Consultant
Sebastian Gollins (“Seb”) is an English barrister and Cayman Islands attorney who represents clients in complex, high-value, cross-border disputes, typically with connection to one or more offshore jurisdictions.
Seb has substantial experience before the High Court of England & Wales, the Cayman Islands Grand Court (Financial Services Division), and the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, acting both as sole advocate and as part of a team, including in proceedings where he has appeared against King’s Counsel. In addition, Seb has experience in global disputes arising out of, or conducted within, the Middle East and holds permanent rights of audience before both the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts and the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts.
Seb's practice encompasses the representation of international corporations, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, court-appointed officeholders, trustees, and financial professionals. His cases frequently involve allegations of fraud, misconduct, and breach of fiduciary duty.
Seb has particular expertise in urgent, time-sensitive applications, including freezing injunctions, disclosure and information orders, as well as the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards. He is also skilled in devising and executing cross-border discovery and enforcement strategies in support of both domestic and foreign proceedings.
Seb was called to the English Bar in 2015. Before becoming a lawyer, Seb managed international compliance for two multinational companies, focusing on America and Asia.
Select Engagements
- Advised and represented a number of offshore and onshore entities in complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation concerning control over a charitable structure, involving a network of funds and corporate vehicles across multiple jurisdictions.
- Acted for Fortress Credit Corp, a leading investment manager overseeing approximately US $44.7 billion in assets, in various applications before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, including requests for Norwich Pharmacal relief and for deferral of the dissolution of multiple entities in voluntary liquidation.
- Instructed on behalf of the liquidating trustee of a brokerage firm connected to the Tom Petters Ponzi scheme, which involved more than US $5 billion in investor funds, with a focus on pursuing clawback claims on behalf of defrauded investors.
- Advised and represented the Royal Family of Ajman in connection with a US $150 million investment in a Cayman Islands fund currently in liquidation, with related proceedings before the High Court of England & Wales.
- Acted for the liquidators of Audit International in tracing and recovering over US $160 million of fiat and crypto assets allegedly dissipated from the company across multiple offshore and onshore jurisdictions.
- Represented of the “liquidating agents” of One Thousand and One Voices Africa Fund I, L.P.—whose investors include inter alia the Coors family patriarch—in high-stakes private equity disputes spanning multiple jurisdictions, including the Supreme Court of the State of New York, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, and the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal.
- Advised a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency sector, regarding a US$72 million dispute involving a Delaware entity, a Cayman Islands company, and digital assets held via a British Virgin Islands structure, as well as formulating defensive strategies in respect of tortious counter-claim of US $100 million.
- Represented the co-founder of One Equity Partners, a private equity firm managing over US $12.5 billion in capital, in litigation concerning control of the firm.
- Acted on behalf of Clever Sky Investments in successfully obtaining a freezing injunction from the High Court of Hong Kong over shares in United Energy Group Limited, with an estimated value of US $230 million.
Admissions
- Attorney, Cayman Islands
- Attorney, Dubai International Financial Centre Courts
- Attorney, Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts
- ADR Certified Commercial and Civil Mediator
Education
- BPP University, BPTC
- University of Oxford, MSc
- Durham University, LLB (Hons)
Professional & Community Involvement
- Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, Member
- INSOL International, Member
- Member of the Inner Temple
- Northern Business and Property Bar Association
- Northern Circuit
