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Stephen  Leontsinis

Stephen Leontsinis 

Managing Partner | Cayman | BVI

Dispute Resolution

  • Exceptionally good at seeing the big picture and working strategically to meet necessary goals
    Chambers and Partners
  • Clients find Stephen Leontsinis 'client-focused and pragmatic.' He is particularly active in liquidation matters and also handles trust disputes
    Chambers and Partners
  • Very good and commercial operator with a very personable manner and unique ability to bring opposing sides together
    Chambers and Partners
  • Stephen Leontsinis is outstanding at stakeholder management and business development.
    Legal 500 2022
  • Leading individual
    Legal 500
  • He really understands from a practical perspective what is in the best interests of the client and how all of the pieces of a dispute fit together, often juggling multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
    Chambers Global 2023
  • I have primarily worked with Stephen Leontsinis. I enjoy working with Stephen, who is highly collaborative. He has solid technical skills and never loses sight of the commercial objectives of the client. He is very solution orientated.
    Legal 500
  • Stephen Leontsinis is a fantastic leader of his team, a great advocate for the firm, and an excellent technician.
    Legal 500 2024
  • Stephen Leontsinis is a superb litigator and great leader of this growing team, which he has quickly established as a go-to litigation practice
    Legal 500
  • Stephen is a phenomenal advocate who is very astute, commercially minded and results-driven. His knowledge of the Cayman market and all its main players is second to none.
    Chambers Global Guide 2022
  • Stephen Leontsinis is superb – the best litigator in Cayman.
    Legal 500 2024
  • Stephen has an excellent strategic mind. He is a stand-out advocate who is equally effective in the boardroom or behind the scenes developing strategy and plotting the steps to successful outcomes for his clients. I would recommend him.
    Legal 500 2022
  • Stephen Leontsinis is standout practitioner – drives culture of the firm which is a USP in their way of working collaboratively.
    Legal 500 2022

Overview

Stephen is Managing Partner and head of the Dispute Resolution department in the Cayman Islands. He has a demonstrated history of advocacy in the practice of corporate and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on offshore insolvency and restructuring of companies. Stephen is qualified in South Africa, England and Wales, Cayman and BVI. 

"The Cayman Islands is an extremely sophisticated, competitive jurisdiction and the practice of its laws, whilst challenging, is very rewarding. I am honoured to have grown and led our Cayman Islands Dispute Resolution team since April 2015. We aim to bring a fresh, innovative approach to providing our clients with added value to the normal legal services that they would otherwise expect from any other top tier law firm on the Island."

Experience

Stephen's practice has a strong focus on company law including corporate insolvency; schemes of arrangements; capital reductions; shareholder disputes; director's liability; international asset tracing; the enforcement of foreign judgments; worldwide Mareva injunctions, Anton Piller orders, and Norwich Pharmacal orders.

Stephen has significant contentious litigation experience arising from the representation of both liquidators, shareholders and creditors of companies and hedge funds including the claw back of fraudulent conveyances and undue preferences, allegations of investment fraud and investment manager disputes.

Since his appointment as Head of Dispute Resolution, Stephen has grown the team from two to eight lawyers, all with a strong background in insolvency and restructuring matters. Prior to joining the firm Stephen spent two and a half years in Miami as a member of a boutique litigation firm in the United States which focused on cross border insolvency and trust disputes.

Background

Stephen was called as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa in 2003 and has subsequently qualified as a solicitor-advocate of the High Court of England and Wales and a solicitor-advocate of the Supreme Court of the Eastern Caribbean. Stephen was called to the Cayman Islands Bar in January 2009 and BVI Bar in 2013. Stephen is ranked in Chambers and Partners and recognised as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 2024.

 

     

    

HR and Practice Manager
Tiffany Turrell  
My services
Director and Shareholder Disputes
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Thanks to the depth of our experience and the resources of our team, we've acted on some of the largest pieces of litigation brought against directors offshore. We're well placed to deal with the 'bet the farm' proceedings that can occur in these type of disputes and have represented parties involved in intra-company disputes, including executive, non-executive and independent directors, majority and minority shareholders, companies and liquidators. We understand that shareholder disputes are often not black and white and our team finds innovative and commercial alternatives to those which the Court may offer – taking a collaborative approach with our clients to ensure that the right result is achieved.

Dispute Resolution
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When your business is involved in any kind of legal dispute it's crucial to work with lawyers who are hands-on, cost-effective and flexible enough to respond quickly and intuitively to your unique situation and needs. We know that there are many different ways a dispute can be resolved and work closely with our clients to understand every aspect of their business, priorities and goals. This allows us to find the best way forward for our clients and to advise on the commercial implications of a dispute, ensuring the process remains as stress-free as possible. Our approach is practical, responsive and tailored to the client's interests. Our expertise and reputation means we're first choice for a range of clients, including banks, trust companies, high net worth individuals and top law firms.

Insolvency and Restructuring
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For financially distressed companies in need of restructuring and reorganisation, or for those where the opportunity to do so has passed or failed, we work to achieve the most beneficial outcome in these difficult situations. 

Our team brings a wealth of experience from a range of diverse backgrounds to give quick, accurate, commercial advice, primarily across the financial services sector. 

Currently working on some of the largest and most complex cross-border insolvencies in the jurisdiction, we frequently advise top law firms from the People’s Republic of China, the US, the UK and other jurisdictions. We are regularly briefed by Sovereign Wealth Funds and Fortune 500 Companies to advise on particular restructurings, as well as investment managers from Europe and the US.

At whatever stage we are engaged, our involvement will assist in identifying the on-going risks facing a client and to enable that client to continue to identify and effectively manage deteriorating relationships with creditors, financiers, investors or other interested parties.

International Arbitration and Mediation
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Arbitration is increasingly being used as a cost-effective, confidential and efficient alternative to court litigation for solving commercial, construction and more frequently trust disputes. The global enforceability of arbitral awards and the successful adoption of virtual technology by most arbitration institutions makes it an attractive option for resolving disputes. With offices in Cayman, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey and London, we can advise you on every aspect of international arbitration. Our dedicated arbitration specialists will work alongside you to quickly determine the best approach for a successful conclusion.

News 14 Nov 2023

Legal 500 Caribbean 2024 guide

Collas Crill's teams in the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands have received a solid set of results in the latest Legal 500 directory. In the BVI the dispute...

Life & Careers 16 Oct 2023

Cricket Square tree planting

Collas Crill, in collaboration with Orchid Development, has planted a native Spanish elm in Cricket Square as part of the Cayman Islands Government's 'plant a tree for the...

Life & Careers 12 Oct 2023

Collas Crill supports charity

Collas Crill in Cayman has had a busy Breast Cancer Awareness month so far. From Pilates, walks and runs, to Monte Carlo nights, the firm has helped to raise money for, and...

Life & Careers 26 Sep 2023

2023 Collas Crill Moot

Students in Guernsey and Cayman are being invited to take part in this year's Collas Crill Moot. The Moot provides students from the Grammar School, Blanchelande College...

News 21 Aug 2023

Cayman Work Experience Programme

Collas Crill are delighted to have welcomed a total of 7 students to our Cayman office on our Work Experience Programme over the last few months. As well as new faces we...

Deal 4 Jul 2023

Limitless: Hunt v Ubhi

The English Court of Appeal (the Court of Appeal) has recently issued a judgment which will be of particular interest to liquidators and those that they pursue in the case...

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Event 15 Nov 2023
Past Event

INSOL International Cayman seminar

Collas Crill is a platinum sponsor of the INSOL International Cayman Islands Seminar.  The seminar is organised in association with RISA Cayman, an INSOL International...

Event 6 Nov 2023
Past Event

Collas Crill in New York

Collas Crill is coming to New York City! A team of staff from our Guernsey, Jersey and Cayman corporate, dispute resolution and private client teams are traveling to New...

Event 13 Mar 2023
Past Event

TL4 FIRE Americas - Cayman

We are delighted to further our support of ThoughtLeaders4 as a sponsor of the inaugural FIRE Americas event in Cayman 12-14 March 2023. With a special focus on North and...

Event 19 Nov 2018
Past Event

International Conference

Collas Crill partner, Stephen Leontsinis will be speaking at this years Serle Court International Trusts and Commercial Litigation Conference. For the third year, Serle...

Event 18 Oct 2018
Past Event

NAFER Annual Conference

Collas Crill is continuing its support of the National Association of Federal Equity Receivers (NAFER) by speaking at its seventh annual conference in October. The event...

Event 27 Jul 2018
Past Event

NAFER conference in Chicago

Collas Crill is continuing its support of the National Association of Federal Equity Receivers (NAFER) with three of the firm's lawyers speaking at its Offshore Insolvency...

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