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Biography

Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams Harneys front portrait image

...thorough, reliable and always prepared to go the extra mile to get the best for her clients.

Legal 500

Jessica Williams

Partner | Cayman Islands
+1 345 815 2907 jessica.williams@harneys.com
Biography

Jessica Williams is co-head of Litigation & Insolvency and Restructuring in the Cayman Islands. Her practice focuses on insolvency and restructuring, trust and estate litigation, shareholder disputes, and asset tracing and enforcement. Her clients include financial institutions, HNW individuals, insolvency practitioners, trustees, court appointed administrators, and other officeholders. Before joining Harneys, Jessica spent four years at AO Hall (now Walkers) in Guernsey. Prior to that, she was a litigation lawyer at the Office of Fair Trading and was involved in the bank charges test case. She spent the first four years of her career a ...

Jessica Williams is co-head of Litigation & Insolvency and Restructuring in the Cayman Islands. Her practice focuses on insolvency and restructuring, trust and estate litigation, shareholder disputes, and asset tracing and enforcement. Her clients include financial institutions, HNW individuals, insolvency practitioners, trustees, court appointed administrators, and other officeholders.

Before joining Harneys, Jessica spent four years at AO Hall (now Walkers) in Guernsey. Prior to that, she was a litigation lawyer at the Office of Fair Trading and was involved in the bank charges test case. She spent the first four years of her career as a commercial litigator in New Zealand.

Jessica is a member of ABI, INSOL, IWIRC, RISA, and STEP.

Jessica is a regular contributor to the Offshore Litigation Blog.

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Recommendations

Jessica is ranked for her Cayman Dispute Resolution expertise. Sources say: "Jessica Williams is a brilliant attorney who is incredibly dedicated to clients - she is great at gaining their trust and inspiring confidence." "Jessica is very bright, very thorough, shrewd, measured and ...

Jessica is ranked for her Cayman Dispute Resolution expertise. Sources say:

  • "Jessica Williams is a brilliant attorney who is incredibly dedicated to clients - she is great at gaining their trust and inspiring confidence."
  • "Jessica is very bright, very thorough, shrewd, measured and calm."
  • "Jessica is extremely professional, hard-working and knowledgeable."

Jessica is recognised in the global excellence category (2024), she was previously recognised as a rising leader (2022 - 2023).

Jessica has been recognised as a Global Leader in the Asset Recovery guide.

Jessica is recommended in the Cayman Islands Dispute Resolution and Trusts/Private Client rankings.

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Working closely with our corporate and funds teams to provide advice in distressed fund situations, including on redemptions, suspensions, director duties and wind downs.

Advising on a number of appraisal arbitrage valuation (s.238) proceedings, including In re Qunar Cayman Islands Ltd.

Advising the provisional liquidators in relation to the Cayman Islands restructuring of over US$1 billion in debts and liabilities of China Lumena New Materials Corp through schemes of arrangement in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands.

Advising Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd in relation to the restructuring of US$2.5 billion of offshore debts. Kaisa Group is one of the largest property developers in China and its restructuring involved schemes of arrangement in the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong, and recognition under Chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code.

Acting for plaintiffs in their international efforts to locate and enforce against dissipated assets including the obtaining of freezing and disclosure orders.

Acting for a court appointed administrator of the estate of a HNW individual who died intestate.

Acting for a trustee seeking declaratory relief and directions from the Grand Court concerning steps the trustee wished to take under the Re Beddoe jurisdiction.

Acting for the liquidations of a group of Cayman Islands companies in a complex, cross-border insolvency, which required proceedings (recognition and substantive) in multiple jurisdictions.

Cayman Islands
2013

New Zealand
2004

University of Otago (LLB)
2004

University of Otago (BA (Hons))
2004

Institute of Professional Legal Studies, New Zealand
2004

...thorough, reliable and always prepared to go the extra mile to get the best for her clients.
Legal 500

Authored by Jessica

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Hong Kong the latest common law jurisdiction to recognise cryptocurrency as property
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A guide to the Cayman Islands insolvency reform: Restructuring officer and refined scheme of arrangement
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Full disclosure, you may not get what you asked for…
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Conventional wisdom – the appropriate test and factors to consider for alternative service under the Hague Service Convention
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A constructive approach to crypto recovery
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Momentous decision of UK Supreme Court confirming directors’ duty to consider interests of creditors
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A comparative analysis of the restructuring tools available to financially distressed companies in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands
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Cross-undertaking in damages principles: Privy Council – Cayman Islands
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Enforcement of judgment debts: The novel approach in Brake v Guy
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Departing from creditor priority in English cram downs – no US style “absolute priority”
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"Our game case" – when should an offshore judge recuse him/herself?
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Can a director owe fiduciary duties to shareholders?
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Remedies for improper share dilution: The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal decision in China Shanshui
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CRI Journal: Cayman Islands launches new Restructuring Office Regime
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Shareholder ratification of breaches of directors’ duties: The Duomatic principle and insolvency
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Cayman Islands Court considers when a secured creditor can sue debtor company in liquidation
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Preventing majority oppression in general meetings: the Court’s power to interfere with shareholder votes
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English High Court follows BVI case, Lau v Chu, to confirm the test for just and equitable winding up
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Prove it – Cogent evidence required to support allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation and conspiracy
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Not the right fit: Cayman Court rejects last minute restructuring proposal by Chinese apparel company
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Harneys recognised in Legal Week’s Private Client Global Elite 2022
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AHAB v Saad – Judgment delivered on AHAB’s appeal
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Cayman Islands Court lays down entry threshold for PL rescue process and raises comity with Hong Kong Court
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Declaratory relief escapes the doctrine of merger
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Cayman Islands segregated portfolios – the test for insolvency
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The Rule in Prudential clarified: The Privy Council decision in Primeo v Bank of Bermuda
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Recognition of foreign “light touch” provisional liquidations affirmed once again by the Hong Kong Court
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Cayman Islands – insolvency and segregated portfolios – Grand Court gives new guidance
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Grand Court asked to choose one liquidator over another
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Cayman Islands: Opposing the Appointment of Liquidators for Alleged Lack of Independence
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What level of risk of dissipation of assets is required for the grant of an asset freezing injunction?
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The English Supreme Court clarifies estoppel by convention
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Re ICGI - the high bar for the appointment of provisional liquidators
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A foreign helping hand: US and Hong Kong discovery in support of Cayman Islands litigation
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Preserving creditor value in schemes of arrangement
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Access to data: A beneficiary’s privilege
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Brace for impact: Commercial Court gives judgment on Norwegian helicopter crash
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Arnage Holdings Ltd – resisting the "siren song" of split preliminary issues
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With and (then) without: “cum-ex” trading scandal dismissed by English Commercial Court in landmark case for lack of jurisdiction
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Bond restructuring – overcoming structural bond impediments to effect a compromise
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A masterclass in “light touch” – PL restructuring proposals face scrutiny before appointment
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Where there's a will, there may be a life time trust!
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Creditor petitions and attempts to adjourn in the times of COVID: In re GBC Oil Company Ltd
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Scheme sanction and uncompromised creditors
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Dissenters from short form mergers are entitled to fair value appraisal of shares
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SICL Liquidators’ claw-back claim rejected – important analysis of knowing receipt principles
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Litigation funding in the Cayman Islands – The new Private Funding of Legal Services Act
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A long way from home: The Hong Kong Court highlights the difficulties of winding up foreign companies
Article
Altair Asia: comity sidelined as Cayman court declines to follow Hong Kong ruling
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Privy Council analyses the validity of family trusts
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Negative declaratory relief: what is it and when may it be granted?
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Cayman Grand Court departs from Hong Kong Court in dismissing Winding-Up Petition
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Internal affairs: the New York Supreme Court applies Cayman Islands law on derivative actions
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Bresco Electrical Services Ltd v Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Ltd: Compatibility between the adjudication process and the insolvency regime
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Red Card for Robins’ Owner as Swindon Town FC Fortification Application Denied
Podcast
R&I over Wi-Fi - Cross-border restructuring tips for US bankruptcy attorneys
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The importance of a robust sales process: sanction applications for the sale of company property under the Cayman Islands Companies Law
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We won - how much do we get in costs?
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Judicial comity between Courts in the Cayman Islands and in Hong Kong
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Cayman Islands Grand court recognises appointment of US receiver over Cayman company: Seiden v Link Motion Inc
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How far can a Lender go in the legitimate enforcement of its security?
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Ocean Sino Ltd – BVI Court of Appeal pulls up the handbrake on just & equitable petitions
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BVI confirms jurisdiction for the Pooling of Liquidation Assets matching that of the Cayman Islands
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A man must be able to consult his lawyer in confidence
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The cost of expert shopping
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Default judgments – Why a trial on the merits can be more beneficial
Guide
Directors’ duties to consider the interests of creditors when nearing insolvency
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A failure to provide full and frank disclosure can limit appeal rights
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English Court of Appeal defines the limits of a trustee’s indemnity
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No more games as website blocking injunctions make their mark
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Primeo Appeal – Reflect on your claim for loss
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High Bar in place to prove Unfair Prejudice