Jerry D. Samuel, MCIArb

Jerry Samuel is a Partner in Conyers’ BVI Litigation & Restructuring practice. He is one of the most established advocates in the BVI with over 19 years of experience appearing before the Commercial Court. Jerry frequently appears in complex matters before the Commercial Division of the High Court and the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal. He specialises in shareholder disputes, cross-border insolvency, enforcement of judgments/arbitration awards, asset tracing and urgent interim relief. Jerry regularly advises on all aspects of compulsory liquidations, contentious share redemptions and contentious probate actions.

Jerry’s broad commercial experience includes advising and representing major financial institutions, insolvency and bankruptcy practitioners, trade creditors, companies and entrepreneurs operating in a variety of sectors, including banking, energy, oil & gas, digital assets and insurance, across countries and regions, including Angola, Brazil, BVI, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, England, Europe, Hong Kong, Nigeria, PRC, Russia, Singapore, USA and South Africa.

Jerry has been involved in some of the jurisdiction’s most notable commercial disputes over the years, including: obtaining interim relief and advising on insolvency actions in connection with the Kaupthing Bank financial crisis (2008-2011); advising and representing PJSC VTB Bank on enforcement actions, obtaining urgent interim relief and implementing cross-border insolvency measures related to enforcement of security and substantial foreign judgments (2012-2014); advising and representing Fuchs Petrolub SE in a major unfair prejudice dispute (2011-2014) that led to a six week trial before the BVI Commercial Court and consequential appeals. Jerry also advised a number of high-value trade creditors in connection with the Pacific Andes debt crisis (2016-2017) and entities affected by the Evergrande Group crisis (2023-2024).

Jerry recently advised several companies in connection with ‘soft-touch’ provisional liquidations and continues to represent minority shareholders in the BVI’s leading derivative action before the Commercial Court and the Court of Appeal in relation to a fraud on the minority shareholders of King Bun Limited (2017 to present). He was also involved in advising on restructuring and insolvency issues arising from the Evergrande Group crisis. Jerry regularly advises foreign bankruptcy trustees on asset tracing and foreign assistance under the Insolvency Act and represents clients seeking Norwich Pharmacal relief, Mareva relief and receivership appointments.

Jerry is consistently recognised by the leading legal directories, which commend him as being both versatile and client focused. He has the ability to represent clients as the lead advocate on highly contentious matters, and capably assists lawyers in other jurisdictions with case strategy on complex cross-border disputes. Recent Legal 500 testimonials laud Jerry as being “singled out as first class, extremely hard working and very client focused” and “very commercially minded, an experienced litigator, and really trusted by clients as a safe pair of hands”.

Jerry is often sought out for his thought leadership and has presented at several international conferences on fraud and asset tracing. He also remains involved in the BVI community as a Notary Public, a member of the BVI Bar Association and was a founding member of the Recovery and Insolvency Specialists Association (BVI). Jerry is a former member of the Fintech Steering Group and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (BVI) and he is a former board member of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission. Jerry currently serves as the Chairman of the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency.

Prior to joining Conyers in 2008, Jerry obtained a Bachelor of Laws Degree (Hons.) from Cardiff University Law School in 2004 and was called to the Bar of England & Wales in July 2005 by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. He was further admitted to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (Virgin Islands) in September 2005.