International Private Client

High-net-worth families want to avoid contentious wealth transitions and trust disputes that not only could lead to costly litigation, but also unwanted attention from regulators and tax authorities across the globe. Though there are no “right” ways for families to make decisions, successful families have one thing in common: strong family governance. Kobre & Kim’s Adriana Riviere-Badell – who focuses on high-profile trust and estates disputes and multijurisdictional civil litigation – discusses during STEP Miami’s 11th Annual Summit in a session at 3:15 pm Miami time, Friday May 13, 2022.

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Recent events – including continuing doubts about the UK Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) existence, the ousting of the head of London’s Metropolitan Police, the lack of investigation into alleged misconduct by politicians and the sustained trend of private prosecutions – have led to questions about the independence of prosecution authorities in England and Wales. Kobre & Kim’s Miranda Ching – a former case controller and prosecutor at the SFO – shared her perspective during an episode of The Fountain Court Chambers Podcast.

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In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many countries have imposed unprecedented sanctions on its economy and many individuals. Governments have already frozen or even seized assets, and further sanctions are widely expected. What can and can’t law-abiding trust and corporate service providers do in this rapidly evolving environment? Kobre & Kim’s Miranda Ching – a former case controller and prosecutor at the UK’s Serious Fraud Office – discusses at a STEP Hong Kong webinar at 6:00 pm Hong Kong time / 11:00 am London time, Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

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With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many in both countries have turned to crypto and digital currencies – Ukrainians received almost US $100 million in crypto donations, and ordinary Russians used crypto as a haven against the falling ruble and capital controls. But there is a concern that cryptocurrency can be used to facilitate wrongdoing, including to evade sanctions. Kobre & Kim’s Benjamin Sauter, who focuses on government enforcement and asset recovery in the crypto space, analyzed this issue when he spoke with the magazine Raconteur of The Times.

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The U.S. Department of Treasury launched a new whistleblower program for information leading to the seizure of stolen assets linked to foreign government corruption, just in time to join global sanctions efforts against Russian oligarchs. Kobre & Kim’s Jason Short, who represents high-net-worth individuals in asset forfeiture proceedings and sanctions enforcement, spoke to USA Today on the program’s scope – as well as its risks and limitations.

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Kobre & Kim has secured a victory in the Financial Services Division of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for Harvey Boulter in proceedings arising from his former role as a director of two Cayman companies within his own venture capital group, Porton Capital, as well as his role as a director of Enigma Diagnostics Ltd. 

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The High Court of Justice in the UK ruled today that Juan Carlos de Borbón y Borbón, the King Emeritus of Spain, does not have the right to sovereign immunity in relation to the claim brought against him by Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein in the English courts.

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The world of global sports is rife with disputes and investigations, from issues related to integrity, conflict of interest and antitrust surrounding the increasingly lucrative ownership of sports teams by ultra-high-net-worth individuals, investors and companies; to ethics, governance and justice in sports law; to the impact of COVID-19 on the balance sheets of sporting properties. 

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led the United States and its allies to sanction Russian oligarchs and seize their yachts, condos and other assets. Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan, a former U.S. federal prosecutor who led asset forfeiture efforts from South Florida, sat down with NPR’s “Planet Money” to explain the difference between sanctions and asset seizures, and to offer a word of caution against ensnaring innocent third parties.

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A recent landmark UK Supreme Court ruling confirms a reasonable expectation of privacy for individuals who are under criminal investigation but have not been charged. Kobre & Kim’s Miranda Ching, Robin Rathmell, Edward Smith and Polly Wilkins – part of the International Private Client team in London – write in WealthBriefing what the implications of this ruling are for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) sensitive to press intrusion.

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Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell, Polly Wilkins, Evelyn Sheehan, Nicholas Surmacz and Jason Short have all been recognized among the world’s top practitioners serving global private clients in the latest Private Client Elite Global Directory.

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Attorney-client privilege is taken for granted in many jurisdictions where communications between the two are kept confidential. This is a point of great concern in highly sensitive cross-border cases where protections vary. Vasu Muthyala shared the most important considerations when he joined an American Bar Association virtual roundtable at 10:30 pm Hong Kong time, January 25, 2022.

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We are proud that Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins have both been recognized in the 2022 edition of The Spear’s 500 by Spear’s Magazine, a guide to the top private client advisors, wealth managers, lawyers and service providers for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).

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As part of U.S. law enforcement’s focus on fighting money laundering and corruption in Latin America, sanctions have become a “powerful, rapid-fire tool” in the arsenal, Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan told Aguilar Castillo Love’s Natalia Callejas in the second part of a Q&A on new enforcement trends in the region.

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