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Robin Rathmell photo
Robin Rathmell
Lawyer
Washington DC
1919 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
+1 202 664 1941
London
Tower 42
25 Old Broad Street
London, EC2N 1HQ
+44 (0) 20 3301 5700
robin.rathmell@kobrekim.com
vCard Download 
Washington DC
1919 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
+1 202 664 1941
London
Tower 42
25 Old Broad Street
London, EC2N 1HQ
+44 (0) 20 3301 5700
robin.rathmell@kobrekim.com
vCard Download 

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 misconduct. Mr. Rathmell has particular experience in civil and criminal asset forfeiture defense and related trusts, commercial and insolvency litigation around the world.

Mr. Rathmell appears regularly in front of trial and appellate courts in the U.S. and England. 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 Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Bermuda, France, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Israel, the Czech Republic, Russia, Cyprus, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Malaysia, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Cook Islands and New Zealand.

Reflecting the diverse 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 where he is noted as ‘a cutting-edge expert at cross-border investigations’, for financial crime defense of high-net-worth individuals by Chambers & Partners, and as a Prominent Barrister in contentious trust matters by Citywealth.

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 anti-money 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.

SERVICES

Admissions

  • Barrister, England & Wales
  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (pro hac vice)
  • Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
  • Barrister, Gibraltar (pro hac vice)
  • Special Legal Consultant, District of Columbia

Education

  • University of Cambridge, MA, Law, double first class honors
  • ICA International Diploma, Anti Money Laundering
  • ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma, Financial Crime Compliance

Accolades

  • Chambers & Partners, Financial Crime: High-Net-Worth Individuals
  • The Legal 500, Commercial Litigation
  • Citywealth Magazine, Leaders List: Private Wealth and Advisory Industry
SERVICES

Select Engagements

Trusts & Estates Litigation

  • Advised members of a Chinese family and an international trustee bank in litigation worth US $300 million in Jersey.
  • Representation of a well-known, high-level former Brazilian political figure charged in the U.S. with fraud related offenses in negotiating with the New York District Attorney's Office in relation to the offshore trust structures related to the client's business interests.
  • Advice to a Russian billionaire in relation to a dispute over shares in British Virgin Islands companies concerning major Russian energy interests.
  • Representation of Brazilian parties subject to seizure of their UK-based assets and in establishing an asset repatriation mechanism involving the UK, Jersey, Switzerland and Brazil.

Government Enforcement Defense

  • Representation of Rebekah Brooks, the former head of News International, in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into hacking allegations, which were the subject of intense law enforcement investigation in the UK.
  • Representation of Jho Low, an international businessman, in legal matters arising out of the 1MDB matter, which involved U.S. Department of Justice civil asset forfeiture proceedings and legal action from authorities in Singapore, Switzerland and other countries.
  • Successfully protected a government source’s highly sensitive, confidential information sought by Russian defendants in civil money laundering and fraud lawsuit brought by the U.S. government.
  • Representation of Navinder Sarao, the UK-based futures trader, facing U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) civil enforcement and DOJ criminal actions in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for commodities manipulation, fraud and "spoofing," alleged to have caused the 2010 “Flash Crash.” Initial work included the successful negotiation of a novel carve-out to a global U.S. freezing order to allow client access to client funds located in the UK and Switzerland.
  • Representation of the former CEO of large media company in responding to charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and of money laundering and wire fraud brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in connection with the acquisition and maintenance of broadcasting rights contracts for international sports tournaments.

International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery

  • Representation of clients challenging the UK recognition of a Russian insolvency on the grounds that the recognition is manifestly contrary to UK public policy. Obtained a first-of-its-kind award ordering the foreign liquidator to post substantial security for our clients’ costs, which significantly changed the dynamics of the litigation in clients’ favor.
  • Representation of Chevron in the successful enforcement of an investment treaty arbitration award against the Republic of Ecuador for US $100 million+ (with interest). Kobre & Kim’s efforts in executing an enforcement strategy, including asset tracing, efforts to identify seizure targets and the service of numerous discovery requests, culminated in Ecuador’s paying Chevron the entirety of the original award plus interest.
  • Representation of a hedge fund in pursuing potential appeal within the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of arbitration award against it, and in resisting recognition of any final award in the High Court in London.
  • Representation of a UK-based futures trader facing criminal and civil charges of commodities manipulation, fraud, and "spoofing" by the DOJ and CFTC. Engagement involves negotiations with the government in regard to the client's offshore business interests.

Joint Venture & Partnership Disputes

  • Representation of a U.S. software company in connection with recovery of license fees and potential proceedings in the English High Court for breach of a commodity trading and risk management contract by a foreign oil and gas company.
  • Representation of a significant property investment fund in an alleged joint venture dispute relating to a £200 million+ development.
  • Advised a prominent Irish businessman in a joint venture dispute regarding the ownership of three of London’s major hotels.

Insolvency & Debtor-Creditor Disputes

  • Representation of a Fortune 100 company in implementing a global insolvency and enforcement strategy against a company accused of a multibillion-dollar fraud.
  • Representation of a debtor in a global bankruptcy in seeking to set aside recognition of a foreign liquidation of a fund subsidiary company.
 

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
SERVICES

Publications & Presentations

  • 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)
SERVICES

Credentials

Admissions

  • Barrister, England & Wales
  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (pro hac vice)
  • Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
  • Barrister, Gibraltar (pro hac vice)
  • Special Legal Consultant, District of Columbia

Education

  • University of Cambridge, MA, Law, double first class honors
  • ICA International Diploma, Anti Money Laundering
  • ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma, Financial Crime Compliance

Accolades

  • Chambers & Partners, Financial Crime: High-Net-Worth Individuals
  • The Legal 500, Commercial Litigation
  • Citywealth Magazine, Leaders List: Private Wealth and Advisory Industry

Engagements

Trusts & Estates Litigation

  • Advised members of a Chinese family and an international trustee bank in litigation worth US $300 million in Jersey.
  • Representation of a well-known, high-level former Brazilian political figure charged in the U.S. with fraud related offenses in negotiating with the New York District Attorney's Office in relation to the offshore trust structures related to the client's business interests.
  • Advice to a Russian billionaire in relation to a dispute over shares in British Virgin Islands companies concerning major Russian energy interests.
  • Representation of Brazilian parties subject to seizure of their UK-based assets and in establishing an asset repatriation mechanism involving the UK, Jersey, Switzerland and Brazil.

Government Enforcement Defense

  • Representation of Rebekah Brooks, the former head of News International, in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into hacking allegations, which were the subject of intense law enforcement investigation in the UK.
  • Representation of Jho Low, an international businessman, in legal matters arising out of the 1MDB matter, which involved U.S. Department of Justice civil asset forfeiture proceedings and legal action from authorities in Singapore, Switzerland and other countries.
  • Successfully protected a government source’s highly sensitive, confidential information sought by Russian defendants in civil money laundering and fraud lawsuit brought by the U.S. government.
  • Representation of Navinder Sarao, the UK-based futures trader, facing U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) civil enforcement and DOJ criminal actions in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for commodities manipulation, fraud and "spoofing," alleged to have caused the 2010 “Flash Crash.” Initial work included the successful negotiation of a novel carve-out to a global U.S. freezing order to allow client access to client funds located in the UK and Switzerland.
  • Representation of the former CEO of large media company in responding to charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and of money laundering and wire fraud brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in connection with the acquisition and maintenance of broadcasting rights contracts for international sports tournaments.

International Judgment Enforcement & Offshore Asset Recovery

  • Representation of clients challenging the UK recognition of a Russian insolvency on the grounds that the recognition is manifestly contrary to UK public policy. Obtained a first-of-its-kind award ordering the foreign liquidator to post substantial security for our clients’ costs, which significantly changed the dynamics of the litigation in clients’ favor.
  • Representation of Chevron in the successful enforcement of an investment treaty arbitration award against the Republic of Ecuador for US $100 million+ (with interest). Kobre & Kim’s efforts in executing an enforcement strategy, including asset tracing, efforts to identify seizure targets and the service of numerous discovery requests, culminated in Ecuador’s paying Chevron the entirety of the original award plus interest.
  • Representation of a hedge fund in pursuing potential appeal within the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of arbitration award against it, and in resisting recognition of any final award in the High Court in London.
  • Representation of a UK-based futures trader facing criminal and civil charges of commodities manipulation, fraud, and "spoofing" by the DOJ and CFTC. Engagement involves negotiations with the government in regard to the client's offshore business interests.

Joint Venture & Partnership Disputes

  • Representation of a U.S. software company in connection with recovery of license fees and potential proceedings in the English High Court for breach of a commodity trading and risk management contract by a foreign oil and gas company.
  • Representation of a significant property investment fund in an alleged joint venture dispute relating to a £200 million+ development.
  • Advised a prominent Irish businessman in a joint venture dispute regarding the ownership of three of London’s major hotels.

Insolvency & Debtor-Creditor Disputes

  • Representation of a Fortune 100 company in implementing a global insolvency and enforcement strategy against a company accused of a multibillion-dollar fraud.
  • Representation of a debtor in a global bankruptcy in seeking to set aside recognition of a foreign liquidation of a fund subsidiary company.

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

  • 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 cutting-edge expert at cross-border investigations."

- Legal 500

 

"Easy to work with, smart, but tough when necessary."
- Chambers & Partners

"He is articulate, well-prepared, knowledgeable and highly effective. He never loses sight of the importance of pragmatism in litigation and is well-liked by clients."
- Citywealth