Areas of Expertise
A barrister by training, Aisling specialises in complex, high value, international cross border litigation and acts in some of Asia’s largest offshore corporate, insolvency/restructuring and shareholder disputes. She is an expert in contentious matters and has a particular interest in take-privates, statutory mergers, contentious valuations and schemes of arrangement.
Aisling joined the Maples Group in 2009 in the British Virgin Islands, and moved to the Hong Kong office in 2011. She was elected as a partner in 2017. Aisling was involved in some of the British Virgin Island’s largest fund litigation following the global financial crisis. Prior to joining the Maples Group, she worked for another firm in the British Virgin Islands and before that, practised as a barrister in London for four years (having trained at the top ranking professional negligence, insurance and reinsurance set, 4 New Square). At the London Bar she appeared routinely in court as an advocate in commercial and common law matters, conducting her own trials and cross-examining witnesses, and was also led by various silks in multi-million pound commercial disputes.
Aisling currently serves as Asia Regional Director of IWIRC International and in 2021 won IWIRC’s Fetner Award, which recognises exceptional contributions made by an international IWIRC member. She is consistently recognised as a leading individual in legal directories such as the Legal 500 and in Chambers and Partners. She has been listed in Who’s Who Legal Thought Leader – Mainland China & Hong Kong SAR in the field of restructuring every year since 2021 consecutively. She has been named as one of Asia’s Top 10 Offshore Litigators 2023 by Asian Legal Business and was included in “The Growth Drivers” category of the 2023 edition of China Business Law Journal’s The A-List 2023, which identifies PRC lawyers and foreign firm lawyers most highly recommended by China’s legal market.
Speaking Engagement
Maples Insights | Litigation, Restructuring & Insolvency Forum Hong Kong
Member and Past Co-Chair of the Hong Kong chapter of the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
Asia Regional Director of IWIRC International
Member and Director of the Company and Insolvency Law Society (COINS)
Member of the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL)
Fully qualified member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
Member of the Hong Kong chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA)
Bar Admissions
2004 – Called to the Bar of England and Wales (not practising)
2008 – Admitted as a barrister of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands)
2008 – Admitted as a barrister of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (Anguilla) (not practising)
2011 – Admitted as an attorney to the New York State Bar (not practising)
Education
University College Cork, Ireland, BCL (1st Class) (Awarded Graduate of the Year)
London School of Economics, LLM (Distinction) (British Council Chevening Scholar)
College of Law, London, Bar Vocational Course (Outstanding) (Ranked 2nd in the Year and awarded the Buchanan Prize and the Hubert Greenland Scholarship by Lincoln’s Inn)