Maples Group Announces 2023 Global Partner and Of Counsel Promotions

Three New Irish Partners Added to Maples Group's Global Network

 
International law firm Maples and Calder (Ireland) LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of three of its senior lawyers to its growing partnership. The newly elected Partners, Frances Hamilton (Funds & Investment Management), Jordan O'Brien (Corporate) and Vanessa Lawlor (Finance), join a team of over 140 Partners across the firm's global network and further strengthen the depth of expertise in three of the firm's core practice areas.

In Ireland, the firm provides full service and specialty legal services, and is the leading international law firm in the jurisdiction. Over the past 17 years the firm has grown exponentially, developing an award-winning Partner base through internal promotions and recruiting the best talent in the market. Its carefully designed Trainee Solicitor Programme has certainly had a role in developing home-grown talent, offering aspiring lawyers a unique experience to train in a truly international law firm with a variety of career-progressing opportunities including secondments to its international offices. Notably, the recent appointments push the numbers of Partners in Dublin to an all-time high with nearly 40% of the partnership comprising industry-leading female Partners.

Speaking on the appointments, Ireland Managing Partner, Peter Stapleton said: "I am delighted to announce these appointments and I congratulate Frances, Jordan and Vanessa on their much-deserved success. Each has earned a strong reputation domestically and internationally for providing high-quality legal advice and their dedication to collaboration and teamwork strengthens our practice and enriches our culture.

These promotions demonstrate our commitment to nurturing and growing our talent pipeline, as well as the broad range of career-progressing opportunities available in Ireland and across our international offices. We are proud to have experienced lawyers with deep technical, sectoral, and jurisdictional knowledge located in the markets close to our clients."

The firm enjoyed another record-breaking year in 2022 and was proud to receive a number of notable industry accolades for its market-leading services and solutions. Impressively, 39 of its Irish lawyers were ranked by leading industry journals including a strong representation at Partner, Of Counsel and Associate levels. The firm's reputation for excellence and innovation was strengthened across all major sectors including in the areas where the most recent Partner promotions were made. Key deals spanned the areas of financial services, sustainable finance, digital assets, venture capital, banking and private equity. Additionally, the firm expanded its CSR, environmental and DE&I activities including the recent launch of a new sponsorship with the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI)¹, a number of leading charities and health and wellness events.
 

¹ https://maples.com/en/news/2023/01/maples-groups-new-sponsorship-with-museum-of-literature-ireland-expands-learning-programmes

Maples Group Promotes Funds Lawyer to Of Counsel in Luxembourg

 
Maples and Calder (Luxembourg) SARL, the Maples Group's law firm in Luxembourg, is pleased to announce the promotion of Donnchadh McCarthy to Of Counsel in its Funds & Investment Management practice.

Donnchadh, who has been with the firm for over three years, advises clients on the structuring and setting up of both regulated and unregulated investment vehicles, with a particular focus on UCITS and AIFs. Prior to joining the firm, Donnchadh worked in the investment funds group at a leading Irish law firm and also with the Irish Stock Exchange.

Commenting on the Donnchadh's promotion, Luxembourg Managing Partner, Johan Terblanche said, "It is with great pleasure that I announce Donnchadh's promotion to Of Counsel. Our Luxembourg practice continues to go from strength to strength and Donnchadh's promotion further demonstrates our commitment to investing in our people and our law firm here in Luxembourg. Donnchadh's expertise, technical knowledge and market insight further strengthens our legal offering and reinforces our position as a leading adviser to the global funds industry."

Earlier this year, the firm announced the appointment of Manfred Dietrich as a Partner in the Funds & Investment Management team, along with a number of new hires at Associate and Of Counsel level. These appointments follow a period of exceptional growth at the firm and are in direct response to increasing demands for Luxembourg legal services from new and existing international clients.

Maples Group Appoints New Partner and Of Counsel in London

 
Maples and Calder, the Maples Group's law firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of two of its senior lawyers in London, effective immediately.

The newly elected Partner Joanna Russell (Finance) and Of Counsel Sophie Whitcombe (Funds & Investment Management) both have over 17 years' experience practising both the law of the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands in their respective fields. With over 100 lawyers and professionals based in London, these appointments highlight the firm's commitment to growth and further strengthen its reputation as a preeminent offshore legal services provider in London. Notably, the latest appointments elevate the firm's London female partnership level to 45%.

Commenting on the new appointments, Heidi de Vries, London Managing Partner said: "It is with great pleasure that I announce these new appointments to our London practice. Joanna and Sophie join a network of highly experienced, client-focused industry leaders and I am confident that that they will continue to excel in the next stage of their careers."

She continued: "On behalf of the London partnership, I would like to congratulate Joanna and Sophie on their well-earned appointments."

Maples Group Enhances Asia Corporate Practice with New Of Counsel

 
Maples and Calder, the Maples Group's law firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Vivian Lee, a corporate lawyer in its Hong Kong office, to Of Counsel effective immediately.

Vivian has nearly 10 years' experience advising on an array of corporate and commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, securities issues, private equity, pre-IPO restructuring and financing, initial public offerings and listing of shares of Cayman Islands companies in, among other jurisdictions, Hong Kong and the United States. Her recent track record includes a number of significant M&A and going-private transactions involving Hong Kong and US-listed companies, such as US$4.3 billion take-over of 51job, Inc.¹ and one of the largest Taiwan company privatisations². Proficient in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, Vivian's strong corporate practice helps to solidify the firm's Asia Corporate team as the leading international adviser to clients, both in Hong Kong and across the Asia Pacific.

Commenting on Vivian's promotion, Michael Gagie Asia Regional Managing Partner said: "I am pleased to announce Vivian's new appointment. Our Asia Corporate practice remains incredibly busy advising on IPOs, SPAC IPOs, dual listings and take-private transactions, and with a strong team on the ground in Hong Kong and Singapore, we continue to deliver the exceptional service that our clients have come to expect."

He continued "On behalf of our Asia practice, I would like to congratulate Vivian on her well-deserved appointment and wish her every success in this new chapter of her career."

Notably, the firm's Asia Corporate practice advised on multiple high-profile Hong Kong listings in 2022³ and the law firm retained its top-tier ranking in both the 2023 editions of Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific and The Legal 500 Asia Pacific⁴.
 

¹ https://maples.com/en/news/2022/5/maples-advises-on-us4-billion-take-private-of-51job-inc

² https://maples.com/en/news/2022/6/maples-advises-on-one-of-the-largest-taiwan-company-privatisations

³ https://maples.com/en/news/2023/01/maples-advises-on-multiple-high-profile-hong-kong-listings-to-close-2022

⁴https://maples.com/en/news/2023/1/maples-group-maintains-leading-positions-in-2023-asia-pacific-legal-directories

Maples Group Promotes Dispute Resolution & Insolvency Lawyer to Of Counsel in BVI

 
Maples and Calder, the Maples Group's law firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Scott Tolliss to Of Counsel in its Dispute Resolution & Insolvency practice in the British Virgin Islands ("BVI").

Scott, who has been with the firm for over four years, practises across the full-spectrum of contentious disputes with particular expertise in complex commercial, corporate and financial litigation, typically borne out of distressed events.

Scott is a solicitor-advocate with extensive court experience in the Eastern Caribbean and has appeared at all appellate levels in the Territory including before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. His significant disputes include:

• Acting for the joint liquidators of three BVI companies in long-running litigation arising out of a significant and well publicised fraud and corruption scandal in Brazil. This litigation has resulted in various judgments, including the territory's first-ever reported judgment on the principle of pooling liquidation estates¹.
   
• Representing prominent Ukrainian businessman and politician, Sergey Taruta, in an action brought by sanctioned Russian bank, JSC VTB. Most recently in this matter, Scott was part of a successful Maples Group team who appeared before the Court of Appeal to secure a judgment which broke new ground on principles relating to the appointment of equitable receivers, and the court's ability to manage, terminate or vary its receivership orders².

Appearing in the BVI's first cross-jurisdictional virtual trial³ concerning a derivative action brought against two ultra-high-net-worth Malaysian Datuks and, in a related dispute, appearing before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council to secure a favourable outcome from a Board comprising Lord Briggs, Lady Arden, Lord Burrows, Lord Stephens and Lady Rose.

Active within the BVI legal community, Scott is a member and second Vice President of the British Virgin Islands Bar Association ("BVIBA") chairing various membership committees and working with the wider leadership team to fulfil the BVIBA's objectives. He is also a regular contributor to various industry and academic publications, and is an active member of the Recovery and Insolvency Specialists Association (RISA) and International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL).

Commenting on Scott's promotion, BVI Managing Partner, Richard May said, "It is with great pleasure that I announce Scott's promotion to Of Counsel. Scott is an integral member of our BVI practice and has been involved in some of the jurisdiction's most significant litigation matters in recent years. His exceptional client service and in-depth knowledge of the jurisdiction ensures that our Dispute Resolution & Insolvency practice remains at the forefront of complex, commercial litigation and insolvency and restructuring-related matters in the jurisdiction. We congratulate Scott on this new milestone in his career."
 

¹ https://maples.com/en/knowledge-centre/2019/12/maples-acts-in-bvi-commercial-courts-first-published-judgment-on-pooling-concurrent-liquidations

² https://maples.com/en/knowledge-centre/2023/2/sergey-taruta-v-jsc-vtb-bank-receiverships-sanctions-and-service

³ https://maples.com/en/knowledge-centre/2020/7/maples-group-acts-in-bvi-commercial-courts-first-remote-trial

Maples Group Announces Partner and Of Counsel Promotions in Cayman Islands

 
Maples and Calder, the Maples Group's law firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of five senior lawyers in its Cayman Islands office.

The newly elected Partners are Kerry Ann Phillips (Corporate), Alex Howard (Funds & Investment Management), Ian Kirwan (Funds & Investment Management) and James Meehan (Funds & Investment Management) and the newly elected Of Counsel is Malachi Sweetman (Dispute Resolution & Insolvency). These appointments further reinforce the depth of expertise in a number of the firm's core practice areas and increase the number of Partners both in the Cayman Islands and globally at the firm to an all-time high.

The firm has grown exponentially over the past few years and is committed to training and advancing the next generation of lawyers to partnership through its dedicated programmes which range from legal scholarships, internships and articles of clerkships to secondments and mentoring programmes. This commitment has enabled the firm to garner a strong reputation as a leader in the legal industry providing top-tier expertise and advice with deep sectoral and industry knowledge.

Speaking on the appointments, Cayman Islands Managing Partner, Matthew Gardner said: "On behalf of the Partners, I would like to congratulate Alex, Ian, James, Kerry Ann and Malachi on their well-deserved appointments. Each exemplifies the firm's dedication to providing exceptional legal advice and high-quality client service and their promotions will help to ensure the firm's leading position for years to come."