Joanne Verbiesen is a partner based in Harneys’ Hong Kong office. She is a member of the firm’s Litigation and Restructuring Department, servicing Asia-based clients involved in Cayman Islands and BVI litigation. Her practice involves high value contentious insolvency matters, general commercial litigation and contentious trust matters. A barrister by training, she regularly appears as an advocate in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands and has over 11 years’ post-qualification experience in commercial litigation, contentious trusts and insolvency, gained in the Cayman Islands and New Zealand. She regularly appears before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands as sole/leading counsel and junior counsel, and has appeared in arbitration proceedings and litigated numerous disputes before New Zealand’s High Court and Court of Appeal. Joanne has also represented the Governor of the Cayman Islands.
Joanne’s recent experience includes:
AHAB v SICL & Ors (FSD 54 of 2009 (ASCJ)), a US$9.2 billion fraud case that is set down for trial in July 2016.
In the Matter of Sterling Macro Fund (FSD 200 of 20115 (IMJ)) – lead counsel in a petition to wind up the company on the just and equitable ground and in a successful ex parte application for the appointment of provisional liquidators.
Kabushiki Kaisha Sigma v Trustcorp Limited (in liquidation) and Hideo Seto (FSD 154 of 2013 (CQJ)) – acting for the plaintiff in proceedings seeking orders that the plaintiff is entitled to certain unit trusts in two Cayman Islands’ trusts. The case confirmed the applicability in the Cayman Islands of the rule in Hollington v Hewthorn [1943] K.B. 587.
Worthing v Sterling Macro Fund (FSD 87 of 2015 (CQJ)) – lead counsel in a successful application on behalf of a shareholder for a declaration of entitlement to, and the disclosure of, the books and records of a Cayman Islands registered fund pursuant to the terms of the fund’s subscription agreement.
Harneys is a leading international offshore law firm. We provide advice on British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Bermuda, Mauritius and Anguilla law to an international client base which includes the world’s top law firms, financial institutions, investment funds and private individuals.
Our commitment is to absolute quality, unparalleled responsiveness and client service. Independent legal directories consistently put Harneys in the top tier of offshore law firms and describe our lawyers as attentive, commercially aware and responsive. In 2016 Harneys was named Offshore Law Firm of the Year by The Lawyer for its market leading strategy, commercial strength, legal innovation, exceptional client service and jurisdictional leadership.
Our network is the largest among offshore law firms with more than 12 locations including market facing offices in Hong Kong, London, Montevideo, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Vancouver. Our wide network allows us to provide reliable and timely service on even the most complex cross border transactions and disputes. Key areas of practice include Investment Funds, Banking and Finance, Dispute Resolution, Insolvency and Restructuring, Corporate and Commercial, Trusts and Private Client.
Harneys was established in 1960 in the British Virgin Islands. The firm opened its first international office in 2002 in London, a development which marked the beginning of a period of successful expansion resulting in the award-winning global firm which is Harneys today.
Harneys’ associated corporate and private wealth services business, Harneys Fiduciary, delivers a full complement of corporate and fiduciary services in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. Our product offering also includes New Zealand, Hong Kong and Barbados and we are expanding regularly in line with the evolving needs of our clients. We hold trust licenses in several jurisdictions and offer a broad range of fund, trust, and fiduciary services to the world’s leading law firms, corporations, financial institutions and private clients. As a result, we have earned a reputation for excellence worldwide.
