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Biography

Philip Graham
Philip Graham Harneys front portrait image

Phil is simply the best. He is trusted, reasonable and a pleasure to work with

Chambers and Partners, 2024

Philip Graham

Partner | Funds & Regulatory | British Virgin Islands
+1 284 852 2551 philip.graham@harneys.com
Biography

Philip Graham is global head of our Investment Funds and Digital Assets groups and head of our transactional team in the British Virgin Islands. He advises on the laws of the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands and is an internationally recognised leading advisor on all aspects of offshore investment funds, including pre-formation strategy, regulatory compliance and restructuring. Phil has over 20 years' of experience advising in connection with all types of fund vehicles, including private equity and hedge funds, limited partnerships, and start-ups operating in the fintech space having launched one of the very first digital a ...

Philip Graham is global head of our Investment Funds and Digital Assets groups and head of our transactional team in the British Virgin Islands. He advises on the laws of the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands and is an internationally recognised leading advisor on all aspects of offshore investment funds, including pre-formation strategy, regulatory compliance and restructuring.

Phil has over 20 years' of experience advising in connection with all types of fund vehicles, including private equity and hedge funds, limited partnerships, and start-ups operating in the fintech space having launched one of the very first digital asset focused funds in 2015. He also has extensive economic substance and digital asset tokenisation knowledge and has co-hosted a series of informative podcasts on the subjects.

Phil serves as chairman of the BVI Investment Funds Association and has consulted frequently with the BVI government and the regulator on legislative development and the impact of regulatory change for over fifteen years. He is the senior editor of the Harneys Funds Hub and is invited to speak and publish regularly on topics including structuring offshore funds, Cayman and BVI jurisdictional analysis, blockchain, cryptocurrency and regulatory matters such as economic substance, tax information exchange and AML.

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Recommendations

Philip is recognised for his expertise in British Virgin Islands Corporate, Finance, FinTech, and Investment Funds. Recent testimonials include: Philip Graham is a knowledgeable regulatory lawyer. He's terrific." (2024 FinTech guide) "Philip Graham is an exceptional counsel." (2024 ...

Philip is recognised for his expertise in British Virgin Islands Corporate, Finance, FinTech, and Investment Funds.

Recent testimonials include:

  • Philip Graham is a knowledgeable regulatory lawyer. He's terrific." (2024 FinTech guide)
  • "Philip Graham is an exceptional counsel." (2024 FinTech guide)
  • "Phil is an exemplary lawyer and BVI expert." (2024 guide)
  • "He is excellent at what he does." (2023 guide)
  • He is "one of the leading fund lawyers on the island," with further interviewees reporting: "Our experience working with him has been excellent." (2021 guide)

Philip is recognised as a leading individual for his British Virgin Islands Corporate & Commercial, Investment Funds, and Regulatory & Compliance expertise.

Recent testimonial: He is "the leading light for crypto and digital asset work". (2024 guide)

Philip is recognised as a market leader for his British Virgin Islands Investment Funds expertise.

Phil is recommended in the Fintech & Blockchain index for his Blockchain expertise.

Philip is recommended for his British Virgin Islands expertise in the following categories:

  • Private Funds – Formation (2022 – 2024)
  • Private Funds – Regulatory (2022 – 2024)
  • Fintech & Blockchain - Blockchain (2023)
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British Virgin Islands
2008

England and Wales (not practising)
2002

University of West England (LPC)
2000

University of Bristol (LLB)
1999

Phil is simply the best. He is trusted, reasonable and a pleasure to work with
Chambers and Partners, 2024

Authored by Philip

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BVI locally resident companies may now apply for exclusion from tax and economic substance reporting
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BVI Financial Services Commission hosts successful Meet the Regulator forum
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AIMA and other fund industry associations join forces to challenge US Securities and Exchange Commission’s new Private Fund Advisers Rules
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Exploring the implications of the BVI’s inclusion on the EU's list of non-cooperative jurisdictions
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March 2023 update for investment managers operating BVI domiciled fund structures and SPVs
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BVI will be added to EU List of Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions for Tax Purposes
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EU reviewing Annex I: BVI to be added to List of Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions in February 2023
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FSB releases a public consultation on proposed framework for international regulation of crypto-asset activities
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RedKite victorious in the Harneys Tech Accelerator Program
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Harneys advises SPAC on proposed US$135.7 million acquisition of tech and software innovator
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BVI introduces data protection regime
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