Michael Padarin

Practice Areas

Michael's practice concentrates on the formation, operation and restructuring of offshore private investment funds, primarily private equity and venture capital funds, and their related fund sponsor vehicles. He specialises in Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and Bermuda law. Michael is highly regarded for his breadth of experience advising across the spectrum from emerging managers to the most sophisticated global institutional players.

Michael also represents early and later stage companies in a range of industries, including fintech, life sciences and technology, in relation to private financings, listings, cross-border investments and other M&A transactions. He is regularly instructed by leading international firms as specialist Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands counsel on complex corporate transactions.

Michael lived and worked in the Cayman Islands before returning to Hong Kong and has a wealth of experience dealing with inbound and outbound China deals. During his time in the Cayman Islands Michael acted for some of North America's largest private equity houses on both fund formation and downstream transactional work. He is one of the most experienced offshore private equity specialist in the Hong Kong market.

Clients and industry peers' compliment Michael as "an extremely strong and reliable funds lawyer" (Legal 500 Asia Pacific) and "has a wide range of fund-related expertise, encompassing launches as well as restructuring"(Chambers Global). Michael is also valued by his clients for his "‘pragmatic approach’ and extensive knowledge of Cayman Islands fund issue" (IFLR1000).

Michael is recognised as a leading individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific and an Up-and-Coming individual by Chambers Asia Pacific. Michael has been rated by IFLR1000 as "Highly Regarded" for Offshore Private Equity Funds and Investment Funds in Hong Kong since 2022. He was also included on the 'A-List' by China Business Law Journal, as one of 100 foreign firm lawyers operating within China's legal industry for 2021 and 2022.

Career

Prior to joining Carey Olsen, Michael was a partner in the global investment funds group of another offshore firm based in the Cayman Islands for seven years, having previously spent over four years in its Hong Kong office.

Michael was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2002, a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2012, a solicitor of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of the British Virgin Islands in 2012, as an attorney-at-law in the Cayman Islands in 2012 and is enrolled as a registered associate in Bermuda.