Campbells > Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands > Firm Profile

Campbells Offices

Campbells
FLOOR 4, WILLOW HOUSE
CRICKET SQUARE
GRAND CAYMAN KY1-9010
Cayman Islands
Visit website 1 345 949 2648

Campbells > The Legal 500 Rankings

Cayman Islands > Insurance/reinsurance Tier 1

Campbells‘ insurance practice fields a team of experienced practitioners, and its ‘breadth of experience makes it a go-to team' in the insurance and reinsurance space. Handling contentious and non-contentious matters, the practice routinely advises some of the largest insurance carriers in the Caribbean and several Cayman government agencies in high-profile insurance disputes ranging from property damage claims to personal injury proceedings to P&I insurance matters. Corporate group head Alan Craig is noted for advising reinsurers in Cayman as well as foreign insurers participating in the domestic market, while Mark Goodman specialises in liquidation claims. Paul Kennedy‘s experience ranges from contentions insurance matters to coverage, regulatory and solvency matters. Jeremy Durston focuses on advising captives, insurance segregated portfolio companies, and underlying insureds on regulatory and solvency matters, as well as on directors’ duties claims, while Liam Faulkner is recommended for his specialism in shareholder and investment fund disputes.

Practice head(s):

Alan Craig; Mark Goodman

Other key lawyers:

Paul Kennedy; Jeremy Durston; Liam Faulkner

Testimonials

‘The Campbells team are knowledgeable and responsive. The breadth of experience makes it a go to team.’

‘Alan Craig is always available and provides valuable insight and team support.’

Key clients

Pantheon Re

Francis Drake Insurance Company

Attollo Insurance

MCK Re

ACT Risk

Salus Re SPC

Epic Re

Sunrise Professional Indemnity SPC

Alembic

Allied Indemnity

Aegis Insurance

Roosevelt Insurance

Next Era Energy

Prosperity Life

Roosevelt Insurance

Advantage Insurance

Western International

Marsh

Athene

Willis Towers Watson

Cooper Gay / Ed Broking

Island Heritage

ICWI (Insurance Company of the West Indies)

Guardian Life

Global Captive Management

Artex Risk Solutions

Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility

Guardian General

Strategic Risk Solutions

Beecher Carlson

Crum & Forster

Cottingham & Butler

United Health Group

Innovative Captive Strategies

Caribbean Alliance

Pan-American Life Insurance Group

Investors Trust

DiffRins Insurance Company

Work highlights

  • Advised CCRIF SPC (The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility) on the expansion of the parametric insurance program covering Caribbean nations.
  • Advised on multiple financing arrangements for leading US life insurance companies, using off-balance sheet structures.
  • Advised on the formation of multiple new group captives across a variety of industry sectors.

Cayman Islands > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Campbells has a leading role in handling cross-border investment fund litigation, shareholder disputes and Ponzi scheme lawsuits, as well as just and equitable winding up petitions, an area in which Liam Faulkner and Guy Cowan have recently been active. Faulkner’s expertise is also utilised in shareholder and investment fund disputes, while commercial litigation and international arbitration specialist Andrew Pullinger is regarded as an ‘energetic and committed’ lawyer. Guy Manning leads the litigation, insolvency and restructuring team, while Mark Goodman specialises in distressed and failed investment fund litigation. Paul Kennedy is noted for his engagement in fraud and asset recovery matters, while Hamid Khanbhai regularly handles cross-border disputes.

Practice head(s):

Guy Manning

Other key lawyers:

Mark Goodman; Guy Cowan; Andrew Pullinger; Liam Faulkner; Paul Kennedy; Hamid Khanbhai

Testimonials

‘One of the largest litigation teams in the jurisdiction and with real strength in depth across all levels of seniority, this is a go-to litigation practice. Talented, imaginative and committed lawyers work tirelessly for client-focused outcomes. Across all legal developments the team is also highly commercial.’

‘Andrew Pullinger is an outstanding lawyer who leads a team from the front. Bright, energetic and committed to his clients he has sound judgment. A first rate lawyer.’

‘Liam Faulkner is a stand out partner with a calm, reserved manner that inspires confidence.’

‘Hamid Khanbhai is an amazingly gifted lawyer who is set for a very bright future indeed in the partnership.’

‘Mark Goodman – one of the best litigators in Cayman, hands down. Unparalleled ability to match legal nous with commercialism.’

‘Great team and excellent overall knowledge of insolvency and commercial disputes.’

‘Guy Cowan is responsive and smart.’

Key clients

Maso Capital Investments Limited

HSBC Securities Services (Luxembourg)

BDO Cayman

Valley Health System

Grant Thornton

Far Peak Acquisition Corporation

LOPAG Trust Reg. and Admintrust Verwaltungsanstalt as trustees of the Lake Cauma Trust

Waystone

Carlyle Asia Investment Advisors Limited/Safari Group Holdings Limited /Safari Group CB Holdings Limited

Intertrust Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited

RH Restructuring

BDO/Ardent

PwC

Work highlights

  • Acted as Cayman counsel to the joint voluntary liquidators of Kuwait LBO Fund, L.P.
  • Represented the Upper Brook Funds and the Libyan Sovereign Wealth fund, the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), as lead counsel in long-running litigation with the former investment manager of the Upper Brook Funds; Palladyne International Asset Management B.V. and related asset recovery efforts.
  • Acted as Cayman counsel to the JOLs of Ascentra, a holding company of a large corporate group whose primary business was involved in cross-border e-commerce in which products were sold to the Asian Market via a network of members.

Cayman Islands > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 3

Headed by fund finance expert Alan Craig, Campbells‘ practice is regularly sought out by financial institutions, lenders and corporate borrowers for advice on a wide range of banking, finance, and capital markets transactions, including debt and equity listings, asset financings, fintech structures and SPACs. With knowledge of asset and structured finance work, Edward Rhind is the go-to choice for banks, lessors, funds and private equity companies, and joined from Maples Group in mid-2023; he also handles structures involving commercial shipping and aviation assets. Alexandra Clynes focuses on structured financings, debt and equity capital markets issues, restructurings and corporate governance work, while Kate Hewitson‘s capabilities are most notably concentrated on advising clients on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions.

Practice head(s):

Alan Craig

Other key lawyers:

Edward Rhind; Kate Hewitson; Alexandra Clynes

Key clients

Klym Management Company

Banco de Brasil

Infracommerce

Work highlights

  • Advised Banco do Brasil in relation to its $20bn Euro Medium Term Note Programme.
  • Advised Klym Management Company, Limited in relation to the series B round of financing led by IFC (World Bank) and JP Morgan.
  • Advised Infracommerce (a Brazilian listed entity) on its acquisition and financing of Ecomsur, a Chilean based e-commerce entity.

Cayman Islands > Corporate and commercial Tier 3

Campbells’ corporate and commercial practice provides comprehensive advice on complex, cross-border transactions. Practice head Alan Craig is well-known for his expertise in cross-border corporate finance and M&A transactions, while Richard Spencer‘s focus is on joint ventures, equity capital markets work and corporate finance issues; newly promoted partner Kristy-Anne Leith is also particularly active in the latter, and she also handles fintech transactions, including blockchain projects. With longstanding experience in advising clients on cross-border transactions, senior associate Kate Hewitson is also highly recommended.

Practice head(s):

Alan Craig

Other key lawyers:

Richard Spencer; Kate Hewitson; Kristy-Anne Leith

Key clients

Nubank

Avianca

Xapo

NextEra Energy

Creditas

McN Investments

JHD Technologies

Klym Management Company

Investors Trust Assurance SPC

Work highlights

  • Advised on the structuring, implementation and ongoing regulatory compliance of various Cayman entities to support CoinList’s growing international operations, and proposed activities.
  • Advised on the structuring, implementation and regulatory compliance of a corporate group structure to house Circle’s corporate ventures program to participate in venture financing rounds and other investments.

Cayman Islands > Investment funds Tier 3

Sitting within Campbells‘ broader corporate department – which is headed up by Alan Craig – the firm’s fund-focused offering is particularly known for advising on venture capital fund formations, seed capital arrangements, and the subsequent investment cycle; Simon Thomas is the go-to name for such mandates. Regulatory work in the funds space is another key area of strength. In team news, Kristy-Anne Leith was promoted to partner in April 2023.

Practice head(s):

Alan Craig; Simon Thomas

Other key lawyers:

Kristy-Anne Leith

Testimonials

‘Simon Thomas provides excellent service, both from a legal knowledge perspective as well as from a practical business viewpoint.’

Key clients

Addition

Ribbit Capital

Kaszek Ventures

Work highlights

  • Advised Addition on the launch of its fourth and fifth venture funds, each raising $1.5bn.
  • Advised Ribbit Capital on the launch of its latest flagship fund, Ribbit Capital X.
  • Advised Kaszek Ventures on the launch of Kaszek Ventures VI and Kaszek Ventures Opportunity III.

Cayman Islands > Regulatory and compliance Tier 3

Jointly led by head of the litigation, insolvency and restructuring group Guy Manning and corporate head Alan Craig, Campbells‘ regulatory practice is sought out by wide range of banks, investment funds, insurance companies and company service providers for its expertise in handling both contentious and non-contentious work spanning CIMA enforcements, administrative fines, examinations, controllerships, appeals and judicial reviews. Paul Kennedy‘s practice encompasses economic sanctions and other asset freezing measures, and cross-border fraud and insolvency work, while counsel Jeremy Durston is noted for his expertise in cross-jurisdictional treaty requests and white-collar fraud mandates. Counsel James Austin-Smith‘s recent engagements include complex international matters involving regulators and government entities.

Practice head(s):

Guy Manning; Alan Craig

Other key lawyers:

Paul Kennedy; Jeremy Durston; James Austin-Smith

Testimonials

‘Campbells is our go-to team for regulatory and compliance work (as well as general litigation) and we use them for good reason. They are extremely reliable, smart and pragmatic.’

‘Strong across the board, they have applied their existing strengths to this new and developing area of the law. Stand outs are Guy Manning, James Austin-Smith, and Jeremy Durston.’

‘The not-so-secret weapon in this department is James Austin-Smith. James is an incredibly intelligent, switched-on lawyer who always delivers his best to his clients.’

‘The team is on the cutting edge of defending professional service providers in relation to regulatory fines and investigations.’

‘James Austin-Smith has racked up enough wins fighting against governmental/regulatory overreach that he should be a King’s Counsel by now. His talent and prowess in the field is outsized and he deserves recognition for his formidable skillset.’

‘In the regulatory and compliance function we typically work with Jeremy Durston and James Austin-Smith. Both are responsive, helpful and a pleasure to work with.’

‘James Austin-Smith is extremely bright and knowledgeable. He has rare in-depth knowledge of our industry and the regulatory landscape. His advice is robust and pragmatic and he always goes out of his way to ensure a timely and strong result. We have used James for several years for multiple regulatory matters and we are always happy with his advice.’

‘Jeremy Durston is thoughtful, smart and unflappable. He has a robust working knowledge of the industry, and is extremely pragmatic and commercial in his approach. We have used Jeremy for many years in respect of both regulatory and some significant litigation matters and we have always been very impressed with his approach and the results.’

Key clients

Willis Towers Watson

Marsh McLennan

Deloitte

Cayman Islands Urgent Care, Kaiser Day Cannaceuticals

Libyan Investment Authority

Intertrust Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited

Premier Assurance Group SPC, Beast Capital

Alvarez & Marsal

Interpath

Work highlights

  • Acted for Intertrust Corporate Services (Cayman) Limited in relation to appealing the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority’s decisions to: i) impose discretionary fines for breaches of the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations; and, ii) impose requirements on its licence.
  • Acted for a private shareholder in his appeal against the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority’s decision to declare him not fit and proper to have control of or shares in a Cayman regulated entity.
  • Acted for the Doctors Express group of companies in litigation following regulatory and enforcement action by the Chief Medical Officer, and HM Customs.

Cayman Islands > Real estate Tier 4

Campbells‘ real estate practice regularly acts for developers, realtors, financial institutions and commercial managers on purchases of undeveloped land, project financings, security loan documentation and joint venture agreements. Practice head Lily Lee is noted for handling refinancing matters involving both residential and commercial properties, commercial lending issues, and other real estate development and planning issues in Cayman, while Alan Craig focuses on M&A transactions.

Practice head(s):

Lily Lee

Other key lawyers:

Alan Craig

Testimonials

‘Very good partner led practice which very efficiently and competently deals with matters without a fuss.’

‘Lily Lee was very efficient and knowledgeable on all aspects of the transaction. Highly recommend.’

‘This practice truly stands out for its exceptional team and innovative approach. Their strengths lie in their deep expertise and collaborative mindset.’

‘Lily Lee is a standout professional in every sense. Her ability to seamlessly navigate cross-border and corporate complexities is truly remarkable. What sets her apart is her insightful suggestions and unwavering patience. Lily’s expertise and dedication make her an invaluable partner.’

‘They are a medium size law firm but give a personal service to clients.’

‘Lily Lee is an excellent lawyer who takes client client instructions and follows them in a timely manner.’

‘They are a no-nonsense team with a logical approach to transactions, treating the clients with care and handling their needs before the client knows what they need.’

‘They are able to deal with the transactions in a timely manner and with the least amount of red tape and make it a pleasure to do business with them. Lily Lee is Amazing!’

Key clients

FirstCaribbean International Bank (Cayman) Limited

FS Inc.

Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited

Work highlights

  • Acted as primary counsel to FirstCaribbean in numerous lending and refinancing matters related to Cayman property and involving both residential and commercial property matters.
  • Assisted a client with all matters relating to the acquisition of properties, commercial lending, real estate development and planning in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.
  • Acted as regular counsel to Butterfield Bank Cayman on numerous lending and refinancing issues related to properties, which range from residential to commercial property matters.

British Virgin Islands > Dispute resolution

Campbells‘ team is lauded for its ability to integrate technical expertise with commercial considerations, making it ‘a valuable asset for anyone involved in litigation’, including multinational companies and high-net-worth individuals. At the helm of the team is Mark Goodman, who splits his time between BVI and Cayman, and frequently represents liquidators, shareholders, creditors and managers in a variety of liquidation disputes. Sarah Thompson, who joined from Harneys in October 2022, adds a wide-ranging dispute resolution practice, particularly within the technology and financial services sectors. Brian Child departed to Agon Litigation in mid-2022.

Practice head(s):

Mark Goodman

Other key lawyers:

Sarah Thompson

Testimonials

‘Campbells offers an experienced team in investment funds litigation. Their technical knowledge blended with commercial experience makes them a valuable asset for anyone involved in litigation.’

‘Mark Goodman is technically strong and very easy to work with. His industry experience is second to none and I felt very comfortable in his hands.’

‘Campbells are a small but very capable firm in the BVI. A firm that very much work with you rather than for you. There is little that Campbells cannot take on in the insolvency and restructuring sphere.’

‘Mark Goodman – a great technical and commercial lawyer you can rely on for practical advice, particularly in a time critical setting. Sarah Thompson provides solid support bringing her own positive values and influence to the overall package.’

‘Great group to work with. Always responsive and provide commercial, solution-driven advice.’

Key clients

Three Arrows

LOPAG Trust and Admintrust as trustees of the Heritage Trust

Liquidators of Torque Group Holdings Limited

Fourth Series of Halycon Trading (MI) LLC, HFC Kingate Limited and Venor Capital Master Funds Ltd

RAGOF

Cable and Wireless (BVI) Limited (FLOW)

Jive Asset Gestão De Recursos LTDA

Creditors’ committee of Kingate Global Fund Ltd

Work highlights

  • Acting for Voyager Digital, a cryptocurrency exchange, in respect of loans advanced to Three Arrows of $680m and Voyager’s related Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US.
  • Acting for the liquidators of Pickle Properties, a BVI holding company which held various property interests which became involved in litigation in England & Wales, which was appealed to the Privy Council.
  • Acting for the statutory creditors’ committee of Kingate. The committee is comprised of redemption creditors who between them hold claims in excess of $300m.

Campbells > Firm Profile

The firm

Campbells is a leading full service offshore law firm established in 1970.  From our offices in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong we provide comprehensive corporate and litigation advice and services to clients worldwide in relation to Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands law. We are regularly trusted to advise some of the most prominent names in finance, investment and insurance and we are frequently involved in the largest and most complex transactions, disputes and insolvencies in both jurisdictions.

Our legal team is internationally recognised for its expertise by leading directories and trade publications and we are also proud to be actively involved in the development of legislation, sitting on critical government legislative committees. Campbells is a member of the international legal networks Meritas and World Law Group.

Areas of practice

Arbitration & Mediation: Campbells is at the forefront of arbitration and mediation in both the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands. They have a number of attorneys with highly specialised international arbitration and mediation experience gained onshore in major arbitration and mediation centres.

Banking & Structured Finance: Campbells has extensive experience advising on debt, equity, credit-linked and asset backed securities, derivatives and other structured products, working with professional advisors and leading financial institutions worldwide; in addition to advising on syndicated lending and related security structures and advising on the establishment and licensing of financial institutions in the Cayman Islands and their on-going legal and regulatory requirements.

Blockchain & FinTech: Campbells’ blockchain and fintech practice is recognised as holding a leading position in the market. They have advised many high profile and innovative international businesses in this space, including crypto exchanges, token issuers and investment funds.

Compliance & Regulatory: Campbells advises both local and international banks, insurers, company managers, trust companies, investment managers, administrators and directors on regulatory and compliance matters.

Corporate & Commercial: Campbells has considerable experience in all areas of offshore corporate and commercial law and has worked on some of the most important and innovative cross-border transactions undertaken in the Cayman Islands. They have a strong reputation and particular expertise in the following areas: M&A; restructuring; joint ventures; investment funds; insurance and reinsurance, including captives and insurance-linked securities; capital markets; debt and equity listings; banking and structured finance; asset acquisition and finance, including shipping and aircraft finance; vessel and aircraft registration and mining and resources.

Fraud Litigation & Asset Recovery: Campbells’ specialist fraud and asset recovery team is a market leader in bringing and defending fraud claims and has a wealth of experience in taking urgent steps to identify, preserve and recover assets located within and outside the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the Marshall Islands. They also have extensive experience in claims and issues arising out of financial fraud, white collar crime, economic sanctions and government corruption involving offshore entities and assets.

Insolvency & Corporate Restructuring: Campbells acts for local and overseas insolvency and restructuring professionals, creditors, investors, minority shareholders, directors, investment managers and other professional service providers in connection with all aspects of the restructuring and winding up of companies, investment funds, limited partnerships and structured finance entities.

Insurance & Reinsurance: Campbells is recognised as holding a leading position among law firms in the insurance/reinsurance sector in the Cayman Islands and heads the market in both contentious and non-contentious insurance matters. Their practice includes corporate and regulatory work for insurers and reinsurers, whether captive or otherwise; advising local insurers on domestic insurance law matters; assisting in dispute resolution; and advising special purpose insurance companies, such as catastrophe bond issuers and finite risk vehicles.

Investment Funds: Campbells’ investment funds practice works with many of the leading onshore attorneys and investment managers on both hedge fund and private equity/venture capital matters, ranging from start-up manager to managers in the >US$1 billion AUM category. They have extensive expertise of all key structures, including master-feeder structures, multi-class funds and segregated portfolio company structures, as well as experience advising on investment fund financing, the use of derivate products and related matters. They have a reputation for being at the forefront of emerging issues and working with advisors in other jurisdictions to devise cutting-edge responses. They are also recognised for their excellent advisory capacity, particularly for fund corporate governance and distress scenarios.

Litigation: Campbells is widely recognised for the strength of its litigation practice. They have one of the largest specialist litigation teams, and routinely act in the most significant, high-value and complex disputes in both the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands. They provide a full suite of litigation and dispute resolution services to a diverse, international client bases from their offices in Cayman, BVI and Hong Kong. Campbells has a wealth of experience spanning a broad range of disputes, with particular expertise in investment fund disputes, trust litigation, asset tracing, shareholder disputes and dissenting shareholder fair value petitions. Their clients range from large international, financial and trading organisations to liquidators and trustees in bankruptcy of international and local entities, participants in investment and trust structures, family offices and government agencies. Litigators at the firm regularly appear before the Grand Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council.

Private Equity & Venture Capital: Campbells has extensive experience advising on the formation of private equity and venture capital funds and all stages of the life-cycle of investments made by such funds, including implementing the investment structures utilised for underlying investments and listing and M&A transactions in respect of portfolio investments. They are regularly involved in the establishment and maintenance of fund vehicles for numerous high profile investment managers and investment/financing transactions related to underlying entities, with a particular focus on investments in information and environmental technology and investment into Brazil, China and India.

Real Estate & Local Practice: Campbells handles all aspects of property transactional work from sales and purchase to conveyance and related residential and commercial financing both for individuals and corporations. They work with developers, financial institutions, relators and property managers from initial stages of purchase, planning, development, financing projects (either for lending institution(s) or developer) to the ultimate completion of the transaction.

Shipping & Aviation: Campbells advises some of the world’s principal shipping companies, airlines, financial institutions and lessors. They have considerable expertise in all areas of asset finance, specialising in securitisation transactions and ship and aircraft financing (involving the establishment of special purpose offshore companies and other vehicles, such as exempted limited partnerships).

Support Services: Campbells Corporate Services Limited (CCSL) holds a trust licence issued by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and provides a full suite of entity administration, regulatory and trustee services.

Trusts: Campbells has wide ranging experience in all aspects of commercial and private trusts including: trust formation and advising on the regulatory requirements and operational requirements related thereto; trust structures for the purposes of taking security or securitisation; pension trusts; STAR trusts; fixed interest and discretionary trusts; reversed power trusts; removal of trustees; recertification of trusts and the establishment of private trust companies.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
Corporate Alan Craig acraig@campbellslegal.com +1 345 914 5864
Litigation, Insolvency & Restructuring Guy Manning gmanning@campbellslegal.com +1 345 914 5868

Staff Figures

Number of partners : 15
Number of fee earners : 27

Languages

Afrikaans
Cantonese
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Mandarin
Spanish

Memberships

Meritas
World Law Group (WLG)