Catherine Pham

Overview

I’m a Partner and the Practice Leader of our Corporate team in our Cayman Islands office and I specialise in investment funds.

I regularly advise private equity sponsors, investment banks and investment managers on the structuring, formation, regulation and governance of investment fund structures (across a broad range of asset classes), their downstream transactions (including finance transactions) and exit mechanisms.

I also advise institutional, strategic and seed investors in connection with their investments into investment funds.

I’m regularly involved in the structuring and implementation of a wide range of corporate transactions, including SPACs, joint venture arrangements, acquisitions and corporate restructurings.

Prior to joining Mourant, I worked both offshore and onshore, notably at Fraser Milner Casgrain in Toronto.

Professional qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, Canada, 2002
• Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, the University of Windsor in Canada, 1999

Memberships

• The Law Society of Upper Canada
• Attorney in the Cayman Islands
• 100 Women in Finance, Cayman (Main Committee Member and Peer Engagement Committee Co-Chair)
• Women in Fund Finance
• Hedge Funds Care, Cayman (Committee of Hearts)

Work highlights

• Advised a $40 billion AUM ETF platform on the establishment of its ETFs' downstream Cayman vehicles
• Advised Seven Seven Six (founded by Alexis Ohanian) on its acquisition of a minority stake in Chelsea FC Women
• Advised a global fund administrator with multi-trillion dollars in AuA on a multi-phase investment by a sovereign wealth fund
• Advised triple-listed BeOne Medicines, a multi-national oncology company specializing in the development of drugs for cancer treatment, on its continuation into Switzerland
• Advised a US-based investment firm with $10 billion AUM on the establishment and structuring of each of its tech-focused funds
• Advised the US arm of a European investment firm with €111 billion AUM on the structuring and establishment of its GP stakes direct equity investment platform
• Advised a UK-based investment firm with $16 billion AUM on the structuring and establishment of a rated note feeder vehicle, which acts as a feeder fund to its Luxembourg-domiciled hybrid credit fund structure
• Advised a US-based aircraft leasing platform and investment firm on the structuring and establishment of each of its six aviation funds

What the directories say

Catherine is Highly Regarded as a Woman Leader in Investment Funds in IFLR1000 2025.

In Legal 500 Caribbean 2025, Catherine is ranked as a Leading Partner in Investment Funds. A source comments: "Catherine Pham represents a rare blend of being a lawyer's lawyer, at the same time as being commercial and user-friendly." Catherine is also a Recommended Lawyer in Corporate and Commercial, Regulatory and Compliance, and Banking, Finance and Capital Markets. 

In Chambers and Partners Global 2025, Catherine is ranked in Investment Funds. A source comments: "Catherine is a sensible, responsive and helpful adviser."

In Legal 500 Caribbean 2024, Catherine is ranked as a Leading Indivdual in Investment Funds. A source comments: "Catherine Pham offers the perfect mix of being excellent technically, super responsive and very personable and relatable. She is a pleasure to work with." Catherine is also a Recommended Lawyer in Corporate and Commercial and Banking, Finance and Capital Markets. 

In Chambers and Partners Global 2024, Catherine is ranked in Investment Funds. A source comments: "Catherine Pham is fantastic because she is smart, commercial, very responsive and will find solutions."

Catherine is recognised as a Women Leader and Market leader in Investment Funds in IFLR1000 2023.

In Chambers and Partners Global 2023, Catherine is ranked in Investment Funds. A source comments: "Catherine is outstanding. She's amazing with clients and has real market intelligence."

In Legal 500 Caribbean 2023, Catherine is a Recommended Lawyer in Corporate and Commercial, and named as a Next Generation Partner in Investment Funds. She is described as "a well-kept secret – a lawyer’s lawyer and commercial to boot. A class act." 

Catherine was the only Cayman-based lawyer recognised by the Hedge Fund Journal in their Top 50 Women in Hedge Funds Report 2022.

Catherine is Highly Regarded in IFLR1000 2022.

"She is technically very good as well as being very commercially aware and easy to work with." "She is very responsive and has strong attention to detail. She is well versed in matters of Cayman fund legislation and can provide appropriate and timely feedback to her clients on any questions they have." Chambers Global, 2022.

Chambers and Partners Global 2021 states that: "Catherine delivers top-notch service," offering "practical solutions" and "value-added input." The directory adds: "She is technically excellent and clients love working with her."