Rupert Bell
Partner
Cayman Islands
Rupert specialises in insolvency matters, corporate rescues and restructurings, and complex litigation.
He is part of our Insolvency & Dispute Resolution Group.
Rupert regularly advises financial institutions, investment funds, insolvency practitioners, receivers, debtors, creditors, shareholders, directors and financial advisors on:
Rupert regularly advises financial institutions, investment funds, insolvency practitioners, receivers, debtors, creditors, shareholders, directors and financial advisors on:
- Contentious and non-contentious insolvency matters
- Corporate rescues, restructurings and refinancings, and other distressed situations (often involving cross-border elements)
- Complex litigation involving financial services, and fraud and asset tracing.
He appears regularly in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He also provides expert evidence on Cayman Islands law for foreign courts.
Rupert has been involved in hundreds of investment fund wind-down scenarios. He has worked for investors, management, directors, professional service providers, lenders and liquidators. He also has expertise in corporate governance and shareholder remedies, and appraisal rights under the statutory merger regime in the Companies Law.
Before joining Walkers, Rupert was a solicitor in the Litigation Group of Clayton Utz for three years. Previous to that he worked as associate to the Honourable Justice Dowsett of the Federal Court of Australia.
He is aggressive, thorough and resourceful, with an ability to retain focus on the big picture while also addressing the details.
Experience and recent work
Before joining Walkers, Rupert was a solicitor in the Litigation Group of Clayton Utz for three years. Previous to that he worked as associate to the Honourable Justice Dowsett of the Federal Court of Australia.
Qualifications
Admitted in:
- Cayman Islands
- Supreme Court of Queensland, Australia (not practising)
- High Court of Australia (not practising)
Education:
- First in Law, University of Queensland
- Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Queensland University of Technology
- Masters of Laws, Queensland University of Technology
Rupert is a member of RISA (Cayman) and the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association.
2025 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partners - Dispute Resolution
Lexology Index - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2024 Chambers Global - Band 3 - Dispute Resolution
2023 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency - Rupert Bell is well known for his adept handling of complex corporate restructuring and insolvency mandates.
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Investigations
2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is very easy to work with and is always available for complex litigation questions or even very basic questions related to Cayman law." "He has a very shrewd way of thinking about things."
2022 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution - 'very competent, practical and responsive.’ and 'Rupert Bell is deeply experienced and well-regarded counsel who is renowned for aggressively pursuing his client’s interests.'
2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2021 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is a very well-established and experienced partner who is well versed in cross-border issues."
2021 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leader - Restructuring & Insolvency - Rupert Bell “works relentlessly for his client and always gets the job done right” note sources, who distinguish him as “the genuine article of an insolvency and restructuring lawyer”.
2021 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution - 'Legally and commercially astute and one of the most strategic minds around.’
2020 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency
2020 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "One source stated: "His strength is his technical ability and knowledge of law. He has a really great grasp of any legal issue arising on Cayman litigation or contentious liquidation." A client added that he is "phenomenally bright and very, very responsive."
2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Banking, Finance & Capital Markets - "Rupert Bell is extremely responsive and available, and quickly gets up to speed on matters"
2019 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Asset Recovery
2019 Who's Who Legal - Investigations - Future Leaders - Partners
2019 Chambers and Partners - Up and Coming - Dispute Resolution
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Rupert Bell is 'very responsive and experienced in complex insolvencies'"
2018 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Thorough and diligent. He has lightning-fast reactions and can deal with issues as they arise. His responsiveness is amazing."
2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Rupert Bell is ‘an excellent insolvency technician with commercial acumen and the appetite to fight hard on the points that matter’."
2017 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2017 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Rupert Bell makes his debut in the rankings this year, having been highlighted by a number of sources as a lawyer who is both 'very bright and very good on his feet'. Clients in particular note that he is 'an assertive lawyer who will go in to fight for you'."
2017 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution
2016 International Who's Who of Asset Recovery Lawyers
2014 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - Rupert Bell is ‘very easy to work with’."
Lexology Index - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2024 Chambers Global - Band 3 - Dispute Resolution
2023 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency - Rupert Bell is well known for his adept handling of complex corporate restructuring and insolvency mandates.
2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Investigations
2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is very easy to work with and is always available for complex litigation questions or even very basic questions related to Cayman law." "He has a very shrewd way of thinking about things."
2022 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution - 'very competent, practical and responsive.’ and 'Rupert Bell is deeply experienced and well-regarded counsel who is renowned for aggressively pursuing his client’s interests.'
2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2021 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is a very well-established and experienced partner who is well versed in cross-border issues."
2021 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leader - Restructuring & Insolvency - Rupert Bell “works relentlessly for his client and always gets the job done right” note sources, who distinguish him as “the genuine article of an insolvency and restructuring lawyer”.
2021 Legal 500 - Next Generation Partner - Dispute Resolution - 'Legally and commercially astute and one of the most strategic minds around.’
2020 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency
2020 Chambers and Partners - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "One source stated: "His strength is his technical ability and knowledge of law. He has a really great grasp of any legal issue arising on Cayman litigation or contentious liquidation." A client added that he is "phenomenally bright and very, very responsive."
2020 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Banking, Finance & Capital Markets - "Rupert Bell is extremely responsive and available, and quickly gets up to speed on matters"
2019 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Asset Recovery
2019 Who's Who Legal - Investigations - Future Leaders - Partners
2019 Chambers and Partners - Up and Coming - Dispute Resolution
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Rupert Bell is 'very responsive and experienced in complex insolvencies'"
2018 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Thorough and diligent. He has lightning-fast reactions and can deal with issues as they arise. His responsiveness is amazing."
2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - "Rupert Bell is ‘an excellent insolvency technician with commercial acumen and the appetite to fight hard on the points that matter’."
2017 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery
2017 Chambers Global Guide - (Dispute Resolution) A Notable Practitioner. "Rupert Bell makes his debut in the rankings this year, having been highlighted by a number of sources as a lawyer who is both 'very bright and very good on his feet'. Clients in particular note that he is 'an assertive lawyer who will go in to fight for you'."
2017 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution
2016 International Who's Who of Asset Recovery Lawyers
2014 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution - Rupert Bell is ‘very easy to work with’."
Team Members
Other team members with related expertise
