Rupert Bell

Rupert Bell

Partner

T +1 345 914 4203
M +1 345 525 1160

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Practice Areas

Rupert is a partner in the firm's Insolvency & Dispute Resolution Group. He has extensive experience in contentious and non-contentious insolvency matters, corporate rescues and restructurings/refinancings and other distressed situations (often involving cross-border elements) as well as complex litigation involving financial services and fraud and asset tracing. He regularly advises financial institutions, investment funds, insolvency practitioners, receivers, debtors, creditors, shareholders, directors and financial advisors.

Rupert Bell appears in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He also regularly provides expert evidence on matters of Cayman Islands law for the benefit of foreign courts.

Rupert has been involved in hundreds of investment fund wind down scenarios involving both liquidation and management-lead wind downs. He has expertise acting for all relevant parties including investors, management, directors, professional service providers, lenders and liquidators. He is well versed on matters of corporate governance and shareholder remedies.

Rupert is also extremely active in advising in relation to appraisal rights under the statutory merger regime that is contained in the Companies Law. He has been involved in various leading cases before the Cayman Courts in respect of appraisal rights.

Rupert has been recognised in all leading independent directories.

Examples of Fund Litigation/Insolvency/Bankruptcy Cases:

  • Acorn International, Inc. acted for the petitioning creditor which successfully resulted in the making of alternative relief to a winding up order for the first time in the Cayman Islands
  • Altair Asia Investments Limited - acted for the company in respect of two winding up petitions
  • Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (in Provisional Liquidation) – acted for joint provisional liquidators of the company
  • Autohome Inc. – acted for a shareholder of the company in successfully defending a winding up petition
  • Avendis Alternative Trading Ltd (in Voluntary Liquidation) – acting for the joint voluntary liquidators of the company
  • Avendis Enhanced Fixed Income Trading Ltd (in Official Liquidation) – acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Avendis Global Fund Ltd (in Official Liquidation) – acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Avendis Global Strategies Trading Ltd (in Official Liquidation) – acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • B.I. Creditanstalt International Bank – acted for joint official liquidators of the company
  • Bona Film Group Limited – acted for the petitioning creditor which successfully resulted in the appointment of joint provisional liquidators over the company
  • Caledonian Bank Limited (in Official Liquidation) – acting for joint controllers/joint official liquidators of the company
  • Caledonian Global Financial Services Inc. (in Official Liquidation) – acting for joint official liquidators of the company
  • Caledonian Securities Limited (in Official Liquidation) – acting for joint controllers/joint official liquidators of the company
  • Citrico International Ltd. (in Official Liquidation) – acted for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Cybernaut Growth Fund, L.P. (in Official Liquidation) – acted for joint official liquidators of the company
  • Dyoll Insurance Company Limited (in Official Liquidation) – acted for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • G3 Exploration Limited (formerly Green Dragon Gas Ltd.) (in Provisional Liquidation) – acted for joint provisional liquidators of the company
  • General Shopping E Outlets Do Brasil S.A. - acted for the company successfully defending winding up petition
  • General Shopping Investments Limited - acted for the company successfully defending winding up petition
  • Global Opportunities Breakaway Fund, L.P. (in Official Liquidation) – acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Grand T G Gold Holdings Limited – acted for the petitioning creditor seeking the appointment of joint official liquidators over the company
  • Harbinger China Dragon Intermediate Fund L.P. (in Official Liquidation) – acted for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • IIG Global Trade Finance Fund Ltd (in Official Liquidation) – acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • IIG Structured Trade Finance Fund Ltd (in Official Liquidation – acted for the petitioning shareholder which successfully resulted in the appointment of joint official liquidators over company and acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Kuo Investments Ltd – acted for a shareholder of the company in respect of a winding up petition (dismissed)
  • NBRL Global, Ltd. – acted for a shareholder of the company in respect of a winding up petition (dismissed)
  • OneTradeX Ltd. (in Provisional Liquidation) – acted for joint provisional liquidators of the company
  • Pepin Fund Limited – acted for the joint voluntary liquidators of the company seeking directions from the Court as to the treatment of FIN48 liabilities
  • Premier Assurance Group SPC (in Provisional Liquidation) – acting for the joint controllers/joint provisional liquidators of the company
  • Saad Investments Company Limited (in Official Liquidation) – acted for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Shanghai International Capital Management (Holding) Limited – acted for the petitioning creditor which successfully resulted in the appointment of joint official liquidators over company and acting for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Singularis Holdings Limited (in Official Liquidation) – acted for the joint official liquidators of the company
  • Trident Microsystems (Far East) Limited (in Provisional Liquidation) – acted for the purchaser of assets out of the estate of the company
  • Wyser-Pratte Eurovalue Fund, Ltd. - acted for the company successfully defending a winding up petition
  • Yucaipa Global Partnership L. (in Voluntary Liquidation) – acted for the joint voluntary liquidators of the company
Examples of Appraisal Rights Cases:

  • Bona Film Group Limited
  • eHi Car Services Limited
  • JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd.
  • Perfect World Co., Ltd.
  • Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd.
  • Shanda Games Limited (in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council)
  • Sina Corporation
  • Trina Solar Limited
Examples of Schemes of Arrangement:

  • Neo Cayman Holdings Ltd. – acted for company proposing scheme of arrangement
  • United America Indemnity, Inc. – acted for company proposing scheme of arrangement

Prior Employment Experience

Following completion of his Bachelor of Laws, Rupert worked as associate to the Honourable Justice Dowsett of the Federal Court of Australia in 2003. He then practised as a solicitor in the Litigation Group of Clayton Utz for three years prior to joining Walkers.​

Admitted in & Qualifications

Admitted In:
Cayman Islands
Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia (not practising)
High Court of Australia (not practising)

Qualifications:
First in Law, University of Queensland
Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Queensland University of Technology
Masters of Laws, Queensland University of Technology

Other Distinctions

2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency - Rupert Bell is well known for his adept handling of complex corporate restructuring and insolvency mandates.

2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Investigations

2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is very easy to work with and is always available for complex litigation questions or even very basic questions related to Cayman law." "He has a very shrewd way of thinking about things."

2022 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution - 'very competent, practical and responsive.’  and 'Rupert Bell is deeply experienced and well-regarded counsel who is renowned for aggressively pursuing his client’s interests.'

2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery

2021 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is a very well-established and experienced partner who is well versed in cross-border issues."

2021 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leader - Restructuring & Insolvency - Rupert Bell “works relentlessly for his client and always gets the job done right” note sources, who distinguish him as “the genuine article of an insolvency and restructuring lawyer”.

2021 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution - 'Legally and commercially astute and one of the most strategic minds around.’

2020 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency 

2020 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "One source stated: "His strength is his technical ability and knowledge of law. He has a really great grasp of any legal issue arising on Cayman litigation or contentious liquidation." A client added that he is "phenomenally bright and very, very responsive."

2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Banking, Finance & Capital Markets - "Rupert Bell is extremely responsive and available, and quickly gets up to speed on matters"

2019 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Asset Recovery

2019 Who's Who Legal - Investigations - Future Leaders - Partners

2019 Chambers and Partners - Up and Coming - Dispute Resolution

2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Rupert Bell is 'very responsive and experienced in complex insolvencies'"

2018 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Thorough and diligent. He has lightning-fast reactions and can deal with issues as they arise. His responsiveness is amazing."

2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Rupert Bell is ‘an excellent insolvency technician with commercial acumen and the appetite to fight hard on the points that matter’."

2017 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery

2017 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Rupert Bell makes his debut in the rankings this year, having been highlighted by a number of sources as a lawyer who is both 'very bright and very good on his feet'. Clients in particular note that he is 'an assertive lawyer who will go in to fight for you'."

2017 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution

2016 International Who's Who of Asset Recovery Lawyers

2014 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - Rupert Bell is ‘very easy to work with’."

News, Matters and Publications

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"Works relentlessly for his client and always gets the job done right."

Who's Who Legal

 

"He is a very well-established and experienced partner who is well versed in cross-border issues."

Chambers and Partners

 

"Phenomenally bright and very, very responsive."

Chambers and Partners

 

"His strength is his technical ability and knowledge of law. He has a really great grasp of any legal issue arising on Cayman litigation or contentious liquidation."

Chambers and Partners

 

"Legally and commercially astute and one of the most strategic minds around."

Legal 500

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