Rachel Graham

Rachel Graham leads our BVI corporate transactional practice in the EMEA region, based out of our London office. She is highly regarded in her field, having nearly 25 years of experience practising as a lawyer, 17 of which have been offshore. Rachel advises corporations, high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, seed capital investors, private equity fund and their advisers, and is the client relationship partner for several of the firm’s key clients.

With a broad range of corporate, finance, and restructuring practice experience, Rachel also works closely with our incorporations and fiduciary business, Harneys Fiduciary. She regularly advises on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including equity fundraisings, listings, SPACs, restrictive and special purpose vehicles, corporate re-organisations, restructurings (including schemes and plans of arrangement), mergers & acquisitions, and joint ventures. She advised on the first scheme of arrangement in the BVI in 2009.

Rachel acts for lenders, borrowers and secured parties, predominantly in connection with asset and acquisition financing arrangements with a particular focus on the real estate and natural resources sector. In response to the current economic climate, she has been advising directors of struggling companies on their changing duties and insolvency related issues.

Prior to joining in 2007, Rachel worked onshore for top tier firms in London, Hong Kong and Australia before transferring to offshore law in 2004. She is pragmatic, practical, and enjoys the challenges that her varied practice throws at her.

Recent notable transactions

• Advising the Virgin Group in relation to Virgin Atlantic’s £1.2 billion private-only solvent recapitalisation of the airline and holiday business. Its Restructuring Plan has now been sanctioned by the English High Court under Part 26A of the UK Companies Act 2006, and formally recognised in the US court.
• Advising on the BVI law aspects of the sale of DV4 Limited’s 60 per cent shareholding of dbsymmetry to Tritax Big Box REIT plc.
• Providing ongoing BVI law advice in relation to DV4 Limited’s partnership with Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and the Dutch pension fund asset Manager APG and DV4 Limited’s sale of its interest in Get Living plc (the UK's leading privately backed residential company ) to Delancey Oxford Residential (DOOR) and the subsequent restatement of the joint venture with APG and Qatari Diar.
• Advising Vieco 10 Limited, a joint venture company within the Virgin Group, in relation to its recent disposal of part of its interest in NYSE listed Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc.
• Advising ReneSola Ltd, a BVI company listed on the NYSE in relation to several equity fund raisings during 2020.
• Providing BVI law advice in relation to the private placement of shares in ReneSola Ltd to Shah Capital Opportunity Fund LP.