Gary SMITH

Introduction

Gary Smith advises on investment fund formation and launch and ongoing advice to hedge funds, cryptocurrency funds, private equity funds, and other asset classes, M&A (e.g. involving blockchain technology), ICOs, corporate, finance and banking. He provides Cayman law advice to companies, banks, investment fund managers, in-house counsel, onshore counsel, and high net worth individuals to help deal with day-to-day issues and complex, strategic matters.

Chambers & Partners Global has ranked Smith in the top tiers of investment funds lawyers in the Cayman Islands and he is described by sources as: “a bright guy, a team player, and a hard worker” (Chambers 2014), appreciated for maintaining “strong client-relationships and is highly regarded by sources in North America and Asia” (Chambers 2017), and “his knowledge impresses me and his creativity is very good. He is also very patient and intelligent” (Chambers 2018). In 2022 and 2024, he is ranked in Asia Business Law Journal‘s A-List of the top offshore lawyers. The list is based on extensive research conducted and nominations received from in-house counsel in Asia, and Asia-focused partners from domestic and international law firms. https://law.asia/the-a-list-top-offshore-lawyers-2022/

He has also given expert evidence in the Southern District of New York court proceedings relating to Cayman investment funds and also authored: “Investment Funds – Cayman Islands”, published in the PLC Cross-Border Investment Funds Handbook, 2012; “Fiduciary duties of a general partner of a Cayman exempted limited partnership”, published in the PLC Global Guide for Private Equity and Venture Capital 2015/2016.; and Fund Management – Cayman Islands published by Lexology, 2021/2022.

Notable recent transactions include:

• Advising on the soft wind and restructuring of seven (7) CIMA-registered multi-class funds sponsored by a Portuguese Bank
• Advising on the formation and launch of several venture capital funds managed by California and Hong Kong-based fund managers
• Advising on the listing of a Cayman company, which is the world’s largest synthetic mica manufacturer in respect of its IPO on the Korean Stock Exchange (KRX)’s secondary KOSDAQ market
• Advising on the merger take-private and de-listing of several Cayman domiciled Chinese managed companies from NASDAQ and the NYSE