BVI Disputes, Insolvency, Asset Recovery
MEET OUR PEOPLE
Our Lawyers Ensure Excellence
ANDREW EMERY
Partner
Andrew read law at Oxford University (New College), where he was President of the New College Law Society, before completing an LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law at University College, London (UCL). He was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2004 by Lincolns Inn before undertaking pupillage at a commercial Chambers in Grays Inn.
He was called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands) in 2013 and has been a Part II Advocate (Full Rights of Audience) at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) since 2013. He is also an approved lawyer for the Falkland Islands.
Andrew's practice for the past twenty years has focused on Offshore Commercial Law and to that end he has worked on matters from the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Anguilla and most prominently the British Virgin Islands. Significant examples of matters he has been involved in include: the Kingate liquidations, Three Arrows, 1MDB, the recent Nam Tai litigation and matters relating to the Emerson Renova dispute.
Andrew currently sits on the Board of Directors of RISA (BVI), which in turn is a member of the International Association of Restructuring Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL).
He is a past Treasurer of the BVI Bar Association, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn.
Scholarships and Prizes
Somerset Scholarship
The Mary Datchelor Trust Scholarship
Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln's Inn
Finalist, Sir Louis Gluckstein Prize for Advocacy, Lincoln's Inn
"Andrew is an extremely able and very capable practitioner. He attracts lots of good, high-profile work and is very hands-on." Chambers Global 2026
"Andrew seems to know about every case, solicitor and barrister in the business and has done so for years. His knowledge of the offshore legal world is encyclopaedic." Chambers Global 2026
"Andrew Emery has an unparalleled understanding of the BVI courts and is considered a formidable advocate while also being well liked and highly respected by the BVI judiciary." Chambers Global 2026
Email: andrew.emery@emerycooke.com
MICHAEL SCOTT KC
Partner
Michael is one of the leading lawyers in the Bahamas and heads up Emery Cooke's Bahamian practice.
Between 1985 and 2010 he was Senior Partner and Head of Litigation of one of the leading law firms of the Bahamas before leaving to set up his own practice.
He is an advisor to the Government of the Bahamas and is the current Chairman of the Hotel Corporation of the Bahamas. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales (Grays Inn) in 1976 and admitted as Counsel and Attorney of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in the same year.
He was admitted to practice at the Bar of the Cayman Islands for the purpose of the BCCI Litigation and has extensive practice in the Court of Appeal of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
With expertise ranging from Banking and Commercial matters, Shipping and Admiralty, Trust Law and Insolvency as well as providing consultation and advice to Governmental Ministers and Agencies, Michael is able to provide legal advice across a broad range of commercial matters.
Email: michael.scott@emerycooke.com
CHRISTOPHER LLOYD
Partner
Christopher is one of the most senior lawyers in the British Virgin Islands having been a Founding Partner of Harneys (originally Harney, Westwood & Lloyd).
After leaving Harneys he was the Managing Partner of one of the leading law firms in the Channel Islands. He has extensive knowledge and experience of BVI Trust Law and indeed the Channel Islands, both in their formation and administration as well as contentious issues.
MARY-FRANCES MORRIS
Partner
Mary-Frances read law at Oxford University (New College), having prior to that researched and taught psychology for a number of years, at Oxford University, Department of Psychiatry and the University of St Andrews.
She later attended the Inns of Court School of Law in London and was subsequently called to the Bar in 2004. She is a practising Barrister of the Courts of England and Wales.
She has a particular interest in civil/commercial fraud and the areas which lie behind it, such as: deceit; conspiracy; dishonest assistance; knowing receipt; breaches of fiduciary duties; and asset tracing/recovery. She enjoys the particular challenge of disputes with cross border elements.
She is called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands).
Mary-Frances also campaigns for the rights of people living with dementia. She is Joint Convenor of the board of Alzheimer Scotland, the dementia charity; chair of the Alzheimer Scotland Human Rights and Public Policy Working Group; and sits on the Board of Alzheimer Europe. She was recently an invited speaker at the World Congress on Adult Capacity.
Scholarships and Prizes:
Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust Scholarship;
The Kate Adams Trust Scholarship;
Middle Temple Entrance Exhibition;
Erasmus Award for study abroad;
Lord Woolf Scholarship (Essay Competition) - Runner Up
OWEN PREW
Of Counsel
Owen is an experienced commercial litigator with a strong track record in complex, high-value offshore disputes. He holds an undergraduate degree in law from the University of Oxford (Trinity College) and an Executive MBA, combining rigorous legal training with commercial insight.
He trained in London at leading international law firm Slaughter and May, where he developed a solid foundation in corporate and commercial law before focusing his practice on contentious matters. Over the course of his career, he has acted in some of the most significant offshore litigation, including CH Trustees, Fairfield Sentry, Mount Capital, and the long running Emerson Renova dispute.
He was called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands) in 2012.
Owen has particular expertise in cross-border insolvency, asset tracing and recovery, shareholder disputes, and complex trust litigation. He frequently works alongside onshore counsel, forensic accountants, and investigative teams to develop and execute multi-jurisdictional litigation strategies. His experience spans proceedings before courts in key offshore jurisdictions, often involving parallel actions in major financial centres.
Clients value his strategic approach, creative and pragmatic advice, and the ability to navigate the intersection of legal, commercial, and reputational considerations in high-stakes disputes.
Email: owen.prew@emerycooke.com
ROBERT DOUGANS
Of Counsel
Robert read Modern History at Oxford University (Oriel College) before taking the Postgraduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice. He trained as a solicitor at Herbert Smith, qualifying in September 2003. He is also a member of The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn.
Since then Robert has worked in litigation in law firms in the City of London, being promoted to Partner in the London office of Bryan Cave in 2014 and being the Head of Dispute Resolution at Preiskel & Co LLP from 2018 to 2025.
Robert was awarded Higher Rights of Audience as a Solicitor-Advocate in 2010 and has appeared as an advocate in a number of reported cases. He won The Lawyer Award’s Assistant Solicitor of the Year in 2010 and has been The Times Lawyer of the Week.
Robert’s practice has focussed upon conflicts of law, fraud and asset tracing and he has unusually strong experience involving the service of proceedings out of the jurisdiction, freezing injunctions, asset tracing, shareholder disputes and disclosure orders. He has regularly acted in disputes involving clients from Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East.
He also has a particular interest in the enforcement of foreign judgments and obtained the first recognition and enforcement of a Dubai International Finance Centre (“DIFC”) Court judgment in England.
SANEL SUSAK
Associate
Sanel Susak is a commercial litigation and insolvency lawyer whose practice focuses on complex disputes before the courts of the British Virgin Islands. He advises clients on a broad range of contentious matters, including shareholder and corporate disputes, insolvency and restructuring proceedings, fraud and asset tracing claims, enforcement of judgments and arbitral awards and cross-border commercial litigation.
Sanel regularly acts for companies, insolvency practitioners, financial institutions, directors, shareholders and high-net-worth individuals in matters involving BVI business companies and offshore structures. His experience spans all stages of litigation before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, including proceedings in the Commercial Division and appeals before the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal.
Drawing on his experience in multi-jurisdictional disputes, Sanel advises clients on matters involving asset recovery, allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, contentious insolvencies, and disputes arising from complex international corporate and investment structures. He works closely with clients and foreign counsel to coordinate litigation strategies across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring that BVI proceedings align with broader commercial objectives.
Before relocating to the British Virgin Islands, Sanel practised as a Barrister in England and Wales, where he developed a strong foundation in advocacy and commercial dispute resolution. He moved to the BVI in 2025 to join the BVI office of a well known international commercial law firm before joining Emery Cooke in 2026.
He is admitted to practise in both England and Wales and the British Virgin Islands.
Sanel holds a law degree from the University of Oxford (University College) and a Master of Laws from University College, London (UCL), (LLM), which he completed with distinction. He has also authored legal articles and commentary on developments in commercial and insolvency law.
Clients value Sanel for his pragmatic approach, technical expertise and commitment to delivering clear, commercially focused advice. He is dedicated to helping clients navigate the complexities of BVI litigation and achieve effective outcomes in high-stakes disputes.
Sanel is fluent in Serbo-Croat.
Scholarships and Prizes
Winner of the Francis Taylor Building Mooting Competition
Winner of and highest individual score in University College LRMSP Moot.
Winner of the Kevin De Silva Essay Prize
HHJ Paul Clark Scholarship (Middle Temple)
Simmons and Simmons prize for highest Law Moderations results (Oxford University)
Bird & Bird Bursary
Email: sanel.susak@emerycooke.com
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
