About

Provided by Harneys

We house by far the largest litigation and insolvency team in the BVI, delivering partner‑led, rapid and resource‑intensive support on complex, high‑stakes mandates. With unrivalled local knowledge and a decisive role in the jurisdiction’s landmark cases over the last decade, we offer clients a clear edge, enhanced by seamless collaboration with our Hong Kong and London teams.

We act in high‑profile, multi‑jurisdictional commercial and insolvency disputes across the full lifecycle: fraud and asset tracing, investigations and corporate crime, shareholder and director claims, banking and contractual disputes, trusts and private client litigation, arbitration and enforcement, insurance and professional negligence, administrative law and judicial review, IP and Listco disputes. Our market‑leading restructuring practice advises on schemes of arrangement (including Chapter 11‑adjacent strategies), recognition, receiverships, “light touch” provisional liquidations and cross‑border contingency planning.

Our clients include leading international accountancy firms, global and onshore law firms, financial institutions, insolvency officeholders, creditor committees, private equity sponsors, hedge funds, DIP lenders, directors, trustees, shareholders and corporate debtors.

We are offshore litigation and insolvency specialists with global reach, delivering timely, innovative and cost‑effective solutions focused on optimal resolutions, whether in court or through pragmatic settlement.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Dispute Resolution - British Virgin Islands

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Harneys maintains a strong reputation in the dispute resolution field. Its sizeable team of lawyers is regularly mandated on multimillion-dollar shareholder disputes and asset recovery matters, in addition to trust litigation and applications for injunctive relief. It also benefits from the strengths of the firm's outstanding Hong Kong litigation department, often handling cases in tandem with Harneys teams based in the Special Administrative Region.

Work Highlights

  • The BVI, Cayman and Hong Kong offices of Harneys acted for Kaisa Group Holdings on the offshore elements of its debt restructuring.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Claire Goldstein
1
Claire Goldstein
Head of Dispute Resolution
1
Band 1

Claire Goldstein co-heads the BVI litigation, insolvency and restructuring department at Harneys. She acts in a range of BVI litigation proceedings, including asset tracing, contentious trust matters and insolvency cases. Her activity also encompasses shareholder disputes and white-collar fraud work.

Claire Goldstein is a star of the BVI Bar. She is highly approachable, and also brings to the table a keen intellect as well as a strong sense of the way to run a case and the likely outcome.

Claire Goldstein is excellent; she is commercial and easy to work with.

Claire Goldstein is a very good lawyer. She has a full and clear understanding of how we like to work. Her input on tactics and strategy is also of a high standard.

Andrew Thorp
4
Andrew Thorp
4
Band 4

Andrew Thorp is a senior and respected member of the team who is well versed in liquidation, asset tracing and insolvency matters involving multiple jurisdictions.

Christopher Pease
5
Christopher Pease
Head of Dispute Resolution
5
Band 5

Christopher Pease co-heads Harneys' litigation, insolvency and restructuring team in the jurisdiction. He is highly experienced in fraud and asset recovery matters, with a growing reputation among fellow legal practitioners.

Christopher Pease is hugely impressive, commercially aware and knowledgeable.

He is a super-smart guy who is really good to deal with and does a lot of crypto work.

Ranked Lawyers at
Harneys

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

British Virgin Islands

Dispute Resolution

Claire Goldstein
1
Claire Goldstein
Head of Dispute Resolution
1
Band 1
Andrew Thorp
4
Andrew Thorp
4
Band 4
Christopher Pease
5
Christopher Pease
Head of Dispute Resolution
5
Band 5

Members

Provided by Harneys

Andre McKenzie

Aurelia Matonis

Christopher Pease

Christopher Pease

Head of Department

Claire Goldstein

Claire Goldstein

Head of Department

Faisal Saifee

Hazel-Ann Hannaway

Isobel McNaught

James Petkovic

James Wilton

Jhneil Stewart

Jonathan Addo

Kieran Forsyth

Kimberly Crabbe-Adams

Mark Wells

Michael Smith

Natasha Guthrie

Phillip Kite

Robert Maxwell Marsh

Victoria Lissack

Clients

Provided by Harneys

AlixPartners

Baker McKenzie

Barclays

Big Four accounting firms

China Aoyuan Group Limited

Credit Suisse

Deloitte

Digicel International Finance Limited (the Digicel Group)

EuroChem GroupHuawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

FTI

FTI Consulting

Gerald Metals

Grant Thornton

HSBC

Interpath

Jones Day

Kaisa Group

Krikor Kaysserlian Duarte e Forssell

Krios holdings

Kroll

QVT

Standard Chartered Bank

Teneo

Industries

Provided by Harneys

Accounting and professional services

Chemicals and industrials

Energy and natural resources (including oil and gas)

Financial institutions

Financial services and banking

Fisheries and food processing (seafood)

Investment funds

Investment management (private equity and hedge funds)

Law firms

Legal services

Private individuals

Real estate and property development

Telecommunications