
Dual-qualified as an English barrister and U.S. lawyer, Robin Rathmell represents high-net-worth individuals and institutions in international litigation involving allegations of fraud, money laundering and other forms of misconduct. Mr. Rathmell has particular experience in formulating offensive and defensive global litigation strategies for international private clients, including in relation to civil and criminal asset forfeiture, trusts, commercial and insolvency litigation, INTERPOL, and international sanctions regimes. He also has extensive experience handling the parallel reputation management and crisis communications issues arising from these engagements.
All of his engagements have an international element and, given the complex nature of the assets and fact patterns involved, usually span several jurisdictions, legal systems and asset-holding structures. In recent engagements, Mr. Rathmell has acted as counsel in cases involving all of the world’s key offshore financial centers, as well as Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. As a result, in addition to his regular interface with U.S. regulatory and intelligence agencies, Mr. Rathmell also has extensive experience coordinating legal strategies in matters involving action brought by non-U.S. authorities located around the world. Mr. Rathmell’s work interfacing with government agencies in multiple jurisdictions has led to him being noted in Chambers & Partners as “very bright and very knowledgeable on international issues,” and in the Legal 500 as “a cutting-edge expert at cross-border investigations.”
Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of his practice, Mr. Rathmell is recognized in numerous publications for multiple areas of practice, including for white-collar and commercial litigation in the Legal 500, for financial crime defense of high-net-worth individuals by Chambers & Partners where a client notes his “unwavering commitment to client service... the best communication and service of any lawyer I have ever dealt with,” and as a Prominent Barrister in contentious trust matters and regulatory work by Citywealth, where he is described as, “the go-to lawyer for complex international litigation concerning high net worth individuals and trusts” and “a star in his field.” Mr. Rathmell has also been named as one of Legal Week’s Private Client Global Elite lawyers, reflecting his position as one of the leading private client and trust and estates litigators in the world, and is also a recommended practitioner in Who’s Who Legal’s Business Crime Defence – Corporates.
Before joining Kobre & Kim, Mr. Rathmell practiced as a barrister at Serle Court in London. At Serle Court, he focused on offshore trusts disputes and international commercial litigation and appeared as an advocate in 15+ trials and 100+ contested hearings. Mr. Rathmell graduated in law from Cambridge University with double first-class honors. He also has an international diploma in antimoney laundering and a professional postgraduate diploma in financial crime compliance. He is a trust and estates practitioner of STEP and a Fellow of the International Compliance Association.
Admissions
- Special Legal Consultant, District of Columbia
- Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
- Barrister, England & Wales
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
- University of Cambridge, MA, Law, double first-class honors
- ICA International Diploma, Anti Money Laundering
- ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma, Financial Crime Compliance
Accolades
- Citywealth Magazine, Top 100 Trust Litigators List 2020
- Chambers & Partners, Financial Crime: High-Net-Worth Individuals
- The Legal 500, Commercial Litigation
- The Legal 500 UK, Crime, Fraud, and Licensing: Fraud: White Collar Crime
- Citywealth Magazine, Leaders List: Private Wealth and Advisory Industry
- Legal Week Private Client Global Elite Directory for 2019, “Private Client Global Elite”
- Who’s Who Legal’s Business Crime Defence – Corporates
Select Engagements
International Private Client
Trusts & Estates Litigation
International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery
- Wealth Talk: Carrie Tendler on Looking at Litigation Risks as a Necessary Part of Asset Structure Evaluation
- Wealth Talk: Jonathan Cogan on Opportunities and Risks from Utilizing U.S. Courts in Joint Venture Disputes
- Wealth Talk: Nicholas Surmacz on Investigations and Extradition Risks Facing African HNWIs
- Wealth Talk: Jason Short on the Regulatory Crackdown in the Global Art World
- Robin Rathmell on Fighting Money Laundering in the Art Market
- Wealth Talk: Polly Wilkins on How European Private Clients Can Address Reputation Challenges in 2021
- Wealth Talk: Evelyn Sheehan on the DOJ’s “Long Reach” towards Latin America’s HNWIs
- Wealth Talk: Sean Buckley on Navigating U.S. Sanctions Risks
- Kobre & Kim Recognized as Top White-Collar Crime Defense Law Firm by Legal500 UK
- Wealth Talk: John Han on Risks and Strategies for Wealth Advisers and Clients Shifting Wealth Out of Hong Kong
- Wealth Talk: Wade Weems on U.S.-China Trade War and Risks to Chinese Individuals
- Nineteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized as Leaders by Who’s Who Legal
- Kobre & Kim, Robin Rathmell Receive Chambers Recognition for Financial Crime Involving HNWI’s
- New tools to defend against aggressive non-U.S. insolvencies
- Robin Rathmell and Nathaniel Barber Ranked on Citywealth’s Top 100 Trust Litigators List 2020
- Kobre & Kim on the U.S. TRAP Act and the (Potential) End of INTERPOL Notice Misuse in Law360
- Podcast: Robin Rathmell on the Compliance Risks for Companies that Deal with High-Net-Worth Clients
- Robin Rathmell Speaks with The New York Times on Ultra High-Net-Worth Individual Matrimonial Disputes in the time of COVID-19
- Kobre & Kim Hosts Virtual Panels on Ultra High Net Worth Litigation
- Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins on Managing High-Stakes International Private Client Litigation
- Robin Rathmell Speaks with Forbes on Digital Threats to High-Net-Worth Individuals
- Robin Rathmell on the Role of Trustees in Civil and Criminal Fraud Proceedings
- Robin Rathmell on the Legal, Commercial and Reputational Risks for UHNWI’s with Forbes
- Robin Rathmell and Sean Buckley Discuss Sanction Compliance for Foreign Companies in Levick’s eBook
- Robin Rathmell Discusses Cross-Border Asset Forfeiture at STEP Israel
- Robin Rathmell Discusses Litigation Funding Abroad at the Big Debt Recovery Conference in Moscow
- Robin Rathmell Explores Private Client Asset Forfeiture Defense at the Cambridge Forum
- Kobre & Kim Receives Top Rankings in 2019 Legal Directories
- Robin Rathmell Recognized as Leading Lawyer for High Net Worth Individuals
- Fraud Victims Pursuing Assets Offshore
- Jason Masimore, Robin Rathmell, and Andrew Wang On How to Strategize Against a U.S. Government Asset Forfeiture
- Transatlantic Disputes Lawyer Robin Rathmell on Meeting the Unique Needs of UHNW Private Clients
- Jason Masimore, Robin Rathmell and Brad Samuels on Strategizing Against a Surprise Seizure by the U.S. Government
- Transatlantic Legal Awards Shortlist Kobre & Kim for Transatlantic Litigation Team of the Year
- Robin Rathmell Examines Freezing Injunctions in Foreign Proceedings at the Serle Court Litigation Conference
- Robin Rathmell Discusses How Brexit Will Impact Foreign Companies with Litigation Pending in UK Courts
- Jonathan Cogan, John Couriel, and Robin Rathmell Share Techniques for Collecting Evidence in the U.S. and UK
- How Will London's Specialty Court Affect U.S. Companies? Kobre & Kim Barristers Explore the Issue
Professional & Community Involvement
- Chancery Bar Association, Member
- Commercial Bar Association, Member
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, Member
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
- New York State Bar Association, Member
- New York City Bar Association, Member
- The Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Member
- International Compliance Association, Fellow
Publications & Presentations
- Co-author, “Trapping Interpol Misuse: Inside the Proposed TRAP Act” (Law360, May 2020)
- Speaker, "Litigation is Expensive. Litigation Funding?" (CSI Group, Big Debt Recovery Conference: Moscow, April 2019)
- Speaker, "Protecting the Wealthy, their Assets and Advisors." (Cambridge Forum, February 2019)
- Speaker, How to Avoid Unnecessary Litigation - Learning from Other Peoples' Mistakes." (STEP/FFI Global Conference, January 2018)
- Speaker, "Should I Serve as a Director of Kingslanding Private Trust Company? - What Every Director Needs to Know about Corporate and Fiduciary Liability." (STEP/FFI Global Conference, January 2017)
- Speaker, “The Brexit Effect: What You Need to Know” (American Bar Association, Webinar, September 2016)
- Co-author, "Guardianship: Strategies for Minimizing Risk" (Family Office Exchange, September 2016)
- Co-author, “How Will London’s Specialist Court Affect U.S. Companies?” (Law 360, November 2015)
Credentials
Admissions
- Special Legal Consultant, District of Columbia
- Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
- Barrister, England & Wales
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
- University of Cambridge, MA, Law, double first-class honors
- ICA International Diploma, Anti Money Laundering
- ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma, Financial Crime Compliance
Accolades
- Citywealth Magazine, Top 100 Trust Litigators List 2020
- Chambers & Partners, Financial Crime: High-Net-Worth Individuals
- The Legal 500, Commercial Litigation
- The Legal 500 UK, Crime, Fraud, and Licensing: Fraud: White Collar Crime
- Citywealth Magazine, Leaders List: Private Wealth and Advisory Industry
- Legal Week Private Client Global Elite Directory for 2019, “Private Client Global Elite”
- Who’s Who Legal’s Business Crime Defence – Corporates
Engagements
International Private Client
Trusts & Estates Litigation
International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery
News
- Wealth Talk: Carrie Tendler on Looking at Litigation Risks as a Necessary Part of Asset Structure Evaluation
- Wealth Talk: Jonathan Cogan on Opportunities and Risks from Utilizing U.S. Courts in Joint Venture Disputes
- Wealth Talk: Nicholas Surmacz on Investigations and Extradition Risks Facing African HNWIs
- Wealth Talk: Jason Short on the Regulatory Crackdown in the Global Art World
- Robin Rathmell on Fighting Money Laundering in the Art Market
- Wealth Talk: Polly Wilkins on How European Private Clients Can Address Reputation Challenges in 2021
- Wealth Talk: Evelyn Sheehan on the DOJ’s “Long Reach” towards Latin America’s HNWIs
- Wealth Talk: Sean Buckley on Navigating U.S. Sanctions Risks
- Kobre & Kim Recognized as Top White-Collar Crime Defense Law Firm by Legal500 UK
- Wealth Talk: John Han on Risks and Strategies for Wealth Advisers and Clients Shifting Wealth Out of Hong Kong
- Wealth Talk: Wade Weems on U.S.-China Trade War and Risks to Chinese Individuals
- Nineteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized as Leaders by Who’s Who Legal
- Kobre & Kim, Robin Rathmell Receive Chambers Recognition for Financial Crime Involving HNWI’s
- New tools to defend against aggressive non-U.S. insolvencies
- Robin Rathmell and Nathaniel Barber Ranked on Citywealth’s Top 100 Trust Litigators List 2020
- Kobre & Kim on the U.S. TRAP Act and the (Potential) End of INTERPOL Notice Misuse in Law360
- Podcast: Robin Rathmell on the Compliance Risks for Companies that Deal with High-Net-Worth Clients
- Robin Rathmell Speaks with The New York Times on Ultra High-Net-Worth Individual Matrimonial Disputes in the time of COVID-19
- Kobre & Kim Hosts Virtual Panels on Ultra High Net Worth Litigation
- Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins on Managing High-Stakes International Private Client Litigation
- Robin Rathmell Speaks with Forbes on Digital Threats to High-Net-Worth Individuals
- Robin Rathmell on the Role of Trustees in Civil and Criminal Fraud Proceedings
- Robin Rathmell on the Legal, Commercial and Reputational Risks for UHNWI’s with Forbes
- Robin Rathmell and Sean Buckley Discuss Sanction Compliance for Foreign Companies in Levick’s eBook
- Robin Rathmell Discusses Cross-Border Asset Forfeiture at STEP Israel
- Robin Rathmell Discusses Litigation Funding Abroad at the Big Debt Recovery Conference in Moscow
- Robin Rathmell Explores Private Client Asset Forfeiture Defense at the Cambridge Forum
- Kobre & Kim Receives Top Rankings in 2019 Legal Directories
- Robin Rathmell Recognized as Leading Lawyer for High Net Worth Individuals
- Fraud Victims Pursuing Assets Offshore
- Jason Masimore, Robin Rathmell, and Andrew Wang On How to Strategize Against a U.S. Government Asset Forfeiture
- Transatlantic Disputes Lawyer Robin Rathmell on Meeting the Unique Needs of UHNW Private Clients
- Jason Masimore, Robin Rathmell and Brad Samuels on Strategizing Against a Surprise Seizure by the U.S. Government
- Transatlantic Legal Awards Shortlist Kobre & Kim for Transatlantic Litigation Team of the Year
- Robin Rathmell Examines Freezing Injunctions in Foreign Proceedings at the Serle Court Litigation Conference
- Robin Rathmell Discusses How Brexit Will Impact Foreign Companies with Litigation Pending in UK Courts
- Jonathan Cogan, John Couriel, and Robin Rathmell Share Techniques for Collecting Evidence in the U.S. and UK
- How Will London's Specialty Court Affect U.S. Companies? Kobre & Kim Barristers Explore the Issue
Professional & Community Involvement
- Chancery Bar Association, Member
- Commercial Bar Association, Member
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, Member
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
- New York State Bar Association, Member
- New York City Bar Association, Member
- The Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Member
- International Compliance Association, Fellow
Publications & Presentations
- Co-author, “Trapping Interpol Misuse: Inside the Proposed TRAP Act” (Law360, May 2020)
- Speaker, "Litigation is Expensive. Litigation Funding?" (CSI Group, Big Debt Recovery Conference: Moscow, April 2019)
- Speaker, "Protecting the Wealthy, their Assets and Advisors." (Cambridge Forum, February 2019)
- Speaker, How to Avoid Unnecessary Litigation - Learning from Other Peoples' Mistakes." (STEP/FFI Global Conference, January 2018)
- Speaker, "Should I Serve as a Director of Kingslanding Private Trust Company? - What Every Director Needs to Know about Corporate and Fiduciary Liability." (STEP/FFI Global Conference, January 2017)
- Speaker, “The Brexit Effect: What You Need to Know” (American Bar Association, Webinar, September 2016)
- Co-author, "Guardianship: Strategies for Minimizing Risk" (Family Office Exchange, September 2016)
- Co-author, “How Will London’s Specialist Court Affect U.S. Companies?” (Law 360, November 2015)
“A superb tactician in complex multi-jurisdictional disputes that blend different areas of law from white-collar crime to commercial litigation to bankruptcy to reputation management.”
- Chambers & Partners
"Steadfast and innovative with unwavering commitment to his clients."
- Citywealth Magazine