Matthew Goucke
Partner
Cayman Islands
Matthew specialises in corporate recovery and contentious insolvency in our Insolvency & Dispute Resolution Group.
He is also a member of our Distressed Funds Group and has experience of distressed investment vehicles, particularly hedge funds. He has been with Walkers since 2007.
Matthew works closely with all the major insolvency practitioners in the Cayman Islands (and often with their foreign offices too). He is well known for his advisory work, especially in contentious cross-border liquidations. Matthew is also experienced in shareholder/limited partner disputes, as well as many forms of corporate restructuring.
Matthew has been involved in several high-profile fund/private equity disputes over the past 17 years. He regularly appears in the Grand Court’s specialist financial services division, as well as in the Cayman Island’s Court of Appeal. He has also been involved in multiple cases which have reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Matthew works closely with all the major insolvency practitioners in the Cayman Islands (and often with their foreign offices too). He is well known for his advisory work, especially in contentious cross-border liquidations. Matthew is also experienced in shareholder/limited partner disputes, as well as many forms of corporate restructuring.
Matthew has been involved in several high-profile fund/private equity disputes over the past 17 years. He regularly appears in the Grand Court’s specialist financial services division, as well as in the Cayman Island’s Court of Appeal. He has also been involved in multiple cases which have reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Matthew Goucke is at the top of his profession and widely respected as a litigator. Highly professional, highly responsive and extremely pragmatic in his approach.
Experience and recent work
Previously Matthew worked in the commercial litigation department of Clayton Utz for over four years. He covered all areas of corporate and commercial litigation, focusing on insolvency, and banking and finance. Matthew regularly advised some of Australia’s largest banks, listed companies and a large number of insolvency practitioners.
Qualifications
Admitted in:
- Cayman Islands
- Western Australia (not practising)
Education:
- Bachelor Degrees in Law and Arts, University of Western Australia
- Fellow of INSOL International 2010/11
Matthew obtained the qualification of "Fellow of INSOL International" upon successfully completing the 2010/2011 Global Insolvency Practice Course (the pre-eminent advanced educational qualification focusing on international insolvency). He is also a life member of INSOL, a member of the Editorial Committee for the INSOL International Technical Electronic Newsletter and a member of the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association.
2025 Legal 500 - Leading Partner - Dispute Resolution
Lexology Index - Thought Leaders & Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency
Lexology Index - Recommended - Commercial Litigation
Lexology Index - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2024 Chambers Global - Band 1 - Dispute Resolution
2024 Chambers Global - Dispute Resolution - "Matthew Goucke is extremely knowledgeable and highly recommended."
2024 Chambers Global - Dispute Resolution - "Matthew Goucke is super-engaged, very thoughtful about the advice he gives, very collaborative, and pragmatic on how to allocate work to his team members."
2023 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is very diligent. He has high standards."
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency - "Matthew Goucke draws plaudits from peers for his wide-ranging experience of corporate recovery and contentious insolvency proceedings."
2022 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leader - Commercial Litigation
2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "Matt is a seasoned Cayman attorney. He really knows his insolvency law."
2022 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution - 'Matthew Goucke is at the top of his profession and widely respected as a litigator. Highly professional, highly responsive and extremely pragmatic in his approach.'
2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Commercial Litigation - Matthew Goucke is "a great technical practitioner" with exceptional knowledge of corporate recovery and contentious insolvency matters.
2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery - 'Matthew Goucke enjoys a sterling reputation in the market thanks to his impressive understanding of contentious insolvency and liquidation proceedings.'
2021 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leaders - Litigation
2021 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - Matthew Goucke is "very well respected for his advocacy skills." One peer reported: "I have a lot of respect for him. He's been in the market a long time and knows the court system very well."
2021 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leaders - Restructuring & Insolvency - Matthew Goucke is “a star in the market” who “has pin-point accuracy in identifying issues and the value drivers behind them”. He is “always focused on getting the work done for his clients and does so with tremendous skill and efficiency”.
2021 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution
2020 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Restructuring & Insolvency
2020 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "Matthew Goucke is praised by market commentators saying: “His strength is advocacy in front of judges. He grasps issues very quickly and is extremely articulate in expressing arguments and positions of clients before the court.” One source added: "He is easy to work with. He is very knowledgeable, very commercial and gets the job done."
2020 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leader - Litigation
2019 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leader - Restructuring
2019 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Asset Recovery
2019 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Litigation
2020 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution
2019 Chambers Global Guide - Notable Practitioner (Dispute Resolution) - "Clients appreciate Matthew's "sensible, reasonable and practical" approach, and one added: "I'd recommend him to anybody who asked for a good insolvency lawyer."
2019 Who's Who Legal - Restructuring & Insolvency: Analysis - Recommended Lawyer - "Matthew Goucke is “the most gifted advocate in the Cayman Islands”, with specialist insight into private equity matters and superb expertise on cross-border insolvency litigation. Sources note that he is “very good technically”."
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Matthew Goucke is 'hugely popular with clients'"
2018 Who's Who Legal - Litigation
2018 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "He does a lot of sophisticated work and is an astute and conscientious lawyer." He is also further praised as "a quality advocate who is wonderful when dealing with contentious cases."
2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Matthew Goucke is ‘an exceptional advocate’."
2017 Who's Who Legal - Litigation
2017 Who's Who Legal - Asset Recovery
2017 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Sources say that Matthew Goucke's strengths include 'his ability to respond quickly and decisively,' adding that 'he's pretty fearless in the way he takes a point - he's very committed to his client's case'."
2017 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Dispute Resolution)
2016 Who's Who Legal - Restructuring & Insolvency
2016 Who's Who Legal - Asset Recovery
2016 - Chambers Global Guide – (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "A strong advocate who's very good on his feet."
2016 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Dispute Resolution) - "Matthew Goucke is recommended for corporate recovery and contentious insolvency."
2015 - Chambers Global Guide – (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner - 'Matthew Goucke earns widespread recognition from peers as a "very bright and talented" lawyer. Clients add: "We find him superb, clear-minded, tenacious in his advice and excellent in court."'
2015 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Dispute Resolution) "Matthew Goucke is a 'very bright lawyer, who narrows in on the material issues quickly and efficiently'."
2014 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Dispute Resolution) - "...his ‘knowledge of the law, attention to detail and capacity to work are second to none, as is the quality of his advice and guidance’."
2013 - Chambers Global Guide - "Matthew Goucke is very highly rated by the market and is described as 'very solid and a good strategist when it comes to litigation."
Team Members
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