Walkers > Dubai, United Arab Emirates > Firm Profile

Walkers
5TH FLOOR, THE EXCHANGE BUILDING
DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE, PO BOX 506513
DUBAI
United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates > Offshore Tier 1

Walkers is well placed to advise clients on BVI, Cayman Island, Jersey, and Bermuda law. Daniel Wood oversees the practice, which includes banking and finance head Ciaran Bohnacker and Johanna Hendry, who are ‘outstanding’. The ‘knowledgeable’ Tom Cochrane heads the investment funds and corporate group. Cate Barbour has ‘stellar knowledge of cross- border litigation.’ Luke Petith is the key name for insolvency, dispute resolution and restructuring. Nicholas Davies left the firm in 2024.

Practice head(s):

Daniel Wood; Ciaran Bohnacke; Tom Cochrane; Luke Petith

Other key lawyers:

Johanna Hendry; Cate Barbour; Bryan O’Donnell

Testimonials

‘Walkers stands out for its bench strength and knowledge of the market.’

‘The Walkers team in Dubai is comprised of talented lawyers. Very responsive and commercial.’

‘The team were very receptive, warm, and patient in understanding the issue at hand.’

‘The Dubai litigation team is highly regarded, excelling in all aspects of dispute resolution and cross-border disputes.’

‘Ciaran Bohnacker and Johanna Hendry are both outstanding and easy to deal with.’

‘Tom Cochrane is calm and knowledgeable. He always finds pragmatic solutions to problems.’

‘Cate Barbour is an excellent strategist and super responsive. She has stellar knowledge of cross-border litigation.’

‘Cate Barbour is an exceptional lawyer with an incredible work ethic.’

Key clients

GFH Financial Group

International Airfinance Corporation

HSBC

Gulf Capital

SHUAA Capital psc

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

Emirates NBD

Emirates Airlines

Kitopi

Sidra Capital

Work highlights

  • Represented MBFX, a forex and financial derivatives provider, in ongoing disputes with Von Der Heydt S.A.
  • Acted as legal counsel to Kitopi on its US$415 million Series C funding round.  

British Virgin Islands > Dispute resolution

Walkers BVI is the preferred destination for a diverse clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, private equity and hedge funds, and other institutional clients, fielding a ‘formidable team of lawyers’. The group excels in shareholder disputes, corporate litigation, ultra-high-value asset cases, fraud, and contentious insolvency matters, frequently appearing in Commercial Court, Court of Appeal, and Privy Council proceedings. Specialising in fraud and asset tracing claims, Oliver Clifton is ‘hugely experienced in BVI litigation, with a strong instinct for the merits and strategy’. Clifton jointly leads the group with the ‘legally and tactically brilliant’ Rosalind Nicholson, a well-known barrister and a key contact for shareholder disputes and insolvency proceedings. Murray Laing is another ‘great member of the team’ and has a ‘superb eye for detail and strategic judgment’. Other noteworthy members of the team include Iain Tucker, a ‘very experienced and efficient litigator’ with a particular focus on contentious and insolvency-related mandates in the fintech space; and Cate Barbour, who acts for Central Asian and Middle Eastern clients.

Practice head(s):

Oliver Clifton; Rosalind Nicholson

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Walkers BVI are top of their game: a boutique firm that lands prominent instructions in every big ticket piece of litigation on island, and with a formidable roster of talented lawyers.’

‘Rosalind Nicholson: she is the standout company lawyer in the BVI. Legally and tactically brilliant. A huge asset to Walkers – and a huge thorn in the side of any opposing legal team. Murray Laing: exceptionally diligent committed and kind, Murray is that rare kind of law partner who genuinely cares for the best interests of his client. Your faith in him will be repaid in spades. A class act.’

‘Oliver Clifton: hugely experienced in BVI litigation, with a strong instinct for the merits and strategy. Brilliant in cross border commercial litigation and a real heavyweight in this jurisdiction.’

‘Oliver Clifton is the real rain-maker in this team, which he leads with great energy and panache.’

‘Rosalind Nicholson has a wealth of experience which really makes her stand out above the crowd in her knowledge of the law, tactical judgment and how to manage litigation. On top of that she is a real pleasure to deal with.’

‘Walkers BVI are undoubtedly one or the major players in the BVI dispute resolution space. They are a large team with considerable combined experience and expertise.’

‘A genuine offshore heavyweight with strength across jurisdictions and populated by seriously talented people who are a joy to work with. Walkers offers a seamless service across the international dispute resolution arena. I love working with them.’

‘Iain Tucker – a clever lawyer with an eye on the detail. Able to bring a fresh perspective to a case in a way that makes his client’s position seem like the only sensible answer. A pleasure to work with.’

Key clients

Pfizer Inc.

FTX Trading Ltd. and associated debtors

HSBC

SinoJet (Beijing) Ltd

Richcourt Allweather Fund

Nokian Shina LLC

BlockFi International Ltd

Broad Idea International Limited

Multi-Bank Group, Dubai

Formal Holdings Limited

Work highlights

  • Acted as BVI counsel to Pfizer Inc. on its $11.6bn cash acquisition of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
  • Representing MBFX in ongoing disputes with Von Der Heydt S.A. MBFX as part of the Multibank Group.
  • Represented HSBC in the application to appoint Provisional Liquidators to two BVI subsidiaries of NewOcean Energy Holdings, a Bermudan company, listed on the HK Stock Exchange.

Cayman Islands > Dispute resolution

Fielding the largest insolvency and dispute resolution practice in the Cayman Islands and with offices in 10 jurisdictions, Walkers stands out in the market for the ‘consistent and impeccable quality of the teams in each location’, which routinely represents clients in complex dispute resolution including asset recovery, restructuring and insolvency matters. Spearheaded by cross-border restructuring expert Neil Lupton and specialist in corporate recovery Matthew Goucke, the team regularly handles high-profile restructurings, trust litigation and multi-jurisdictional liquidations. International commercial disputes and arbitrations specialist Nick Dunne regularly handles high-value cross-border cases before the Grand Court and the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, while Shelley White is a ‘highly persuasive advocate’ who specialises in complex multi-jurisdictional disputes. Rupert Bell’s capabilities are concentrated on high-profile and cross-border insolvency cases, as well as fraud and asset tracing matters, while Barnaby Gowrie is a key player in international contentious restructuring work. Peter Kendall is recommended for cross-border insolvency mandates, while Fiona MacAdam focuses on debt restructuring matters. Siobhan Sheridan is the key name at associate level.

Practice head(s):

Neil Lupton; Matthew Goucke

Testimonials

‘I highly recommend Walkers. With a team of seasoned partners, the firm offers unparalleled expertise, ensuring comprehensive and top-tier assistance. Their responsiveness and prompt communication showcases their dedication to client needs.’

‘The Walkers team represent the benchmark for the industry and stand toe-to-toe with others. They have an excellent partner group lead by Neil Lupton who is part of a rarefied class of practitioner and as a team go the extra distance for the client.’

‘Fantastic and detailed knowledge of Cayman Islands law and, in particular, in the person of Nick Dunne, the lead partner, experience combined with fabulous judgement. Incredibly hard-working team at every level.’

‘Walkers provides strategic commercial insights and aligns legal strategies with the ultimate objectives. This approach, combined with their commitment to tailored engagement staffing, provides personalised and effective solutions.’

‘I have worked for many years with Rupert Bell. Rupert’s exceptional combination of thorough and prompt advice makes him an invaluable asset. His deep understanding of the legal landscape, coupled with his commitment to delivering comprehensive guidance, ensures accurate and well-rounded advice. Rupert’s responsiveness is truly commendable, as he consistently provides timely advice without compromising on quality.’

‘Walkers are a dream to work with. They are responsive, highly knowledgeable, and will fight hard for the client.’

‘Nick Dunne is the man you want beside you in a war. Even in the most difficult and complex cases, he always keeps his cool and gets on with the job.’

‘A wonderfully broad team with deep experience across the full gamut of the offshore world. Focusing on their client’s needs enables the firm to offer tailor-made teams appropriate for the specifics of any matter.’

Key clients

Alvarez & Marsal (Cayman Islands) Limited

Apollo Management International LLP

Asia Cement Corporation

Credit Suisse AG

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Deutsche Bank (Luxembourg) S.A.

Herald Fund SPC

FFP (Cayman) Limited

FTI Consulting (Cayman) Ltd.

FTX Trading Ltd. and 101 affiliated debtors

Grant Thornton Specialist Services (Cayman) Limited

The LATAM Airlines group

Maso Capital Investments Limited

PwC Corporate Finance & Recovery (Cayman) Limited

R&H Restructuring (Cayman) Ltd.

Teneo (Cayman) Limited

Work highlights

  • Acted for LATAM Airlines group on its restructuring.
  • Acted as Cayman and BVI legal counsel to FTX Trading Ltd and 101 affiliated debtors.
  • Acted as Cayman Islands legal counsel to Oriente Group Limited in respect of its successful petition for the appointment of its restructuring officers.