
BVI
Road Town, Tortola VG 1110
British Virgin Islands
BVI
Road Town, Tortola VG 1110
British Virgin Islands
Timothy de Swardt is admitted as a barrister in England and the BVI and as an attorney in California. He regularly represents high-value clients in enforcing international judgments and recovering offshore assets, often in cases arising from misappropriation, fraud and the proceeds of crime. Mr. de Swardt also handles cross-border insolvency cases and trusts and estates disputes.
Mr. de Swardt regularly appears in high-stakes matters in the BVI and England, including in misfeasance claims by the liquidators of Barrington Capital Group against its former director, and multiple judgment enforcement actions, including a $1.2 billion judgment award against Tata Sons Ltd. on behalf of NTT DoCoMo Inc., and a ~$11 billion arbitration award against the Republic of Nigeria on behalf of Process & Industrial Developments Ltd.
Through his global asset recovery practice, Mr. de Swardt has worked extensively with local counsel in foreign jurisdictions such as Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dubai, Liechtenstein, Nevis, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States.
Who’s Who Legal has ranked Mr. de Swardt as a leading asset recovery lawyer, commenting that he “enjoys the praise of peers on the international stage and is known for his proficiency-enforcing foreign judgments and assisting in the recovery of offshore assets."
Before joining Kobre & Kim in the BVI, Mr. de Swardt practiced at the Chambers of William Clegg QC, 2 Bedford Row, in London.
Admissions
- Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
- Barrister, England & Wales
- California
Education
- College of Law, UK, LLB
- Oxford University, MSc
- Columbia University, BA
Accolades
- Who's Who Legal, Asset Recovery
- Astbury Scholar, Harmsworth Scholar, and Harmsworth Entrance Exhibition (Middle Temple)
Select Engagements
- Enforcing a Foreign Judgment in the UAE: New Opportunities
- Enforcing Minority Shareholder Rights in Asia: A Comparative Guide to Just and Equitable Winding Up
- Global Crisis Management For Targets of Large-Scale Crypto Fraud
- Daniel Saval, Andrew Stafford KC, Evelyn Sheehan, Amanda Tuminelli and Timothy de Swardt Explore Crypto Recovery from Insolvent Companies
- Nine Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized in Who’s Who Legal’s Asset Recovery 2022
- Kobre & Kim Helps PRC Clients Enforce US $171M Award in BVI
- Kobre & Kim Team Unpacks Cross-Border Cryptocurrency Insolvencies in GRR Webinar
- Kobre & Kim and Global Restructuring Review To Host Discussion on Cross-Border Insolvencies and Cryptocurrency
- Andrew Stafford KC, Timothy de Swardt, Melisa Ortes González, Calvin Koo on Crypto Jurisprudence in Common Law Jurisdictions
- Maximizing Recovery Against a Sanctioned Sovereign
- Timothy de Swardt and Merrick Watson, in Collaboration with Kalo Advisors, on Recovering Stolen Cryptocurrency in the BVI
- Maximizing Returns on Distressed Assets: China’s Real Estate Industry
- Thirteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized in Who’s Who Legal’s Asset Recovery 2021
- John Han, Merrick Watson and Timothy de Swardt Unpack Their “Groundbreaking” BVI Judgment in Global Restructuring Review
- Keeping Offshore Assets Offshore
- Kobre & Kim Lawyers Examine the Latest Asset Tracing Trends in BVI, Hong Kong and South Korea
- Nineteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized as Leaders by Who’s Who Legal
- Who’s Who Legal Recognizes Fourteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers as Leading Practitioners in Asset Recovery
- Who’s Who Legal Recognizes Twelve Kobre & Kim Lawyers as Leading Practitioners in Asset Recovery
- A New Door to Obtaining Business Intelligence in Offshore Cases
- Navigating Global Matrimonial Disputes: Four Steps to High-Value Asset Recovery
- Fraud Victims Pursuing Assets Offshore
- Publishers of Global Arbitration Review Recognize Kobre & Kim’s Global Asset Recovery Team
- Kobre & Kim Successfully Defends Against Application to Bring Derivative Proceedings in the BVI Commercial Court
- Enforcing an Arbitral Award? Kobre & Kim Lawyers Discuss Strategies for Success
Professional & Community Involvement
- INSOL International, Member
- Recovery and Insolvency Specialists Association, Member
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Member
- Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, Member
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Member
Publications & Presentations
- Speaker, "Navigating Cross-Border Insolvencies Involving Cryptocurrency: Addressing Fraud and Maximizing Recovery" (Global Restructuring Review, May 2022)
- Co-author, "BVI court issues 'groundbreaking' committal order against extraterritorial debtor" (Global Restructuring Review, March 2021)
- Co-Author, "British Virgin Islands" (The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review 7th Edition , 2020)
- Co-author, "Asset Recovery — British Virgin Islands" (Getting the Deal Through, 2014, 2016 and 2017)
- Co-author, The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Enforcement of Foreign Judgments 2016, BVI Chapter (Global Legal Group, March 2016)
- Co-author, "Enforcing Arbitral Awards: Success Lies In The Strategy" (Law360, April 2016)
- Co-author, "Aspects of the Failed US Department of Justice Prosecution of Ex-UBS Senior Executive Raoul Weil" (Gore-Browne Special Release, March 2015)
- Co-author, "Solving Cases - Civil Asset Recovery 2014 (British Virgin Islands)"
- Contributing author, The International Comparative Legal Guide to International Arbitration — 10th Edition (Global Legal Group, 2013)
- Co-author, "Issues of Jurisdiction, Separate Corporate Personality, Asset Recovery and Information Gathering: Recent Pro-Creditors Decisions from New York," (Gore-Browne Special Release, February 2013)
- Co-author, "Offshore Jurisdictions and Chasing Unpaid Taxes to the Sun — pitfalls and some possible solutions," (Gore-Browne Special Release, March 2012)
Credentials
Admissions
- Barrister, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
- Barrister, England & Wales
- California
Education
- College of Law, UK, LLB
- Oxford University, MSc
- Columbia University, BA
Accolades
- Who's Who Legal, Asset Recovery
- Astbury Scholar, Harmsworth Scholar, and Harmsworth Entrance Exhibition (Middle Temple)
Engagements
News
- Enforcing a Foreign Judgment in the UAE: New Opportunities
- Enforcing Minority Shareholder Rights in Asia: A Comparative Guide to Just and Equitable Winding Up
- Global Crisis Management For Targets of Large-Scale Crypto Fraud
- Daniel Saval, Andrew Stafford KC, Evelyn Sheehan, Amanda Tuminelli and Timothy de Swardt Explore Crypto Recovery from Insolvent Companies
- Nine Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized in Who’s Who Legal’s Asset Recovery 2022
- Kobre & Kim Helps PRC Clients Enforce US $171M Award in BVI
- Kobre & Kim Team Unpacks Cross-Border Cryptocurrency Insolvencies in GRR Webinar
- Kobre & Kim and Global Restructuring Review To Host Discussion on Cross-Border Insolvencies and Cryptocurrency
- Andrew Stafford KC, Timothy de Swardt, Melisa Ortes González, Calvin Koo on Crypto Jurisprudence in Common Law Jurisdictions
- Maximizing Recovery Against a Sanctioned Sovereign
- Timothy de Swardt and Merrick Watson, in Collaboration with Kalo Advisors, on Recovering Stolen Cryptocurrency in the BVI
- Maximizing Returns on Distressed Assets: China’s Real Estate Industry
- Thirteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized in Who’s Who Legal’s Asset Recovery 2021
- John Han, Merrick Watson and Timothy de Swardt Unpack Their “Groundbreaking” BVI Judgment in Global Restructuring Review
- Keeping Offshore Assets Offshore
- Kobre & Kim Lawyers Examine the Latest Asset Tracing Trends in BVI, Hong Kong and South Korea
- Nineteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized as Leaders by Who’s Who Legal
- Who’s Who Legal Recognizes Fourteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers as Leading Practitioners in Asset Recovery
- Who’s Who Legal Recognizes Twelve Kobre & Kim Lawyers as Leading Practitioners in Asset Recovery
- A New Door to Obtaining Business Intelligence in Offshore Cases
- Navigating Global Matrimonial Disputes: Four Steps to High-Value Asset Recovery
- Fraud Victims Pursuing Assets Offshore
- Publishers of Global Arbitration Review Recognize Kobre & Kim’s Global Asset Recovery Team
- Kobre & Kim Successfully Defends Against Application to Bring Derivative Proceedings in the BVI Commercial Court
- Enforcing an Arbitral Award? Kobre & Kim Lawyers Discuss Strategies for Success
Professional & Community Involvement
- INSOL International, Member
- Recovery and Insolvency Specialists Association, Member
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Member
- Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, Member
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Member
Publications & Presentations
- Speaker, "Navigating Cross-Border Insolvencies Involving Cryptocurrency: Addressing Fraud and Maximizing Recovery" (Global Restructuring Review, May 2022)
- Co-author, "BVI court issues 'groundbreaking' committal order against extraterritorial debtor" (Global Restructuring Review, March 2021)
- Co-Author, "British Virgin Islands" (The Asset Tracing and Recovery Review 7th Edition , 2020)
- Co-author, "Asset Recovery — British Virgin Islands" (Getting the Deal Through, 2014, 2016 and 2017)
- Co-author, The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Enforcement of Foreign Judgments 2016, BVI Chapter (Global Legal Group, March 2016)
- Co-author, "Enforcing Arbitral Awards: Success Lies In The Strategy" (Law360, April 2016)
- Co-author, "Aspects of the Failed US Department of Justice Prosecution of Ex-UBS Senior Executive Raoul Weil" (Gore-Browne Special Release, March 2015)
- Co-author, "Solving Cases - Civil Asset Recovery 2014 (British Virgin Islands)"
- Contributing author, The International Comparative Legal Guide to International Arbitration — 10th Edition (Global Legal Group, 2013)
- Co-author, "Issues of Jurisdiction, Separate Corporate Personality, Asset Recovery and Information Gathering: Recent Pro-Creditors Decisions from New York," (Gore-Browne Special Release, February 2013)
- Co-author, "Offshore Jurisdictions and Chasing Unpaid Taxes to the Sun — pitfalls and some possible solutions," (Gore-Browne Special Release, March 2012)