FIRE International: Vilamoura

Joint founding and managing partner, Mohammed Al Dahbashi, is a prominent Emirati lawyer. Having graduated from the United Kingdom, with a Bachelors degree of Law with Honours (LLB Hons), Mohammed is of the few Emiratis that is experienced in both corporate/commercial transactions and disputes work.

Having worked for UAE firm Hadef & Partners, before setting up his own firm MAD Advocates and then co-founding ADG, Mohammed is committed to combining local UAE experience with international client care standards. Mohammed has also worked with various legal teams in the UAE that specialize on the corporate sector of legal work, and as a legal advisor at a boutique management consultancy firm in Dubai. He worked with the legal team of Mubadala Development Company PJSC, with great focus on corporate governance, aerospace and renewable energy fields. He also trained with other legal teams, including the legal team of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

A licensed advocate, Mohammed has rights of appearance before the competent courts of the UAE and has worked on a wide range of contentious matters, including commercial arbitrations, commercial litigations and criminal matters. He also has experience in corporate restructuring, preparing agreements, joint ventures, negotiating and advising clients.

With his international standards and local legal skills, Mohammed has been able to reach outstanding outcomes for his clients. He is renowned for being focused and effective, whilst remaining attentive to the needs of his clients.

Andrew Strauss was the captain of the England cricket team, and the first Director of Cricket for the national team. Among the world’s most respected players, he is one of only three England captains in history to secure Ashes victories both home and away. Under his stewardship, the national side was ranked the top Test team in the world.

After leaving behind a career in the City, Andrew scored a century on his Test debut at Lords. He went on to be rated one of the finest batsmen in the game, scoring over 7,000 runs. A resourceful and dependable opening bat, he often made valuable contributions in tricky situations and he was always recognised for his leadership and professionalism.

On the field Andrew led by example, with a mixture of grit and intelligence. Off the field he was equally popular with supporters and media, doing an enormous amount to promote the game. He retired from the pitch after his 100th Test and took to commentary work with Sky. He was then approached to become Director of Cricket after a difficult period for the team and his successor as captain, Alastair Cook.

Andrew founded the Ruth Strauss Foundation following the premature death of his wife in order to raise awareness of non-smoking related lung cancer and deliver support to the families of those suffering with the disease.

Dr. Alexander Amann LL.M. (UCLA) is a Liechtenstein lawyer licensed to practice law in Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland. He’s founder of the lawfirm AMP Amann Partners Attorneys at Law with offices in all three countries. His main areas of practice are complex damages, fraud and money laundering cases as well as investors, consumer and unfair competition class actions. He is member of the Anti Money Laundering Commission of the Liechtenstein Bar Association, is board meber of the Liechtenstein Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, Lecturer in Insolvency Criminal Law at the University of Liechtenstein and publishes regularly in his areas of expertise.

Taher is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution team in Dubai. He specialises in civil, real estate, criminal and commercial matters and primarily engages in corporate enforcement work.

Taher is a licensed advocate and holds full rights of audience to appear before all courts in the UAE.

He has a Law degree from the United Arab Emirates University with honours.

Rick is Co-Head of the Fraud and Insolvency team. Rick specialises in complex, high value cross-border fraud and insolvency matters, including those which involve claims for breach of contract, fraud and/or breach of fiduciary duties and asset tracing. He has also worked on a number of offshore trust matters in the Caribbean, Gibraltar and elsewhere. He regularly deals with and instructs investigators and offshore lawyers. Rick Brown is based in the London office and is also BVI qualified. Rick has considerable experience in acting for insolvency practitioners, mainly on contentious complex cross-border insolvency matters. He has valuable experience of interlocutory hearings and trials in the Commercial Court in the British Virgin Islands and elsewhere in the Caribbean and has significant experience acting for clients on claims involving parties from China, Russia and the Former Soviet Union, as well as the Middle East.

Janet has over 18 years of experience as a dispute practitioner, handling a wide range of issues ranging from fraud, asset recovery, enforcement of securities to land disputes. She is also an accredited adjudicator with the Asian International Arbitration Centre and an arbitrator empanelled with the Borneo International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (BICAM).

Among her notable ongoing cases are:

• acting for a multinational oil and gas company in a dispute over Malaysia’s first deep-water platform (Semi-Submersible Floating Production System) for oil extraction and production, where the award sum is in excess of USD420 million
• acting in a trespass action against the Government of Malaysia in respect of a 263-acre of prime land in Kuala Lumpur as a result of a compulsory acquisition process by the authorities in the 1950s that was declared null and invalid and where the Government of Malaysia was recently ordered by the Courts to transfer legal ownership of the 263-acre of prime land to her client
• acting for a Malaysian regulatory authority on matters relating to the infringement and breaches of capital markets and securities laws.

A graduate from the University of Sheffield, England, she was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2004, before her admission to the Malaysian Bar.

Claudia specialises in banking and finance litigation as well as disputes in the restructuring and insolvency sphere. She also handles a broad spectrum of commercial and civil litigation matters. She has appeared both as counsel and co-counsel for trials at the High Court and hearings at the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.
 
She has been described by clients as “Claudia Cheah is very well-versed in insolvency matters and provides commercial savvy and practical advice to help us strategise on how to recover debts. She is also very responsive, and provides accurate and quick turnaround for all the legal matters instructed”, “She is independent and requires minimal follow-up for the latest updates” and “She is very prompt in her service delivery and leverages on the expertise within Skrine effectively to bring optimal solutions to address client issues” (Benchmark Litigation); “Claudia Cheah – very responsive, fast-thinking, insightful and connects very well with her clients making all of them feel very comfortable. Very approachable, reliable and experienced in offering practical solutions.” , “Claudia Cheah Pek Yee will study a case from all angles and strategise the best approach (especially for combative defendants). She is very hands-on in preparation for trial and will go through all the possible scenarios with the client.” , “Claudia Cheah Pek Yee is very responsive to client needs and is generous and detailed in her advice. She is meticulous in her work and has an in-depth knowledge of banking and finance matters. Claudia has successfully argued cases on behalf of the company where the fintech law is unsettled” (Legal 500, Year 2021).

She co-heads the Firm's Banking Litigation Practice Group as well as the Restructuring & Insolvency Practice Group. She also heads the Firm’s China Desk, which is aimed at contributing to the bilateral Malaysia-China legal cooperation and participation in the legal sphere of the One-Belt-One-Road policy and Made in China 2025 strategic plan.

Jansen Chow co-heads the firm’s Fraud, Asset Recovery & Investigation practice, and covers a wide range of commercial matters with a strong emphasis on cross-border disputes.

He is a leading practitioner in cryptocurrency and digital technology, having successfully obtained Singapore’s first reported case of a worldwide Mareva injunction against “Persons Unknown” and third-party disclosure orders against cryptocurrency exchanges in CLM v CLN.  Additionally, he acted for a group of Russian cryptocurrency algorithmic traders in a US$100 million dispute relating to trade revenue and proprietary software, and advised liquidators of a cryptocurrency investment platform involving misappropriation of over $300 million of cryptocurrency assets.

Jansen also specialises in anti-corruption and regulatory investigations, having acted for one of the largest Singapore conglomerates in a highly publicised corruption scandal in Brazil.

Douglas Curran is a shareholder in Anderson Kill's New York office and is the Co-Chair of the Firm’s Financial Litigation & Complex Disputes practice group. Douglas is a trial lawyer representing clients in complex commercial litigation, with a focus on high-stakes financial and business disputes. His clients include corporations and individuals across a variety of industries, including financial services, cryptocurrency, private equity, venture capital, and emergent technology.

As trial counsel for both claimants and defendants in federal and state court, Douglas has secured noteworthy successes in cases involving bondholder disputes, investment disputes, high-level corporate governance disputes, post-closing M&A disputes, financial fraud, and trade-secret misappropriation. Among other things, he has successfully represented a consortium of bondholders with more than $1 billion in claims against an international telecom company, shareholders of an acquired technology company in a $400 million earn-out dispute, a private equity portfolio company in a $120 million trade-secret and antitrust dispute, and a consumer goods company in a trademark-infringement dispute resulting in a $56 million federal jury verdict.

Douglas also has substantial experience representing investors in cryptocurrency exchanges and ventures, digital assets, and other on-blockchain projects. He has had notable success enforcing investors’ rights under SAFT and SAFE investment agreements and in advancing cryptocurrency companies’ rights as creditors in insolvency proceedings. Among others, he represented early-stage SAFE investors with more than $90 million in claims against a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange, a venture capital SAFT investor with more than $100 million in claims against a multibillion-dollar Web3 blockchain platform, and a tech accelerator with millions in claims against a crypto/AI company under a pre-money SAFE.  Douglas also represents creditors in digital-asset insolvency proceedings, including advising a digital-asset exchange as a member of the creditors’ committee in the offshore insolvency of an $18 billion crypto-based hedge fund.

Douglas has received a number of industry awards and recognition. He was recognized by Law360 in 2023 as an under-40 Rising Star (Trials, Nationwide), named a Legal Lion of the Week by Law360 in 2023, recognized by The American Lawyer in its 2022 Litigator of the Week series, included in The Daily Journal’s Top Verdicts list in 2022, and named to New York Super Lawyers each year since 2016.

Douglas earned his J.D., cum laude, from Duke University School of Law, where he was Articles Editor of the Duke Law Journal, and his B.S.F.S., cum laude, from the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Prior to entering private practice, Douglas served as law clerk to the Honorable Susan H. Black on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Dele is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (Nigeria’s equivalent of a King’s Counsel (KC) who has been practicing law since 1985. Dele practices in the area of commercial law, both advisory and litigation, and has considerable experience in that area of work. Like Babajide, Dele has been involved in almost every complex and significant commercial work handled by SOOB. Dele has vast transactional experience in a broad range of international and domestic corporate and commercial law issues, including transactions relating to joint ventures, corporate partnerships and franchises, Oil & Gas industry transactions, and work involving government and public authorities.

Dele has extensive expertise in Alternative Dispute Resolution (Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation). To date, Dele has been involved over 50 domestic and international commercial arbitrations, either as counsel or as arbitrator. He became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) in March 1997, and a Chartered Arbitrator of the same Institute in 2004. He was the Chairman of the Nigeria Branch of the Institute between 2014 and 2017. He was a member of the Executive Council of ICC Nigeria for several years until his resignation in June 2019. 

In addition to the foregoing, Civil Fraud (Anti-Money Laundering, Commercial crime, Asset Tracing and Recovery); Banking & Finance.

Dele was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2001. Dele graduated from the University of Hull, UK where he obtained his LL. B (Hons) and then went on to obtain his master’s in law in the University of Bristol in 1984. He is a founding member of the firm. He holds several other positions locally and international in a diverse range of corporate and professional bodies.

Dr. Aboubacar FALL is the firm’s Senior Partner. He is a member of the Senegal Bar and a former member of the Paris Bar (France). He holds a PhD in International Business Law from University of Rouen –Haute Normandy (France) a Masters (LL.M) from University of Washington in Seattle (USA), a Masters in International Transportation from University of Paris 1- Pantheon-Sorbonne (France) and two Certificates in Petroleum Policy & Management from PETRAD Foundation in Stavanger (Norway).

Dr. FALL has been practicing law for over 30 years. He has worked for over 10 years as Principal Legal Counsel for the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group and has served for 3 years as Chairman of the Management Board of the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). www.alsf.org .From January 2015 to October 2018, he was a partner at Geni & Kebe law firm in Dakar. In 2015 & 2016, he was nominated as one of the 100 most influential people in Africa by the magazine Financial Afrik. In 2018, he was nominated by Financial Afrik among the 18 most active law firms’ leaders in Africa.

Dr. FALL’s areas of expertise include, among others, banking & finance, maritime & aviation, international business, trade finance, project finance, private equity and M&A , energy, mining, oil & gas, infrastructure (PPP), fraud & white collar crime, international (commercial & investment ) arbitration, & ADR. Dr. FALL is a member of several professional organizations including the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), the International Energy Law Advisory Group (IELAG), the International Bar Association (IBA), the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), the ICC FraudNet, the African Arbitration Association (AfAA), the Comité Maritime International (CMI) , the African Arbitration Association, the London Court of Arbitration (LCIA) etc. In 2017 & 2018, he was nominated in the Who’s Who Legal as Asset Recovery Expert. Dr. FALL holds several teaching positions in Senegal and abroad including the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR)in Geneva as well as the Institut Supérieur de Droit de Dakar (ISDD) and the Institut des Métiers du Droit (IMD). He is currently the Program Director of the Center for International Law Practice (ACILP) www.acilp.org and has been appointed in 2019 as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Lawyers for Africa (ILFA) Program . www.ilfa.africa

Karen Fellowes, K.C. is a Senior Counsel at Stikeman Elliott LLP and is the Western Canadian Leader for their national Restructuring & Insolvency Group. Her practice is based in Calgary and Vancouver.   She specializes in protecting the interests of stakeholders including creditors, debtors, Trustees, Monitors, Receivers in commercial re-organizations, workouts, restructurings and proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.  

Karen is the President and Chair of Pro Bono Law Alberta, a provincial organization which runs free legal advice and duty counsel clinics at Courthouses in Calgary and Edmonton.  In 2024, Karen will serve as Global Chair of the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC).  IWIRC is dedicated to the promotion and advancement of women in the insolvency profession and has over 2300 members in 57 networks worldwide.  In addition, Karen is part of a delegation to Working Group V of UNCITRAL, and attended the recent sessions relating to asset tracing and choice of law in Vienna and New York.   She also sits on the Board of the Advocates Society’s Insolvency Litigation practice group.

Karen was honoured with a King’s Counsel (K.C.) designation in 2020.

Howard Fischer has extensive experience in trying complex financial disputes. 

As a former Senior Trial Counsel at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), he was entrusted with some of the most sophisticated and noteworthy cases that the federal government prosecuted in the last decade. During his nine year tenure at the SEC, he earned multiple awards for exemplary service and served as first chair for numerous trials. This included acting as lead counsel in the litigation against Wing Chau and Harding Advisory LLC - relating to CDO asset selection in the run-up to the financial crisis - resulting in a major conviction against one of the characters lampooned in the film “The Big Short.”  Howard was also the lead trial counsel in the prosecution of Kareem Serageldin, another figure referenced in “The Big Short”, involving the mismarking of certain mortgage-backed assets, by Credit Suisse, in the wake of the financial crisis.

Howard also led the SEC litigation involving the infamous London Whale, arising from JPMorgan Chase traders incurring multi-billion dollar losses in its credit derivatives book.  This case involved many years of discovery on several continents, including several multi-week depositions.

Geraldo Fonseca is a Brazilian lawyer expert in credit recovery and insolvency, where he represents creditors and investors, turning challenges into opportunities. He is a founding partner of FVA | Fonseca Vannucci Abreu.

Geraldo holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Law (LL.M.) and is also a Professor of Law. He is the author of several books that serve as key references for the study of insolvency regulation in Brazil.

Sushmita has nearly 18 years of experience advising clients on a variety of commercial disputes across sectors, including Banking & Finance, Insolvency & Restructuring, and arbitrations, particularly in the areas of construction, projects and infrastructure, and investments. She has advised lenders, borrowers, advisors, and other intermediaries in complex local and cross-border financing transactions across major debt financing disciplines. Sushmita has handled several domestic and international arbitrations, representing clients in institutional arbitrations in India and abroad and has advised on corporate and commercial disputes, appearing before a variety of courts and tribunals. Sushmita has acted both as, briefing counsel and lead advocate in several domestic arbitrations and arbitrations administered by SIAC, ICC, LCIA, DIAC with seats in India, Singapore, Dubai and London.

In particular, she has a wealth of experience in handling proceedings against some of the biggest debt defaulters in India; in domestic and cross border insolvency litigation and advisory work relating to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and asset recovery work for domestic and foreign clients.

Sushmita is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK and empaneled as an arbitrator with several institutional arbitration centres including SIAC, AIAC, THAC.

Her rankings and recognitions include:

1. Recognized as Super 50 lawyers in India by ALB, 2024 edition
2. Recognized a Litigation Star by for Commercial and Transactions by Benchmark Litigation (Asia Pacific 2024)
3. Recognized as one of India’s Future Legal Leaders 2024 by India Business Law Journal
4. Recognized as a Recommended Lawyer for Banking and Finance, Dispute Resolution (Litigation and Arbitration), Insolvency and Restructuring and White-Collar Crimes by Legal500 Asia Pacific (2023 & 2024 edition)
5. Ranked by Chambers & Partners Global Guide and APAC Guide 2023 & 2024 in the field of Dispute Resolution
6. Ranked as Leading Lawyer - Rising Star Partner for Restructuring and Insolvency by IFLR1000, 2022-23 and 2023-24
7. Winner in the category of Commercial Arbitration Lawyer of the Year by Women in Business Law Awards (2022-APAC)
8. Ranked as Rising Star for Dispute Resolution and Restructuring and Insolvency by Asia Law-APAC 2023 and 2024
9. Recognized as a Recommended Lawyer for Dispute Resolution, Insolvency and Bankruptcy and White-Collar Crimes by Legal500 Asia Pacific (2022 edition)
10. Recognized as “Future Star” for Commercial and Transactions by Benchmark Litigation (Asia Pacific 2022 and 2023)
11. Recognized as one of the top individual lawyers in the field of Arbitration, Litigation and Insolvency and Bankruptcy by Forbes-Legiquest Legal Powerlist 2020 and 2021
12. Noted as a “Recommended Lawyer” in the 2019 list by RSG

Caroline has substantial experience in complex, high profile and multi-jurisdictional disputes, and white collar crime investigations.

Caroline successfully defended John Mason in the recent high profile case of SFO v GPT, Cook & Mason, in which we defeated allegations of international bribery and corruption following a 10 year investigation and prosecution. She has also defended corporate clients in the $9 billion AHAB / SAAD fraud litigation in which she was granted limited admission to the Cayman bar and which featured the Cayman Islands’ longest ever fraud trial. She also successfully defended Guy Colegate, a former employee of a Shell subsidiary from high-profile allegations of bribery and corruption in Nigeria before the Milan Court of Appeal

I am a Partner in the Litigation team in our Cayman Islands office.  I have practised with the firm in the Cayman Islands since the beginning of 2008.

Over the last 15 years I have acted in many of the largest and most complex cases to be litigated in the Cayman Islands. I act for the Algosaibi family in their on-going claims against Maan Al Sanea and his companies, successfully obtaining a US$2.5 billion judgment against Mr Al Sanea and settling certain claims. I also act for the liquidators of the Madoff impacted Primeo fund, in successfully resolving litigation against the Trustee in New York and the Cayman Islands, the investment manager, the Herald feeder fund – where the Privy Council has found in favour of Primeo on both the creditor and shareholder distribution issues – and in the litigation against the administrator and custodian.

I have acted in a number of precedent setting fund liquidations (including Lancelot, Belmont and Heriot), large fraud cases (including Madoff, Dynamic Decisions, Fletcher and Alpha Re) and high profile restructurings (including Arcapita, CEVA, Eircom, Ocean Rig and Tailored Brands). I am regularly instructed to make urgent applications to obtain interim relief and/or to appoint provisional liquidators/receivers.

Ericka F. Johnson is the chair of the restructuring and reorganization practice at Bayard.  She advises companies and creditors to maximize the value of assets/recoveries whether it is through an in-court or out-of-court financial restructuring or dissolution.  Ericka also helps buyers navigate the purchase of distressed assets and directors and officers in understanding fiduciary duties in an insolvency setting.  She is a top advocate with a diverse practice spanning a wide range of industries.  Ericka has represented debtors in large and small chapter 11 and chapter 7 cases both inside and outside Delaware.  She regularly litigates contested matters including involuntary bankruptcies, motions for the appointment of Chapter 11 trustees, claim objections, plan confirmation objections, and dismissal/conversion motions as well as bankruptcy adversary matters, including preference, fraudulent transfer, turnover, and breaches of contract and fiduciary duty actions.   

Yves Klein’s main activity is litigating and coordinating transnational asset recovery proceedings on behalf of victims of economic crimes or parties seeking to enforce their claims against assets concealed in Switzerland or abroad. He develops strategies for the international search and recovery of assets, coordinates cross-border proceedings and represents his clients, including individuals, companies, foreign governments, and liquidators of foreign insolvencies, before civil, criminal and bankruptcy courts, in order to recover crime proceeds and obtain damages, notably from facilitators (banks, financial companies, fiduciaries, etc.).

Kwan Will Sen is one of the three founding partners of Lim Chee Wee Partnership. He is a litigator of more than 10 years standing, with more than 25 cases reported in law journals, covering various areas of law.

His practice focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration, fraud, asset recovery, competition law and aviation disputes.

He has been entrusted with high-value briefs, having among others, acted for a subsidiary of MISC Berhad, namely Gumusut-Kakap Semi-Floating Production System Labuan Limited, against a subsidiary of the Shell Group, in an arbitration involving a RM2.5 billion ringgit oil and gas dispute. Other high-value briefs include acting for Top Glove Corporation in a dispute of more than RM700 million and Ann Joo Steel Berhad in a land dispute with damages to be assessed of more than RM176 million.

In the area of fraud and asset recovery, Will Sen acts as lead counsel in a matter relating to fraudulent trading totalling RM40 million. He is also one of the lead partners in a fraud case involving a subsidiary of the Toyota Group, totalling RM179 million.

Kwan Will Sen has an extensive portfolio on regulatory enforcement work. This includes acting for the stock exchange, Bursa Malaysia, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) and the Securities Commission Malaysia. Of particular note is the representation of the Securities Commission Malaysia in an ongoing civil action relating to the claim of around RM170 million, with regard to prohibited conduct of using manipulative and deceptive devices to allegedly defraud a public listed company.

Kwan Will Sen has a niche practice relating to occupational safety and health, environmental law, and other quasi-criminal related work as well. He defends companies and/or directors and other officers in criminal prosecutions and acting on claims for or defences against civil suits involving occupational safety and health claims.

Sheila is the Deputy Head of the Restructuring & Insolvency practice at Rajah & Tann Singapore. She has been at the forefront of recent major restructurings and insolvencies, including Vauld, Eagle Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust, BSI Bank Singapore, Dynamic Oil Trading (part of the O.W. Bunker Group), MF Global Singapore, various Lehman Brothers Singapore entities, and Ocean Tankers. She also has experience acting for debtors or financial institution creditors in corporate restructuring exercises, and had successfully represented a listed debtor company in obtaining an order granting super priority in the form of security over unencumbered assets, which is a first under Singapore’s rescue financing regime introduced in 2017.

Sheila has also advised and represented various international entities in the investigation and prosecution of cross-border claims involving commercial fraud and breaches of fiduciary duties, and the recovery of assets globally. She has also acted for major international banks and brokerages in investigations into regulatory, risk and compliance issues related to matters such as market manipulation, fixing of benchmark rates, layering and spoofing, and insider trading.

Sheila recently earned the title of “Young Lawyer of the Year” at the ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2024 and her outstanding capabilities in insolvency practice have led to her being recommended in Who’s Who Legal: Restructuring 2024. She is also named a “Future Leader” by Who’s Who Legal: Investigations 2024 and recognised by Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific 2024. She has also been identified as one of the rising stars in INSOL’s Young Practitioner Spotlight 2022.

Additionally, Sheila was featured in the Global Investigations Review (GIR) 40 Under 40 2020 – a list of 40 accomplished young investigations specialists from all over the world, and identified as one of a hundred female investigations specialists in Global Investigations Review’s Women in Investigations 2018.

Marlyn Narkis Assis joined the firm in 2006 when she obtained her certificate of competence, becoming associate in 2012. During her practice at MDU Legal, she gained valuable experience as corporate lawyer, specializing in corporate law, commercial law, real estate, trademark law, migration, health law and public procurement.

Her practice focuses on legal counsel and on supporting local and international companies in all the stages of the business, including the preparation of corporate documents and other issues related to the daily legal needs of the companies such as negotiating contracts, obtaining permits, licenses, or other administrative proceedings with the Panamanian authorities. She assists clients with the legal aspects of real estate and development transactions. She also acts as lawyer in a banking institution, by supervising their proceedings of due diligence.

She has represented our clients in legal affairs related to the Public Procurement Sector, including the preparation of public offers, legal assistance during the bidding procedures, claiming and defending the interests of the clients before the corresponding instances, legal support in the review and governmental contract negotiations, counsel in the writing and review of construction contracts and legal support during the development of projects, including her relationship with contractors and public institutions. Marlyn is the current treasurer of the Latin-American Chapter of the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (“IWIRC”) and was acknowledged as a leading attorney in transactions law by Chambers Global and Chambers Latin America.

Paulo has extensive experience in complex judicial and arbitration litigation, representing Brazilian and multinational clients in a substantial number of cases involving construction; energy; distribution; (re)insurance; sports transactions; M&A and corporate; commercial contracts in general; and business insolvency. Paulo also acts as an arbitrator in disputes related to these matters.

Nasser has solid international experience, acquired through studies at foreign universities and professional secondments in well-regarded firms in the United States, England and Spain.

This allows him to combine technical depth, practical business approach and multiculturalism, successfully working alongside clients and co-counsels from different cultures and legal systems.

Mercy Okiro, an Advocate of Kenya, brings over a decade of post-admission experience to her practice. She is an Accredited Tutor, Assessor and Accredited Mediator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (London) and the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA). As an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Kenya School of Law and Strathmore University, she further demonstrates her commitment to legal education. Mercy's academic background includes a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Laws degree in International Commercial and Investment Arbitration from Queen Mary University of London. She holds professional certifications in corporate governance, trade law and policy, ESG governance, legal audits, arbitration, mediation and sports dispute resolution. Her ongoing pursuit of certifications in FIDIC contracts management and Construction Adjudication underscores her dedication to staying at the forefront of her field.

Mercy is on the panel of Neutrals of various institutions locally and regionally. She is also listed on the panel of lawyers of the Sports Disputes Tribunal in Kenya and the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland. She also sat on the Cricket Normalization Committee and has recently been elected to serve in the Court Users Committee of the Sports Dispute Tribunal in Kenya. She is the current Convenor of the Law Society of Kenya Sports Disputes Tribunal Bar-bench Committee.

Mercy is a former Vice Chairperson of the KEPSA Gender Sector Board and current Acting Chair of the board of the National Construction Authority. She sits on the Council of the Association of Young Arbitrators, is an Advisory Board member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (Young Arbitrators Network) and sits on the ADR Committee of East Africa Law Society. She also serves as an Ambassador for the Alliance for Equality in Dispute Resolution, Arbitrator Intelligence and Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers(REAL). She is part of the Equality for Representation Steering Committee in Arbitration, Africa. Mercy is also the Joint Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Africa Asia Mediation Association and a Fellow of the World Mediation Organization. She sits on the Sports, Arts, Culture and Heritage Board of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, the Kenya Bureau of Standards National Technical Committees and the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture Working Groups, amongst other local and international boards. She was the first Kenyan ICC YAAF Representative for Africa, on the Steering Committee of the Young Members Group of CIArb London, and the founding Chair of the Young Members Group of CIArb Kenya. She also sits on the Ministry of Lands Physical and Land Use Planning Committee. Mercy has sat on other boards and served in various leadership positions.

Outside of her professional achievements, Mercy is a well-rounded individual with a range of personal interests. She was feted in 2019 as the “The Young African Arbitration Practitioner of the year 2019”, was listed as one of Africa’s Most Promising Young Arbitrators 2020, 2021 and 2022 by the Association of Young Arbitrators, named as 2nd runner ADR Practitioner of the Year in 2021 by the Law Society of Kenya, Nairobi Branch. She was awarded the Jury’s Award in 2023 for her work in ADR by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Kenya and was 1st Runners in the Category ‘Woman on Board in the 2023 Women on Boards Awards. She has been feted for her contributions to gender equality, leadership and alternative dispute resolution by various international and local organizations. Mercy is a member of the Rotary Club of Kilimani and has recently taken up golf as a hobby, having previously been a volleyball and football player for leisure. Her diverse interests and achievements, from sports to community service, make her a relatable and inspiring figure in the legal community.

Aziz Rahman is founder and managing partner at Rahman Ravelli, a market-leading commercial litigation, financial crime and cross-border investigations practice.

He advises corporates and senior business and world figures on heavyweight cross-border commercial disputes, high-value asset recovery proceedings, and top-level international arbitration cases involving corporate wrongdoing.

Aziz has gained a reputation as a solicitor who identifies emerging international issues as soon as they arise; playing a significant role in many cases relating to matters such as Ponzi fraud, Libor, Forex, Cum-Ex, sanctions and cryptocurrency.

Known for his expertise in serious and corporate fraud, complex crime, sanctions, bribery and corruption and compliance and regulatory matters,  his workload includes the most notable global corruption investigations, high-value cross-border frauds and major sanctions proceedings.

As a pioneer in civil recovery cases brought under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act, his experience has helped shape the law. He was the first to take such a case to the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights to protect clients’ assets.

National and international legal guides consistently rank Aziz among the elite in his field. The Legal 500 has called him a “real genius”, “a Rolls-Royce performer’’ and “a powerhouse figure’’. The Chambers UK Guide has said he is “a brilliant lawyer…phenomenally committed to his clients”.

Aziz hosts Rahman Ravelli’s annual corporate crime conference and provides expert analysis chapters for legal guide books on business crime, corporate investigations and sanctions.

Emile practises in commercial litigation and arbitration, and in tax litigation. He is frequently instructed in matters involving banking and financial services, civil fraud, sanctions, international law, and general commercial disputes. Much of his work involves offshore structures, and in particular offshore trusts.

He also maintains a significant advisory practice in these areas, and has extensive experience in advising on sanctions, private client tax, and financial services regulation.

Emile also practises in public law and human rights, and has been appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel. His public law work often overlaps with his other areas of practice, such as international law, sanctions, and financial services regulation.

He accepts instructions in professional negligence matters, in particular those involving tax or corporate structuring issues.

Emile was shortlisted by Legal 500 as “International Law Junior of the Year 2024”; and he is ranked by Legal 500 as a “Rising Star – Personal Tax”.

Morgan’s practice focuses on corporate bankruptcy and creditor’s rights in complex chapter 11 proceedings. Morgan primarily practices in the bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware. She has broad experience representing debtors, creditors’ committees, lenders, bondholders, secured and unsecured creditors, liquidation trustees, landlords, asset-purchasers, and other interested entities in various bankruptcy reorganization and liquidation proceedings.

Her bankruptcy work includes all matters of litigation and transactions, including involuntary petitions, avoidance actions, relief-from-stay proceedings, trustee motions, sale and purchase of assets, executory contracts and lease issues, post-petition financing, disclosure statements, plan confirmation, and representing liquidating trustees and plan administrators in the wind-down of estates. Morgan also has expertise with cross-border insolvency proceedings, specifically with respect to the consummation of large cross-border asset sales.

James is head of the firm’s fraud practice. He specialises in asset tracing and enforcement and the management of complex, international disputes in state courts and arbitration. As well as running disputes at all levels of the English courts, James has significant experience in managing parallel proceedings in different jurisdictions. James has over 19 years of experience acting on disputes relating to Russia, Ukraine and the CIS and has represented clients from these regions in various courts across the world, including in the Eastern Caribbean, the Channel Islands, Cyprus and Hong Kong, as well as in ICC, LCIA and VIAC arbitrations. James has significant experience of obtaining and defending interim injunctive relief in support of proceedings in England and elsewhere. James also advises on corporate and shareholder disputes (including in relation to companies incorporated overseas), bribery and corruption, sanctions, money laundering and insolvency proceedings.

Andreas, a former federal public prosecutor at Central Public Prosecutor’s Office for Combatting Economic Crime and Corruption, is a sought after dispute resolution specialist with a distinct focus on white collar crime. Before joining the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he was part of the M&A team of Wolf Theiss, Austria’s largest law firm. As he also holds a degree in business administration (Mag. rer. soc. oec.) in addition to his doctorate in law (Dr. iur.), he uniquely combines extensive knowledge of the Austrian public prosecution system with vast corporate understanding. Based on his strong background as defense counsel and his corporate expertise, Andreas has been involved as advisor and counsel in numerous high profile white collar crime matters. He regularly gives lectures on criminal law, for example at the Austrian Academy of Certified Public Accountants. Andreas is furthermore author of several articles on white collar crime. Andreas has been ranked by Chambers and Partners EMEA since 2020, 2021 and 2022 and he is ranked “leading individual” in the field of White-Collar Crime by Legal 500.

Iris is a Swiss lawyer admitted to the Zurich bar, with considerable experience in transnational litigation and bankruptcy proceedings across multiple jurisdictions, as well as in asset tracing and recovery. She is well-versed in cooperating with the Office of the Public Prosecutor to support clients in bringing civil claims before criminal courts. Iris regularly advises private clients and their families on both contentious and non-contentious matters, covering the full range of legal issues the clients face.

Iris holds a Master of Law from University of Zurich and is a member of both the Zurich Bar Association and the Swiss Bar Association.

Bakhyt worked for eight years at Kazakhstan’s largest law firm and led its Dispute Resolution Practice for over five years. Earlier, Bakhyt worked for four years at an international law firm. He represented clients in a large number of high-profile commercial disputes concerning Kazakhstan or Kazakh law. He has significant experience acting as an arbitrator in Kazakhstan's arbitration institutions. He frequently acts as an expert in cross-border litigation and arbitration proceedings.

Chambers & Partners, a prestigious international rating agency, has recognized Bakhyt in Band 1 in the Global 2024 Guide among the top commercial litigation lawyers in Kazakhstan, marking his ninth consecutive year of recognition. He is also recommended by Legal 500 and Who Is Who Legal: Arbitration 2024. Bakhyt is also been acknowledged as the sole ‘Lawyer of the Year’ at the AIFC 2024 Legal Awards among 106 registered lawyers at the AIFC Legal Services Board and more than 50 AFSA licensed law firms. 

Felipe Vieira has more than 15 years of experience in complex cases, having worked in several transnational insolvency procedures and in the elaboration and execution of a global strategy for the recovery of misappropriated and/or hidden assets through onshore/offshore structures. Felipe Vieira has a Post-Graduate in Procedural Law (IBDP), Post-Graduate in Business Law (UEL), Master of Laws (LLM) in Corporate Law (INSPER), and is a member of the Judicial Recovery and Bankruptcy Committee of the OAB/SP, guest professor at TMA – Turnaround Management Association, speaker at national and international events and author of articles in the field of international insolvency.

Maureen Ward is a leading commercial litigator and Partner at Bennett Jones with extensive experience leading high stakes fraud and asset recovery proceedings domestically and internationally.  She represents clients from multiple industries in complex domestic and international cross-border litigation, contentious disputes arising from insolvencies, enforcement of international judgments and internal investigations. Her approach is described as powerful and technically proficient, making her a trusted advisor in high-value disputes. She has appeared before all levels of Courts in Canada and frequently obtains urgent injunctions in contentious proceedings.   Maureen was ranked by Chambers & Partners in their 2023 Global Guide for Asset Tracing & Recovery.

Adrian is Head of Dispute Resolution. In this role, he has oversight of all disputes practices in the firm. Called to the bar in 2000, Adrian has been described as “thorough, smart and responsive” and he is recognised in numerous global legal publications for his experience and expertise as counsel in complex commercial cases. His practice spans a range of civil litigation area including commercial fraud, securities-related and banking claims, joint venture and shareholder disputes, succession and trust law, real property (including en-bloc sale litigation) as well as construction and projects.

Lezgin specialises in Litigation and White-Collar Crime.

He represents Swiss and International clients in asset tracing and recovery (including freezing orders, enforcement of foreign judgments, and international legal assistance). He defends clients in criminal proceedings before Swiss Federal and Cantonal authorities, including in misappropriation and fraud matters.

Lezgin has experience in recovery and tracing of cryptoassets.

He is a graduate of the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva and Humboldt Universität in Berlin.

Lezgin practices in French, English and Turkish.