Overview

Sarah Thompson is a partner in our Litigation, Insolvency & Restructuring group. She has a broad dispute resolution practice, with a particular expertise in complex high-value corporate and commercial disputes, which are frequently multi-jurisdictional in nature and financial services litigation.

Prior to joining Campbells, Sarah practised in the British Virgin Islands for over five years at another leading offshore law firm, where her practice encompassed company and shareholder disputes, civil fraud and asset tracing, enforcement, trusts litigation, hedge fund and private equity disputes, and insolvency and restructuring.

Having begun her legal career at Linklaters, Sarah subsequently worked for both a leading global investment bank and alternative investment manager. This industry experience informs Sarah’s approach to contentious matters in the private equity and hedge fund space and her interest in the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency and virtual asset related disputes. Sarah studied modern languages at Christ Church, University of Oxford. She is fluent in French and German and speaks conversational Spanish.

 

Expertise

Work Highlights

(Confidential clients, prior to joining Campbells)

  • Acting for the claimant company in a breach of directors’ duties claim brought by its liquidators against the former directors.
  • Acting for a shareholder in proceedings relating to a USD 150 million private investment in public equity.
  • Acting for the defendant in relation to an attempted BVI action by a private equity group against a former employee.
  • Acting for the insurer and insured claimants in a negligence claim against a BVI company arising from the destruction of their asset.
  • Acting for the UK’s largest merchant claimant in the interchange fee litigation against Visa and Mastercard.
  • Acting for multiple claimants against a major UK investment bank arising from both the bank’s sale of derivative products and the post-2008 conduct of its restructuring division.
  • Acting for the joint liquidators in a professional negligence claim against a major accountancy firm relating to the conduct of the former administrators of an iconic landmark building in the City of London.
  • Acting for a major brokerage house in a contractual dispute with a trading counterparty and in a dispute with a former senior executive.
  • Representing the outgoing CEO and seed investor of a UK listed mining company in a dispute with the company.
  • Acting for a private equity fund in an international arbitration relating to a shareholder dispute.
  • Advising a global mobile payment technology company in relation to both disputes with its former founder and an investor dispute.
  • Representing the CIO of a large family office in an equity participation and option rights dispute.
  • Representing a London-based investment manager in a dispute with its seed investor and JV partner.
  • Acting for a Jersey-based hedge fund in a trading counterparty dispute with a European bank.
  • Acting for a global catering company in relation to both a contractual dispute relating to a major sporting series and a prosecution by a major water company.

Qualifications and Admissions

  • British Virgin Islands, 2017
  • England and Wales (non practising), 2005
  • Christ Church, University of Oxford: BA (Hons) French and German
  • Oxford Institute of Legal Practice (2002 – 2003): Legal Practice Certificate
  • Oxford Brookes University (2001 – 2002): Common Professional Exam/Graduate Diploma in Law
  • Higher Rights of Audience – Civil (BPP Law School)

Prior Career History

  • Prior to joining Campbells, Sarah practiced at another leading offshore law firm in BVI.

Professional Associations

  • INSOL
  • RISA
  • BVI Bar Association
  • IWIRC
  • 100 Women in Finance
  • Women’s Offshore Network (BVI)

Publications and News

Articles

  • Crypto Winter in the Caribbean.
    This article will provide a brief overview of the BVI insolvency framework and some of the key considerations and themes arising in the context of crypto insolvencies.