Offshore Litigation Blog

The Cayman Islands Distinguished Guest Lecture for 2024, AI Transforming The Work of Lawyers and Judges, was given by the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls. Sir Geoffrey’s lecture addressed the role of AI in the legal profession and explored AI’s potential to enhance judicial efficiency and access to justice, while emphasising the importance of responsible implementation.

On 17 February 2025, the BVI Court recognised a Committee, appointed by the Hong Kong Court of First Instance, with responsibility over the financial affairs of a family member who lacks capacity and has movable assets in the BVI.

In the recent case of SIA Investment Industry v Pardus Wealth Ltd, the English Commercial Court ruled on the appropriate sanction to be imposed on an individual respondent, who had been found guilty of contempt of court for failure to comply with several provisions of a freezing order.

Sir Anthony Smellie KCMG KC, former Chief Justice of the Cayman Islands, has received the prestigious honour of being appointed a Member of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council and a member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The English Court of Appeal’s decision in Khan v D’Aubigny is a must-read for litigators, tackling the perennial issue of valid service—whether under common law, contract, or statute. Though arising in a landlord-tenant context, the ruling offers guidance across all litigation, clarifying section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (IA 1978), the common law presumption of service, and what qualifies as a “notice”.

A domain name is an intangible asset of a company, establishing the company’s presence on the internet. The abuse of domain names is a phenomenon that we see evolving in the past few years. In this short guide, we examine the rights associated with domain name registration, the various disputes that may arise over ownership and rights, as well as possible routes for resolution.

In a recent decision of the Bermuda Court of Appeal, the judgment in Afiniti, Ltd. v Chishti offered a nuanced costs ruling following an appeal with mixed outcomes. The case provides valuable insights into the apportionment of costs in litigation where neither party emerges as a clear winner.

In a recent event that sounds straight out of a comedy script, Bermuda played host to a most unexpected set of VIPs—Very Important Pigs. A KLM aircraft en route from the Netherlands to Mexico made an emergency stop on the island after the smell from its cargo of live pigs proved too much for the flight crew and pilots to handle. Yes, you read that correctly: the pigs were flying, but their odour was grounding!

As we welcome the Year of the Snake, we can draw valuable lessons from the characteristics of this zodiac sign.