Ben Hobden

Overview

Ben Hobden is a Partner in the Litigation department in the Cayman Islands office of Conyers Dill & Pearman and has been involved in some of the largest matters in the jurisdiction over the last six years, regularly appearing before the Grand Court and Court of Appeal.

Prior to joining Conyers in 2012, Ben worked at a large practice in the UK. Ben’s practice covers insolvency and restructuring, s.238 shareholder appraisal cases, cross-border commercial disputes and shareholder and corporate disputes. Ben is seen as an industry leader in respect of restructurings by way of scheme of arrangement. His client base includes Pioneer Alternative Investment Management, RC Cayman Holdings, FTI Consulting, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and Avenue Capital.

Ben is recommended by the Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and Who’s Who Legal.

Ben is a member of INSOL International and RISA. Ben forms part of the INSOL International working group tasked with reviewing and developing organisational channels utilised by the organisation.

Experience

Experience Highlights

Advised Springland International Holdings Limited in connection with its HK$4.5 billion privatization by Octopus (China) Holdings Limited by way of a scheme of arrangement and its delisting.
Acted for Pioneer Alternative Investment Management defending a claim brought by the liquidators of the Primeo Fund arising out of the Madoff fraud.
Acted for Ernst & Young in relation to claims of auditor negligence and fraud brought against them by the liquidators of Weavering Macro Fixed Income Fund Limited.
Acted for Avenue Capital in relation to the appointment of provisional liquidators and subsequent restructuring of Ambow Education Holdings a Chinese VIE structure.
Acted in the successful defence of complex winding up proceedings and ancillary conspiracy proceedings regarding the Torchlight Fund, L.P.
Acted in the Ocean Rig restructuring, the largest to take place in the Cayman Islands which took place by way of scheme of arrangement.
Acting for the Public Institution for Social Security, a Kuwaiti pension fund, as petitioning creditor of Abraaj Holdings.
Acted for Bloomage BioTechnology Corporation in respect of its HK$3 billion privatization by way of Cayman scheme of arrangement.
Acted for Schahin II Finance Company (SPV) Limited in respect of the restructuring of its $660m debt by way of Cayman Islands Scheme of Arrangement and accompanying Chapter 15 proceedings, appearing as an expert in the latter.
Acted on behalf of LL Finance LLC, the litigation funder in the Platinum Partners liquidation.
Acting in the successful defence of complex winding up proceedings and ancillary conspiracy proceedings regarding the Torchlight Fund, L.P.
Acting on behalf of Steven Goodman as assignee of claims from Tangerine Investment Management in respect of claims vicariously brought against DMS Governance Limited

Qualifications

Professional Background

Senior Solicitor, Andrew Jackson, 2008-2012

Education

The College of Law, York, LPC (Distinction), 2006
The University of Hull, LLB (First class; qualified top of class), 2005

Bar Admissions

Cayman Islands, Attorney-at-law, 2012
England & Wales, Solicitor, 2008 (not currently practising)

Awards & Accolades

Recognised in the 2020 edition (and since 2017) of Chambers Global (dispute resolution)
Winner of the 2020 Lexology Client Choice Awards
Recognised in the 2020 edition (and since 2017) of Who’s Who Legal (restructuring & insolvency)
Recognised in the 2020 edition (and 2019) of Global Restructuring Review 100
Recognised in the 2019 edition (and since 2017) of Who's Who Legal (asset recovery)
Recognised in the 2019 edition (and since 2014) of Legal 500 Caribbean (dispute resolution)
Recognised in the 2019 edition of Global Restructuring Review’s Names To Know in Cayman

Associations

Cayman Islands Legal Practitioner's Association
Law Society of England and Wales

Publications

Offshore Cases

2017 Global Corporate Year in Review, January 2018

Claim Priorities in Rescue Proceedings – A Global Compendium, INSOL International, December 2016

Wound Up, Or Not? Rhône Holdings in the Cayman courts, CDR, Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2016

Enforcement of Arbitration Award in Cayman: MNC Media Investment Limited v Ang Choon Beng, International Corporate Rescue, March 2016

Cayman Islands Court of Appeal Clarify Law in Favour of Redeeming Investors, International Corporate Rescue, January 2016

Area(s) of Expertise

Legal Services

Cayman Islands Litigation & Restructuring
Litigation & Restructuring

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