Offshore law firm Ogier has hired restructuring and insolvency expert Joanne Collett as a partner in Hong Kong from rival Walkers.

Collett, who advises clients in both contentious and non-contentious matters, represents debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, shareholders, investors, directors, fund managers and insolvency practitioners on matters of the Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands law with respect to issues arising in relation to offshore entities and structures.

During her career, Collett has assisted offshore companies experiencing financial distress and their stakeholders regarding protective steps, enforcement of rights and remedies, taking and enforcing security, enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards, interim relief in support of foreign proceedings, and fund-related questions.

In 2021, Collett was named as one of the ALB Top 15 Offshore Litigators.

Collett spent a decade at Walkers, having joined in 2014 from another offshore firm, Appleby. She previously worked for Milbank, Blake Dawson (now Ashurst), and Australian law firm Finlaysons.

"I am very pleased to welcome Joanne to our Hong Kong Dispute Resolution team and look forward to working with her," said Oliver Payne, Ogier’s head of dispute resolution in Asia.

Added Marc Kish, the firmwide head of dispute resolution: "Joanne's experience will only add to our offering in the Cayman and BVI spaces, and it is fantastic to be able to welcome someone with such a breadth of insolvency experience across a number of jurisdictions, which will undoubtedly bring benefits to our office and clients and also to the wider firm."