Offshore law firm Carey Olsen continues to expand its global litigation offering with the launch of its British Virgin Islands (BVI) litigation and insolvency practice.

The firm established its BVI office in 2013 with an initial focus on international commercial transactions, investment funds and offshore structures.

The firm’s new litigation practice will be under the leadership of experienced BVI solicitor advocate Ben Mays who joins the firm as partner and head of BVI litigation.

Mr Mays said: “Carey Olsen is a well-recognised and respected firm which has already demonstrated its commitment to the BVI market. Developing its BVI litigation practice is an exciting opportunity to build on the firm’s excellent reputation.”

Mr Mays has extensive commercial litigation experience with a particular focus on complex contentious and non-contentious cross-border insolvency.

An Oxford University graduate he has worked offshore since 2003 in both the Cayman Islands and the BVI. He was admitted to practise in the BVI in 2004.

The BVI practice is supported by partners, Andreas Kistler and Marcus Pallot, and of counsel, Jeremy Garrood, who are also admitted to practise in the BVI and are based in the firm’s Jersey office. Mr Mays’ appointment brings the total number of partners across the firm’s global litigation practice to 13.

BVI managing partner, Clinton Hempel, said: “The launch of our BVI litigation and insolvency arm is an important development both for our clients and the firm as we grow the practice internationally.

“Ben has an excellent track record and a reputation for his knowledge and thoroughness. His appointment allows us to provide our BVI and international clients with a very strong capability, supported by a well-regarded global team of offshore litigation specialists.”

Profile of Ben Mays
Ben is a partner and is head of Carey Olsen’s British Virgin Islands (BVI) Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group. His experience includes all aspects of international commercial litigation with a particular specialism in cross-border corporate insolvency.

Ben’s practice covers corporate and commercial disputes and related advisory work including shareholder disputes, fraud and asset-tracing, corporate investigations, professional negligence, contractual claims and regulatory advice. He advises on insolvent and solvent liquidations and represents liquidators, shareholders, creditors, debtors and directors. He also has significant expertise in company and debt restructurings and in the enforcement of security.

His recent representative work includes acting for a variety of clients on many of the most significant recent insolvency matters in the BVI: acting for investors and professional service providers in the Fairfield and Kingate funds, representing the liquidators in the Titan Petrochemicals liquidation and advising the liquidators in the Suntech insolvency. Ben has also provided advisory services in numerous shareholder disputes including unfair prejudice claims, alleged breaches of shareholder agreements, rectification actions, minority squeeze-outs and just and equitable winding up applications as well as in fraud and conspiracy claims and regulatory, anti-corruption and money-laundering.

Ben is an experienced and successful advocate who regularly appears in court. He frequently appears on heavyweight interlocutory applications as sole advocate. Recent illustrative examples include his role in successfully opposing the grant of a Norwich Pharmacal application, successful applications for interim freezing and injunctive relief, obtaining a contempt of court order against the plaintiff in an unfair prejudice claim, contested disclosure, strike-out and summary judgment applications, a successful high value and complex cross-border liquidator fee approval which was contested by a major creditor and a variety of directions applications on behalf of liquidators and receivers. Ben also regularly appears as junior to silks from the London bar, including in three trials within the last four years.

Ben’s clients include investment and retail banks, private and listed companies, hedge funds, the major accountancy firms, financial services organizations and high net worth individuals. The strength of his profile in the legal sector sees him regularly instructed by international law firms.
Career

Ben qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1999 and subsequently as a solicitor advocate (not currently practicing in England and Wales). He began his career at Travers Smith in London and was then admitted to practice in the BVI and the Cayman Islands in 2004 when he moved to Maples and Calder.

Ben joined Carey Olsen as a partner in February 2015.

Ben’s experience also includes six months in Cambodia where he acted as pro bono International Legal Consultant to Legal Support for Children and Women, a non-profit organization providing support to and access to justice for victims of human rights abuse and trafficking.

Ben is a director of the Recovery and Insolvency Specialists Association (RISA) and a member of INSOL.

About Carey Olsen
Carey Olsen’s litigation practice in the BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey covers the full spectrum of advisory, semi-contentious and contentious work.

Carey Olsen has acted on some of the most high-profile and complex litigation matters of recent years including Tchenguiz and Weavering and was recently commended in the 2014 Financial Times Innovative Lawyers report for a ground-breaking Jersey case involving a request for information under a tax information exchange agreement (TIEA).

Issued by Sarah George Orchard PR, [email protected]. 01481 240600

Carey Olsen is a market leading offshore law firm. We deliver exceptional services to our clients from the key offshore financial centres of the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey. We also have an established presence in Cape Town and the City of London.

We are consistently the firm of choice for our clients and for advisers who refer work to our jurisdictions. Our firm offers a partner-led service. We employ 300 people and our 42 partners head up a total complement of 185 fee earners.

We provide legal services in relation to all areas of corporate and finance law, investment funds and dispute resolution as well as to private clients.

We work with an extensive range of clients including directors, global financial institutions, investment funds, private equity houses, corporations, trustees, governments and private individuals including entrepreneurs.

We also routinely work with leading legal advisers elsewhere on international transactions and cases involving our jurisdictions.

We have been awarded a number of industry accolades including Offshore Firm of the Year 2014 by the Lawyer Magazine and Offshore Law Firm of the Year at Legal 500 UK Awards. We have also been named as the only firm to gain top tier ranking by Legal 500 across all practice areas in the Channel Islands.

For further information about Carey Olsen visit www.careyolsen.com or email [email protected]