International Private Client

Kobre & Kim provides offensive and defensive cross-border litigation and crisis management strategies to ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) with global business interests, to preserve their assets, liberty and reputation. Our team of former U.S. government lawyers and commercial litigators have a proven track record of coordinating multi-jurisdictional offensive, counter-offensive and defensive strategies on behalf of international private clients in anticipation, or as a result of, high-stakes civil and criminal proceedings and investigations aimed at asset forfeiture or confiscation. Our multidimensional approach to UHNWI disputes, which includes the deployment of both in-court and out-of-court strategies, is the premier solution for resolving business disputes and sovereign-driven investigations, tracing and recovering misappropriated funds, defending against asset attacks, as well as acquiring and strategically deploying information to provide UHNWIs with a commercial advantage in their disputes and investigations.


Events August 15, 2025

Evelyn Baltodano Sheehan and Carolina Leung Shared Insights on Legal and Reputational Risks Impacting Cross-Border Wealth at São Paulo Event

On August 14, 2025, Kobre & Kim and Cone Marshall co-hosted an event in São Paulo titled Navigating Global Legal and Reputational Risks: How to Structure, Protect, and Preserve Wealth.

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Client Alert August 14, 2025

New DOJ Data Transfer Rules Heighten Risks for China-Linked Businesses

  • The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)’s new Data Security Program imposes strict limits on U.S.-based companies transferring sensitive personal or government-related data to entities linked to “countries of concern”.
  • With steep penalties and reputational fallout at stake, China-linked businesses should proactively map data flows, prepare for enforcement risks, and manage public perception early.

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Publications July 31, 2025

Polly Wilkins with the Financial Times Advisor on AI Fault Lines between UHNW Generations

Kobre & Kim’s Polly Wilkins, who focuses her practice on representing ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families in both international civil and criminal disputes and investigations, shared her expertise on the threats posed by AI-generated disinformation with the Financial Times Adviser in an article titled “AI has opened fault lines that threaten the rich’s succession plans.”

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Client Alert July 31, 2025

UAE Foundation Structures Help Protect Intergenerational Wealth

  • Family offices are increasingly turning to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for sophisticated wealth structuring, taking advantage of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
  • Central to this shift is the attractiveness of UAE foundations, standalone legal entities, similar in function to common law trusts.
  • When properly structured, they support cross-border resilience and align with broader wealth planning strategies.

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Client Alert July 17, 2025

Managing Cross-Border Risks Amid Renewed U.S. FCPA Enforcement

  • The U.S. Government’s latest guidance marks a renewed focus on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement following a temporary pause.
  • Companies operating across borders should proactively assess their exposure; strengthening compliance, identifying vulnerabilities, and managing reputational risks are key to navigating this evolving landscape.

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Client Alert June 12, 2025

Reducing Chinese Entities’ Risks as U.S. Scrutiny Grows

  • Chinese companies and individuals with ties to the U.S. face increasing regulatory and enforcement risks.
  • The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are expected to intensify their investigations and enforcement efforts
  • Those potentially affected should act early and decisively to mitigate exposure, navigate emerging challenges, and safeguard commercial opportunities.

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Client Alert May 15, 2025

Mitigating Cyprus-Tied Shipping Companies' Growing Exposure to Global Economic Pressures

  • The U.S. government's rapidly shifting tariff policies are further straining an already challenged sector, disrupting shipping volumes and adding instability to global supply chains.
  • Individuals and businesses tied to international shipping, particularly those based in Greece and Cyprus, may face heightened exposure to these measures
  • Stakeholders and their trusted advisors should consider taking proactive, precautionary measures to mitigate potential disruptions and protect their business interests.

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Events May 12, 2025

Adriana Riviere-Badell to Speak on Jurisdictional Trends at 2025 STEP Caribbean Conference

Kobre & Kim’s Adriana Riviere-Badell will join a panel of cross-border private client advisors at the 2025 STEP Caribbean Conference, taking place May 14–16 in St. Kitts and Nevis.

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Client Alert April 3, 2025

How AI Increases Disinformation Risks for Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals

  • Emerging technologies are creating new reputational risks for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
  • These create new challenges for reputation lawyers, courts, and governments worldwide as they adapt existing tools and introduce new legislation to cover uncharted territories. 
  • As bad actors' technological capabilities rapidly evolve and fraudulent activities become increasingly sophisticated, the right tools can aid in mitigating risks and combating harmful online narratives.

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Events March 10, 2025

Adriana Riviere-Badell Joins Family Governance and Disputes Panel at ALM’s Private Client Forum Americas 2025

Adriana Riviere-Badell will be speaking at the Private Client Forum Americas 2025 on March 12, 2025, joining the panel "Father and Son – Family Governance and Disputes: Intergenerational Wealth Transfer."

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Publications March 6, 2025

Polly Wilkins and Helena Shipman in Chambers: Regulatory, Legislative and Technological Factors Shaping the Fast-Changing Reputation Law Landscape

With the evolution of technology, the reputation law landscape is changing. The challenge for reputation lawyers, the courts and governments in jurisdictions around the world is to keep pace by identifying the threats and adapting the existing toolset to meet those challenges, as well as introducing new legalization and regulation where that is not possible. In Chambers’ latest Defamation & Reputation Management Global Practice Guide, Kobre & Kim’s Polly Wilkins and Helena Shipman explore these new threats and the tools available that can be leveraged to minimize them.

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Publications March 6, 2025

Polly Wilkins with Tatler: How to Manage Your Online Reputation in an AI Era

Kobre & Kim’s Polly Wilkins sat down with Tatler to share her insight on the threats posed by AI-powered scams, and what preventative measures individuals can take to protect themselves.

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Client Alert February 27, 2025

Managing Risks in the New Era of U.S. Sanctions

  • The new U.S. administration will likely continue to embrace economic sanctions as a tool for pressuring political adversaries abroad.
  • Recent moves include pressure on historically aligned nations such as Canada, Mexico, and Colombia and sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC).
  • Should relations between the U.S. and other governments or organizations shift from the status quo, at-risk entities and individuals may take proactive steps to mitigate potential risks.

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Publications February 25, 2025

Miranda Ching with GIR: Diageo’s Real Risk is Reputational

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation said in January that it was investigating UK-headquartered alcoholic beverage company Diageo for alleged bribery that occurred nearly 20 years ago. Kobre & Kim’s Miranda Ching sat down with Global Investigations Review to share her insight on the reputational risks Diageo may now face.

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Accolades February 13, 2025

Private Client Global Elite Directory Recognizes Polly Wilkins, Helena Shipman, Ed Llewelyn-Evans and Mark Rowlands

In recognition of Kobre & Kim’s deep experience representing private clients around the world, the 2025 Private Client Global Elite Directory has recognized Polly Wilkins, Helena Shipman, Ed Llewelyn-Evans and Mark Rowlands among its list of the world’s top private client lawyers.

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