Regional Contacts

Gary is a Partner in, and leads/coordinates, the firm’s Corporate Group and Investment Funds Group. He holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB Honours) from the University of Sheffield in England and a Master of Laws Degree (LLM) from the University of London in England. He worked as a Private Equity/M&A attorney in England for many years before moving to the Cayman Islands in 2009 to work as a Corporate/Investment Funds attorney.

Gary's practice focuses principally on offshore investment funds formation and launch, particularly hedge funds, private equity funds, and funds investing in blockchain technology. He also advises on M&A, corporate, corporate finance, and private equity investments. He provides Cayman Islands law and BVI law advice to companies, banks, investment fund managers, in-house counsel, onshore counsel, high net worth individuals, and insurance companies to deal with day-to-day legal issues and complex, strategic matters.

Gary has given expert evidence in the United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York in court proceedings before Judge Robert E. Gerber relating to Cayman investment funds. He has also authored a wide range of articles and other publications on Cayman Islands and BVI law matters, including: “Fund Management - Cayman Islands” published by Lexology, 2021/2022; "Investment Funds - Cayman Islands", published in the PLC Cross-Border Investment Funds Handbook, 2012; "Cayman Islands' Court of Appeal Re-affirms the Status of Segregated Portfolio Companies", published in International Corporate Rescue Vol. 9 (2012) Issue 6; "Fiduciary duties of a general partner of a Cayman exempted limited partnership", published in the PLC Global Guide for Private Equity and Venture Capital 2015/2016. In 2022, he is ranked in Asia Business Law Journal's A-List of the top offshore lawyers. The list is based on extensive research conducted and nominations received from in-house counsel in Asia, and Asia-focused partners from domestic and international law firms. https://law.asia/the-a-list-top-offshore-lawyers-2022/

Chambers & Partners Global has ranked Gary Smith in the top tiers of Investment Funds lawyers in the Cayman Islands and he is described by sources as: "a bright guy, a team player, and a hard worker" (Chambers 2014) and appreciated for maintaining "strong client-relationships and is highly regarded by sources in North America and Asia" (Chambers 2017). "his knowledge impresses me and his creativity is very good. He is also very patient and intelligent" (Chambers 2018)

Peter is a Partner in, and leads/coordinates, the firm’s Banking & Finance and Corporate Groups in Hong Kong. He holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB Honours) from the University College of London and a Postgraduate Diploma of Law with Distinction (PGDip Law Dist) from BPP Law School London. He has previously worked as an attorney in the London office of a US law firm and the Channel Islands and Hong Kong offices of an international offshore law firm.

Peter’s practice focuses principally on banking & finance, corporate and restructuring transactions. He provides British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands law advice to banks, other financial institutions, sponsors, insurance companies, other corporate entities and private clients to deal with day-to-day legal issues and complex, strategic matters.

Peter was recognised as one of the top offshore lawyers in Asia in the Asian Legal Business Offshore Client Choice List, 2022 and the Asia Business Law Journal A-List of Offshore Lawyers 2022 based on recommendations from clients who describe Peter as, among other things, “consistently excellent”, “practical, responsive and a pleasure to work with”, “very knowledgeable” and as being able to bring “his incredibly extensive experience to every conversation”. He is also described as "very responsive” in the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2019.

Examples of Peter’s experience include:

• Providing BVI and Cayman Islands law advice in connection with China Vanke's participation in a consortium to take Global Logistic Properties Ltd private – a transaction valued at approximately US$11.6bn which was Singapore's largest M&A deal on record and Asia's largest private equity buyout at the time of the transaction.

• Providing BVI and Cayman Islands law advice to the steering committee of bondholders of certain notes issued by Kaisa Group in connection with its restructuring of nearly 17 billion yuan in offshore debt involving around 70 offshore vehicles, which was recognised as a “Deal of the Year” by the China Business Law Journal and IFLR.
•    Providing BVI and Cayman Islands law advice to CTBC Bank Co Ltd on certain senior loan facilities in connection with the US$800 million acquisition of Tricor Holdings Limited, a leading provider of integrated corporate services, by Trivium Investment Limited, a subsidiary of global private equity firm, Permira.
•    Providing BVI law advice to China's Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) Leasing on its first ever ship lease financing, a US65.5m sale and leaseback transaction with Eletson Corporation, a Greek tanker owner and operator, which was recognised as a “Deal of the Year” by the China Business Law Journal.
•    Providing BVI and Cayman Islands law advice to Caldera Pacific on its US$123.7m acquisition of a 40% stake in Dragon Capital, Vietnam's largest asset management company, in partnership with Samsung Securities, which was recognised as a “Deal of the Year” by Asia Business Law Journal.
•    Providing BVI and Cayman Islands law advice in connection with the take-private of China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd., a Cayman Islands company formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
•    Providing BVI and Cayman Islands law advice to the finance parties in connection with the acquisition by a consortium, led by Bain Capital Private Equity, of Trans Maldivian Airways.
•    Providing Cayman Islands law advice to Prologium Holding Inc. on its series E+ funding round from Mercedes-Benz, New Epoch Capital, Primavera Capital Group and SoftBank China Venture Capital.
 

Yun is Senior China Specialist in our Corporate Group. She advises on a wide range of corporate matters relating to Cayman investment funds and BVI domiciled investment funds and M&A transactions involving Cayman companies and/or BVI companies among other things, involving fintech and blockchain technology. She has worked on a number of merger take-privates of Chinese owned and managed companies listed on the NYSE and on NASDAQ. Yun is fluent in Mandarin and Shanghainese and worked for a major U.S. law firm in Shanghai prior to joining our Corporate Group.