Ilona Groark
Lawyer
Ilona Groark is a registered foreign lawyer in Hong Kong. She is also admitted as an attorney in the Cayman Islands, a legal practitioner in BVI, and a solicitor-advocate in England. She advises clients in complex, ultra-high-value cross-border disputes, typically with a Caribbean nexus, and invariably in circumstances where there are allegations of fraud or misconduct and a need to safeguard or recover assets across multiple jurisdictions.
Ms. Groark acts for and against large international corporations, institutional investors, general partners, investment managers, court-appointed officeholders, trustees and other financial professionals. She has extensive experience in obtaining time-sensitive freezing injunctions and deploying aggressive on- and offshore discovery strategies in support of domestic and foreign-proceedings.
Before joining Kobre & Kim, Ms. Groark practiced at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and Ogier, where her clients included the administrators of Nortel’s EMEA estate, the Royal Bank of Scotland and its former directors, and the Tajik State Unitary Enterprise, Tajik Aluminum Company.
Admissions
- Attorney-at-law, Cayman Islands
- Legal Practitioner, British Virgin Islands
- Solicitor, England & Wales (with Higher Rights of Audience)
- Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong
Education
- University of Cambridge (Downing College), MA, Law
- BPP Law School, Legal Practice Course, Distinction
- Regent’s University, Accredited Mediator
Clerkships
- Lord Justice Jackson, Court of Appeal of England & Wales (2009) – Judicial assistant to the Review of Civil Litigation Costs in England & Wales
- Kobre & Kim at INSOL Hong Kong 2025
- Global Restructuring Review: Kobre & Kim Wins Second Bondholder Standing Decision
- Ilona Groark Recognized as INSOL Fellow as part of INSOL International’s 2023-2024 Fellowship Class
- Chambers Global 2024 Recognizes Kobre & Kim and Multiple Global Lawyers
- Jalil Asif KC, Peter Tyers-Smith and Ilona Groark Pen ICLG Chapter on Enforcing Foreign Judgments in Cayman
- Chambers Global 2023 Recognizes Kobre & Kim and Multiple Global Lawyers
- Kobre & Kim, Peter Tyers-Smith Earns Recognitions in The Legal 500’s “Cayman Islands: Dispute Resolution”
- Jalil Asif KC, Peter Tyers-Smith and Ilona Groark Pen ICLG Chapter on Enforcing Foreign Judgments in Cayman
- British entrepreneur Harvey Boulter exonerated after UK liquidators’ allegations of fraud are rejected in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands
- Kobre & Kim Co-Sponsors 2021 Inclusion Cayman All-Inclusive Breakfast Fundraiser
- Kobre & Kim Cayman Lawyers Elected to RISA Leadership Posts
- Bringing a Global Perspective to Challenge Offshore Awards Successfully
- New York Glory Health Decision Makes Enforcement of Bonds Issued by Cayman and BVI Companies Much Easier
- Chinese Infrastructure Investors Can Effectively Challenge Sovereign Debtors
- Gaining Leverage in Brazilian Insolvencies: Local and Cross-Border Tools for International Creditors
- The BVI Creates New Opportunities for Offshore Bondholders to Bring Unilateral Claims
- Kobre & Kim Strengthens its Commitment in Greater China
- Kobre & Kim Helps PRC Clients Enforce US $171M Award in BVI
- Pathways for Global Bondholders to Effectively Oppose Unjust UK Restructuring Plans
- Leveraging Cross-Border and Offshore Tools in Brazilian Insolvencies
- How U.S. Litigants Can Seek Information Disclosure in Key English Common Law Jurisdictions
- US Dollar Noteholders Can Fast-Track a Favorable Recovery Against Brazilian and Latin American Note Issuers
Professional & Community Involvement
- Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, Member
- INSOL International, Member
- Restructuring and Insolvency Specialists Association (RISA), the Cayman Islands Chapter of INSOL, Membership & Communications Committee, Member
- International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, Member
- 100 Women in Finance, Member
Credentials
Admissions
- Attorney-at-law, Cayman Islands
- Legal Practitioner, British Virgin Islands
- Solicitor, England & Wales (with Higher Rights of Audience)
- Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong
Education
- University of Cambridge (Downing College), MA, Law
- BPP Law School, Legal Practice Course, Distinction
- Regent’s University, Accredited Mediator
Clerkships
- Lord Justice Jackson, Court of Appeal of England & Wales (2009) – Judicial assistant to the Review of Civil Litigation Costs in England & Wales
News
- Kobre & Kim at INSOL Hong Kong 2025
- Global Restructuring Review: Kobre & Kim Wins Second Bondholder Standing Decision
- Ilona Groark Recognized as INSOL Fellow as part of INSOL International’s 2023-2024 Fellowship Class
- Chambers Global 2024 Recognizes Kobre & Kim and Multiple Global Lawyers
- Jalil Asif KC, Peter Tyers-Smith and Ilona Groark Pen ICLG Chapter on Enforcing Foreign Judgments in Cayman
- Chambers Global 2023 Recognizes Kobre & Kim and Multiple Global Lawyers
- Kobre & Kim, Peter Tyers-Smith Earns Recognitions in The Legal 500’s “Cayman Islands: Dispute Resolution”
- Jalil Asif KC, Peter Tyers-Smith and Ilona Groark Pen ICLG Chapter on Enforcing Foreign Judgments in Cayman
- British entrepreneur Harvey Boulter exonerated after UK liquidators’ allegations of fraud are rejected in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands
- Kobre & Kim Co-Sponsors 2021 Inclusion Cayman All-Inclusive Breakfast Fundraiser
- Kobre & Kim Cayman Lawyers Elected to RISA Leadership Posts
- Bringing a Global Perspective to Challenge Offshore Awards Successfully
- New York Glory Health Decision Makes Enforcement of Bonds Issued by Cayman and BVI Companies Much Easier
- Chinese Infrastructure Investors Can Effectively Challenge Sovereign Debtors
- Gaining Leverage in Brazilian Insolvencies: Local and Cross-Border Tools for International Creditors
- The BVI Creates New Opportunities for Offshore Bondholders to Bring Unilateral Claims
- Kobre & Kim Strengthens its Commitment in Greater China
- Kobre & Kim Helps PRC Clients Enforce US $171M Award in BVI
- Pathways for Global Bondholders to Effectively Oppose Unjust UK Restructuring Plans
- Leveraging Cross-Border and Offshore Tools in Brazilian Insolvencies
- How U.S. Litigants Can Seek Information Disclosure in Key English Common Law Jurisdictions
- US Dollar Noteholders Can Fast-Track a Favorable Recovery Against Brazilian and Latin American Note Issuers
Professional & Community Involvement
- Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, Member
- INSOL International, Member
- Restructuring and Insolvency Specialists Association (RISA), the Cayman Islands Chapter of INSOL, Membership & Communications Committee, Member
- International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, Member
- 100 Women in Finance, Member
"Known for her expertise in fraud and asset tracing work and joint venture disputes, Ilona Groark is also recommended."
Ilona is "stand out," "exceptionally clever and thorough" and "a class act."
-- The Legal 500