International Private Client

Kobre & Kim provides offensive and defensive cross-border litigation and crisis management strategies to ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) with global business interests, to preserve their assets, liberty and reputation. Our team of former U.S. government lawyers and commercial litigators have a proven track record of coordinating multi-jurisdictional offensive, counter-offensive and defensive strategies on behalf of international private clients in anticipation, or as a result of, high-stakes civil and criminal proceedings and investigations aimed at asset forfeiture or confiscation. Our multidimensional approach to UHNWI disputes, which includes the deployment of both in-court and out-of-court strategies, is the premier solution for resolving business disputes and sovereign-driven investigations, tracing and recovering misappropriated funds, defending against asset attacks, as well as acquiring and strategically deploying information to provide UHNWIs with a commercial advantage in their disputes and investigations.


Publications September 30, 2020

Evelyn Sheehan and Jason Short on the DOJ’s Growing Reach Into Latin America

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has enforced the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) at a record pace last year, building on a trend of the agency extending their reach extraterritorially, particularly over jurisdictions in Latin America. Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan and Jason Short explain the DOJ’s expanding reach and provide some advice for private client professionals to navigate this landscape in an article for the Anti-Corruption Report.

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Publications September 29, 2020

Wealth Talk: John Han on Risks and Strategies for Wealth Advisers and Clients Shifting Wealth Out of Hong Kong

In the second episode of our “Wealth Talk” series on litigation scenarios facing high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world, created by Kobre & Kim’s International Private Client (IPC) team and Wealth Briefing, Kobre & Kim’s John Han sat down with Robin Rathmell to discuss risks to HNWIs and their wealth professionals as they shift assets out of Hong Kong.

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Publications September 18, 2020

Wade Weems, Chang Liu and Nan Wang on U.S. Enforcement Risks to Wealthy Chinese Individuals

As the case of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou demonstrates, Chinese high-net-worth individuals can easily become targets of U.S. criminal charges and U.S. civil and regulatory penalties based on alleged economic crimes, even if they never step foot on U.S. soil. Kobre & Kim’s Wade Weems, Chang Liu and Nan Wang walk through the risks and offer some mitigation strategies in an article in China Banking News.

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Publications September 15, 2020

Wealth Talk: Wade Weems on U.S.-China Trade War and Risks to Chinese Individuals

In the first installment of a ten-episode series partnership between Kobre & Kim’s International Private Client (IPC) team and Wealth Briefing on the spectrum of litigation scenarios facing high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world in 2020, Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell sat down for a Q&A with Wade Weems, a Shanghai-based former U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor, on risks facing international private clients in Greater China amidst ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions.

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Events September 9, 2020

Kobre & Kim Hosts Webinar on Proactive Strategies to Protect Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals in Central America

As Central America faces a rise in both civil disputes and criminal investigations, ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) can be easy targets to become reeled into cross-border proceedings. On Wednesday September 23, 10am EDT, Kobre & Kim’s Gabriela Ruiz, Adriana Riviere-Badell and Evelyn Sheehan will host a discussion on anticipating and understanding each stage of litigation (both potential and actual) to protect a UHNWI's assets, liberty and reputation. 

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Accolades September 9, 2020

Nineteen Kobre & Kim Lawyers Recognized as Leaders by Who’s Who Legal

We are proud to announce that Who’s Who Legal (WWL) recognized nineteen Kobre & Kim lawyers as Global Leaders in their latest global ranking of lawyers for 2020 in the areas of asset recovery, business crime defense, investigations and restructuring & insolvency.

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Accolades September 8, 2020

Polly Wilkins Shortlisted on Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2020

Kobre & Kim is delighted to announce that Polly Wilkins has been shortlisted as a Lawyer of the Year, Partner, in Citywealth’s Future Leaders Awards 2020.

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Accolades July 10, 2020

Kobre & Kim, Robin Rathmell Receive Chambers Recognition for Financial Crime Involving HNWI’s

Both Kobre & Kim and lawyer Robin Rathmell have received Band 2 rankings from UK-based Chambers and Partners for their handling of cross-border financial crime matters involving high-net-worth individuals (HNWI’s).

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Client Alert June 15, 2020

New tools to defend against aggressive non-U.S. insolvencies

  • Even when they leave their home countries for the United States, many individuals still get targeted by aggressive foreign insolvency proceedings that try to get recognized in U.S. courts.
  • However, as a recent U.S. Bankruptcy Court decision in favor of a Russian debtor has revealed, there are important steps targets can take to defend themselves.
  • By gathering evidence to show the corrupt nature of the foreign proceedings and one’s severed ties with the foreign country, targets can beat back these hostile campaigns.

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Publications June 11, 2020

Nick Cherryman on the Hidden Tensions behind the UK’s Unexplained Wealth Orders

The United Kingdom’s unexplained wealth order (UWO) is engaged in a balancing act between the need to uncover illicit money, the UK’s guaranteed rights and status as a financial center, and the careful scrutiny from courts, as Kobre & Kim’s Nick Cherryman explained to WealthBriefing.

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Accolades May 22, 2020

Robin Rathmell and Nathaniel Barber Ranked on Citywealth’s Top 100 Trust Litigators List 2020

Congratulations to Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell and Nathaniel Barber for their inclusion on Citywealth’s Top 100 Trust Litigators List 2020!

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Publications May 21, 2020

Kobre & Kim on the U.S. TRAP Act and the (Potential) End of INTERPOL Notice Misuse in Law360

In recent years, the INTERPOL notice system has been misused by certain countries aiming to target and intimidate political rivals. But with the proposal of the Transnational Repression Accountability and Prevention (TRAP) Act in U.S. Congress, this is a problem that might finally be addressed. 

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Publications May 14, 2020

Podcast: Robin Rathmell on the Compliance Risks for Companies that Deal with High-Net-Worth Clients

Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell was interviewed by Corporate Counsel Business Journal for their “In House Warrior” podcast, released on May 14, 2020, where he discussed the biggest legal risks for companies that work with high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).

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Publications May 8, 2020

Robin Rathmell Speaks with The New York Times on Ultra High-Net-Worth Individual Matrimonial Disputes in the time of COVID-19

Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell recently spoke with Paul Sullivan, who runs the New York Times’ “Wealth Matters” column, on how court closures and operational changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have affected divorce proceedings involving ultra high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs).

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Accolades April 24, 2020

Nicholas Surmacz Ranked in Global Investigations Review’s 40 Under 40

Congratulations to Kobre & Kim’s Nicholas Surmacz, who was selected by Global Investigations Review (GIR) to be on the third edition of their “40 Under 40” list recognizing highly-accomplished young investigations specialists shaping the future of this fast-evolving area of law.

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