Chris Keefe
Partner
Cayman Islands
Chris is an experienced commercial litigator, and advises corporate, government and institutional clients.
He is a member of our Insolvency and Dispute Resolution Group.
Chris specialises in contentious cross-border insolvency and restructuring. He regularly advises financial institutions, investors, debtors, creditors (both secured and unsecured), investment funds and insolvency practitioners on large and complex insolvencies, and financially distressed situations.
Chris regularly appears in the Grand Court’s specialist Financial Services Division, as well as in the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal. He has also been involved in multiple cases which have reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Chris has been involved in a number of recent high-profile fund / private equity disputes, including the Abraaj Group, Madoff (Herald Fund, Senator Fund, Primeo Fund, Ascot etc.), the Port Fund, Adamas, Ardon Maroon, China Huishan Dairy and General Shopping.
Chris specialises in contentious cross-border insolvency and restructuring. He regularly advises financial institutions, investors, debtors, creditors (both secured and unsecured), investment funds and insolvency practitioners on large and complex insolvencies, and financially distressed situations.
Chris regularly appears in the Grand Court’s specialist Financial Services Division, as well as in the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal. He has also been involved in multiple cases which have reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Chris has been involved in a number of recent high-profile fund / private equity disputes, including the Abraaj Group, Madoff (Herald Fund, Senator Fund, Primeo Fund, Ascot etc.), the Port Fund, Adamas, Ardon Maroon, China Huishan Dairy and General Shopping.
Chris is someone you want to have on your team.
Experience and recent work
Chris previously spent four years as a solicitor in the litigation and dispute resolution department of Clayton Utz in Melbourne, Australia.
Qualifications
Admitted in:
- Cayman Islands
- High Court of Australia (not practising)
- Supreme Court of Victoria (not practising)
Education:
- Insolvency Education Program, Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia
- Insolvency Law and Professional Practice 1 and 2, Queensland University of Technology
- Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law
- Bachelor of Laws, Deakin University
- Bachelor of Commerce (Economics), Deakin University
Chris is a member of INSOL, the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, the Cayman Islands Restructuring and Insolvency Specialists Association, the Law Institute of Victoria and the Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia.
2024 Chambers Global - Associates to Watch - Dispute Resolution
2024 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency
2023 Chambers Global- Associates to Watch - Dispute Resolution - "Chris Keefe is a standout senior counsel who has considerable experience assisting clients with insolvency proceedings and other commercial disputes. He maintains a strong reputation among his peers in the market."
2022 Chambers Global- Associates to Watch - Dispute Resolution - "He brings a practical understanding to his client's situation."
2022 Legal 500 - Recommended - Dispute Resolution
2021 Chambers and Partners - Associates to Watch - Dispute Resolution - "He is a very good up-and-comer; an enthusiastic and hard-working lawyer," praised a source.
2021 Legal 500 - Recommended - Dispute Resolution - 'Chris is one of the leading associates in the Cayman Islands. He is an excellent advocate but in recent years he has focused on his advice and strategic thinking, and it is paying dividends. Chris is someone you want to have on your team.’
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