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.


Publications June 14, 2021

Calvin Koo Speaks With Financial Times on the Risks of HNWIs Allocating Investments into Digital Currency

The meteoric rise of bitcoin and other digital currencies have made millionaires out of early investors and are attracting many ultra-high-net-worth (UHWN) individuals to join the fray. Kobre & Kim’s Calvin Koo recently sat down with the Financial Times to discuss the trend and the risks.

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Publications June 14, 2021

William McGovern and Chang Liu on Obtaining Post-COVID-19 Vaccination Compassionate Release in New York Law Journal

The high risk of COVID-19 infection and death in U.S. federal prisons has led to a wave of court decisions granting prisoners compassionate release under the 2018 First Step Act (FSA). However, with the proliferation of highly effective vaccines, is this door now closed? Pointing to a recent case, Kobre & Kim’s William McGovern and Chang Liu say not yet in an article for New York Law Journal.

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How SPAC Sponsors Can Protect Themselves and their Investments in a Cooling Market

  • Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”) can provide sponsors—often high-net-worth individuals—with large returns.
  • However, SPACs are not without their risks—there are growing signals the market may be cooling, which could lead to litigation and government enforcement.
  • SPAC sponsors and advisors should prepare early in order to reduce their potential exposure.

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Publications April 22, 2021

Former DOJ Prosecutor Michael Sherwin Discusses Move to Kobre & Kim with Law360

In a recent interview with Law360 marking his start at the firm, Kobre & Kim’s Michael Sherwin, a former top U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor, explained the reasons for his move to private practice from prosecution to defense, as well as the global trends this move allows him to capitalize on.

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Publications April 14, 2021

Evelyn Sheehan and Amanda Tuminelli Pen Article on the New U.S. Administration’s Anti-Corruption Efforts in Latin America

With the new U.S. administration expected to double down on anti-corruption enforcement efforts, and with recent legislation providing them new tools to do so, high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in Latin America are likely to be the focus of scrutiny. Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan and Amanda Tuminelli examine the impending risks in an article for the Anti-Corruption Report.

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Events March 19, 2021

Nicholas Surmacz to Lead Panel on Extradition Claims at C5 Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery Conference

Kobre & Kim’s Nicholas Surmacz will moderate a panel on defending and prosecuting extradition claims in fraud matters at the virtual Fraud, Asset Tracing and Recovery Geneva conference hosted by C5 on March 24, 2021 at 1:30 pm CET / 8:30 am EDT. 

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Publications March 2, 2021

Calvin Koo Pens Article in Wealth Briefing Asia on the Legal Risks for Asia-Pacific Investors Interested in Bitcoin

Bitcoin’s rise in price has coincided with its rise in attractiveness for a growing number of investors, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). However, UHNWIs and their advisers should be wary of potential legal exposure as legal regimes are evolving around the world, including in Asia-Pacific, Kobre & Kim’s Calvin Koo writes in Wealth Briefing Asia.

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Publications March 2, 2021

Sean Buckley and Amanda Tuminelli on Pretrial Release Strategies for Wealthy Defendants in Law360

Ghislaine Maxwell became the latest in a string of defendants held in pretrial detention in part because of her significant financial resources. With home confinement being more comfortable and allowing easier coordination with counsel, what can wealthy defendants do to make pretrial release more likely? Kobre & Kim’s Sean Buckley and Amanda Tuminelli explain in an article for Law360.

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Events March 1, 2021

Robin Rathmell, Carrie Tendler and Sean Buckley to Join Panel on De-Escalating Contentious High-Net-Worth Disputes

Join Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell, Carrie Tendler and Sean Buckley at “The Snowball of HNW Litigation: How HNW Disputes Turn Ugly and Tips for De-Escalation” webinar, co-hosted by Chambers and Partners on Wednesday, March 3 at 1:00 pm GMT. 

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Accolades February 24, 2021

Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins Ranked as Top Reputation Lawyers in the UK

We are proud to announce that Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins have been included in Spear’s Magazine’s 2021 Reputation Management Index, which lists top reputation lawyers and reputation managers in the UK.

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Accolades February 3, 2021

Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins Recognized by Private Client Global Elite as Top Industry Talent

Kobre & Kim’s Robin Rathmell and Polly Wilkins have been recognized among the world’s top professionals serving international private clients in the Private Client Global Elite Directory for 2021.

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Publications January 29, 2021

Evelyn Sheehan and Jason Short on New U.S. AML Risks for High-Net-Worth Individuals and Politically Exposed Persons

As part of the recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 substantially expands the United States’ anti-money laundering (AML) regime, which may pose far-reaching implications to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and politically exposed persons. Kobre & Kim’s Evelyn Sheehan and Jason Short spell out the consequences in an article for Law360.

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Publications January 26, 2021

Wealth Talk: Farrington Yates on Using U.S. Insolvency for Cross-Border Information Gathering

It may be surprising to learn that there can be a broad overlap between U.S. bankruptcy law and litigation involving high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), but as Kobre & Kim’s Farrington Yates explained in the tenth episode of Kobre & Kim’s series with Family Wealth Report on global challenges facing HNWIs, the available tools can be powerful.

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Publications January 22, 2021

Polly Wilkins Analyzes How U.S. May Extend AML Regulations into Antiquities Market in The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. Treasury Department is set to extend anti-money laundering (AML) regulations to the antiquities market. Kobre & Kim’s Polly Wilkins, who focuses on representing ultra-high-net-worth individuals in international disputes, analyzed what may happen when she sat down with The Wall Street Journal.

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Publications January 8, 2021

Wealth Talk: Carrie Tendler on Looking at Litigation Risks as a Necessary Part of Asset Structure Evaluation

For high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), evaluating asset structures from a transactional perspective is not enough. As Kobre & Kim’s Carrie Tendler explained in the ninth episode of Kobre & Kim’s ten-part Wealth Talk series with Family Wealth Report on global challenges facing HNWIs, looking at litigation risks should be a key part of the assessment as well.

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