Matthew has over 15 years’ experience of interlocutory, trial, and appellate advocacy and litigation, before both courts and arbitration tribunals. Matthew has been in Bermuda for nearly four years, and in this short time he has acted, and advocated, on some of Bermuda’s most prominent contentious matters, including:

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  • The liquidation of PDV Insurance Company Ltd – Venezuela’s national oil and energy (re)insurance captive - advising the company liquidators, and representing them in the Bermuda Supreme Court, in respect of the ongoing liquidation. (Re)insurance claims advice extending to major oil spills and incidents, maritime claims and international disputes subject to courts and arbitrations across the globe. This matter has involved extensive international public law issues arising from US and international sanctions. The liquidators are currently promoting a scheme of arrangement in which reinsurance receivables would be transferred to a subsidiary cedant.

• • In the matter of PB Life & Annuity Co Ltd - acting for the Bermuda Monetary Authority (Bermuda's financial and (re)insurance regulator), in the liquidation of a long-term (re)insurer, involving complex advocacy/legal argument on section 36 the Bermuda Insurance Act 1978 as to the definition of "insurance debt" before the Bermuda Supreme Court (with all other parties represented by King's Counsel).

• • In the matter of Titan Petrochemicals Group Ltd – lead advocate on behalf of a creditor of the company before the Bermuda Court of Appeal, concerning the liquidation of a part Chinese state-owned oil, shipbuilding and commodities trading conglomerate.

• • The Robert Brockman Trust litigation – Bermuda counsel of record, part of a large international legal team, advising a trust company, and associated funds, involved in the largest US tax fraud allegation against an individual in our history (US$ 2 billion). Representation of the trust, and funds, before the Bermuda Supreme Court. Advise on related insolvency proceedings.

• • The liquidation of Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Ltd – advising and representing a creditor (one of the largest American multinational investment banks) in the liquidation of an international Bermuda-based long-term reinsurer and financial services company, prompted by a federal wire fraud and bribery criminal conviction in the US. Representation of the creditor before the Bermuda Supreme Court.