Ryoko Skelton - Paralegal

Ryoko joined Collas Crill in January 2024.

After graduating with a Post–Graduate Diploma in Law, Ryoko worked as a legal intern in the International Relations Division at the Attorney General Chambers of the Virgin Islands (AGC) where she actively contributed to the effective development of policies and use of information systems for the Mutual Evaluations Assessments by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force and the International Monetary Fund in 2023.

Her post progressed beyond international relations and she was later stationed at the AGC Civil Division. She worked with notable governmental stakeholders alongside Principal Crown Counsel and Senior Crown Counsel to develop reliable and appropriate legal advice for contentious and non–contentious matters and attended court proceedings to provide Counsel with optimal support from inception to conclusion.

Additionally, she produced and led presentations on the Virgin Islands’ Constitution and other crucial topics pertinent to the government in front of distinguished audiences.

Ryoko also participated in the AGC Legislative Drafting Training programme and the British Virgin Islands International Arbitration Clinic for statutory bodies.

Expertise

In regulatory disputes there are often fine lines between the usual wrangling with the regulator and something more serious – by matching our mix of experienced contentious and non-contentious lawyers to the particular problem at hand, we achieve better and more efficient outcomes.

As regulatory experts in the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey we frequently act on contentious matters and can leverage our experience to help clients achieve the highest regulatory standards and avoid common pitfalls.

We combine pragmatic risk assessment with rigorous legal advice and compliance guidance to reduce exposure and protect reputation, while drawing on our cross-jurisdictional knowledge to design remediation strategies, negotiate with regulators and, where necessary, litigate effectively.

Our collaborative approach ensures clients receive clear, actionable legal advice that balances regulatory obligations with commercial realities, delivers timely, proportionate solutions and supports remediation plans, helping prevent escalation into more serious enforcement action and preserve business continuity.

Our dispute resolution specialists collaborate seamlessly with our corporate advisory and banking teams across jurisdictions to advise multinational corporations, trust companies, banks, funds, insurers, governments and directors.

We provide a global perspective, working closely with our clients to ensure that they are best placed to respond to customer issues, fraud risks, rapidly changing market conditions and regulatory demands.

Thanks to the depth of our experience and the resources of our team, we've acted on some of the largest pieces of litigation brought against directors offshore.

We're well placed to deal with the 'bet the farm' proceedings that can occur in these type of disputes and have represented parties involved in intra-company disputes, including executive, non-executive and independent directors, majority and minority shareholders, companies and liquidators. We understand that shareholder disputes are often not black and white and our team finds innovative and commercial alternatives to those which the Court may offer – taking a collaborative approach with our clients to ensure that the right result is achieved.

For financially distressed companies in need of restructuring and reorganisation, or for those where the opportunity to do so has passed or failed, we work to achieve the most beneficial outcome in these difficult situations.

At whatever stage we are engaged, our involvement will assist in identifying the ongoing risks facing a client and to enable that client to continue to identify and effectively manage deteriorating relationships with creditors, financiers, investors or other interested parties.

We live in an increasingly contentious world. When your business is involved in any kind of legal dispute it's crucial to work with lawyers who are hands-on, cost-effective and flexible enough to respond quickly and intuitively to your unique situation and needs.

Our multi-jurisdictional team brings a wealth of experience from a range of diverse backgrounds to give quick, accurate, commercial advice. We work across dispute resolution, restructuring, recovery and insolvency matters to ensure that clients get the full benefit of our know-how and experience across the world.

News and insights

Applying for Norwich Pharmacal relief in the BVI

In light of the privacy afforded to companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (the BVI), it is no surprise that the BVI Court regularly conside...

Guide 18/03/2024

BVI

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