Britt Smith is Counsel in the Bermuda Dispute Resolution practice.
She has experience in contentious trust matters, contentious restructuring and insolvency, complex commercial litigation and arbitration, regulatory matters, and fraud and negligence disputes.
She advises and acts for trustees, protectors and beneficiaries in respect of offshore trusts and estates, directors, creditors, shareholders and liquidators in the offshore financial services market, and corporate clients in large commercial disputes. She is accustomed to managing complex, high-value litigation.
In the regulatory space she has acted in contentious winding up proceedings and litigation concerning breach of regulatory obligations, assisted with internal investigations, onsite investigations and consequential remediation efforts. In connection with this she has also advised on enforcement actions and settlement processes to keep clients out of enforcement and minimise reputational damage.
Prior to joining Conyers in 2019, Britt practised at Baker McKenzie in their tier 1 Dispute Resolution and Insolvency team, and at a leading offshore firm in the Cayman Islands.
Britt earned her legal qualifications from the University of New South Wales (Juris Doctor, Hons., Class 1) and the Australian National University (Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice). She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) degree, has a specialist accreditation in insolvency law, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
Jurisdiction
Experience
Trusts:
- Acted for Trustee and Protector in contested Public Trustee v Cooper application (unreported ruling, 2023)
- Acted for beneficiaries in contested Public Trustee v Cooper application Re XYZ Trusts [2022] SC 10 Civ
- Acted for Trustee in s 47 application Re CT2 Trust [2021] SC (Bda) 94 Civ and Re TT Trust [2021] SC (Bda) 93 Civ
- Acted for Trustees in Public Trustee v Cooper and s 47 application A & Anor v C et al [2022] SC (Bda) 93 Civ
- Acted for beneficiaries of a high-value estate in proceedings to remove a personal representative
Insolvency & Restructuring/Commercial:
- Acted for an investor group comprised of unpaid redeemed investors bringing a winding-up petition seeking the appointment of liquidators over an investment fund with total net assets of US$250m
- Acted for liquidators of an investment fund in first instance, Court of Appeal and Privy Council proceedings relating to an anti-suit injunction in respect of auditor negligence claims
- Acted for liquidators in a commercial arbitration (American Arbitration Association) in a professional negligence and wilful default dispute against the entity’s former auditors
- Acted for an investment fund in respect of the collapse of a private equity firm with $14bn under management
- Acted for creditors in winding up proceedings and liquidations of multinational companies
- Acted for corporate client in respect of merger by court-sanctioned creditors scheme of arrangement in $700m global restructure and obtaining recognition under Ch 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code
- Acted for a corporate client in a professional negligence dispute against a national commercial law firm
- Acted for a corporate client in a fraud dispute against a former director
Regulatory:
- Advised corporate clients in respect of investigations by the Bermuda Monetary Authority
- Advising on regulatory enforcement actions and settlement processes
- Assisting clients with internal investigations
- Acted in contentious public interest petition proceedings brought by the regulator
- Advised investors in respect of proceeds of crime reporting obligations
Qualifications
Professional Background
- Associate, Dispute Resolution/Insolvency & Restructuring, Baker McKenzie, Sydney
- Associate, Dispute Resolution/Insolvency & Restructuring, Ogier, Cayman Islands
Education
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Fellowship (2022)
- University of Technology Sydney, Australia (in partnership with the Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association): Advanced Certification, Restructuring and Insolvency (2016)
- Australian National University: G. Dip Legal Practice (2014)
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia: Juris Doctor (2013) (First Class Honors, Truman Hoyle Prize for Best Performing Student in stage 3)
- Columbia University, New York: Law (Summer 2012, visiting student)
- La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia: BA, Journalism (2005)
Bar Admissions
- Bermuda (2021)
- Cayman Islands (2017) (non-practising)
- New South Wales, Australia (2014) (non-practising)
- High Court of Australia (2014) (non-practising)
Awards & Accolades
- Recognised in the 2024 edition of Legal 500 Caribbean (dispute resolution)
Associations
- The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Fellow
- RISA, Bermuda
- Women in Insolvency & Restructuring, Bermuda