Islands Court of Appeal
Angel –v- Aubrecht, [2007] CILR 251, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; and
In the Matter of Cairnwood Global Technology Fund Limited [2007] CILR 193.
Richard has extensive international arbitration experience having been involved in various ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL and LMAA arbitrations, including appearing before Arbitral Tribunals. He has appeared in both the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands and Court of Appeal in the Cayman Islands as well as acting in proceedings before the Privy Council.
Admissions
Solicitor – England and Wales, 1995
Attorney – Cayman Islands, 2000
Education
University of Bristol, Law Degree (Hons), 1991
Law Society Finals Examination, 1993
Accredited Mediator, 2006
Professional Associations
The Recovery and Insolvency Specialists (Cayman) Association
International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals
Cayman Islands Law Society