Eleanor Morgan

Overview

I’m the Managing Partner and Head of the Litigation department in our BVI office. I have practised in the BVI since 2011, before which, I worked in London at Macfarlanes LLP.

I have extensive experience acting on a wide range of international litigation, contentious trust and insolvency matters, with emphasis on distressed funds work, and have been involved in many of the largest offshore disputes to come before the BVI Court in recent history. 

I've recently spoken at leading international conferences, including International Trust and Estates conference in Barcelona and the Serle Court International Trusts and Commercial Litigation conference in New York.

In 2021, I won 'Woman of the Year - Future Leaders - Partner, Director' Gold Award at the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards 2021.

Work highlights

• Advising the joint liquidators of Kingate Global Fund, Ltd and Kingate Euro Fund, Ltd , two of the largest investors in the Madoff Ponzi scheme, investing approximately $1.7 billion over 14 years

• Acting for liquidators in relation to a number of liquidations including the liquidation of Victory Life and Pensions Assurance Services Limited and the liquidation of another major Madoff-feeder fund

• Advising the beneficiaries and/or trustees of BVI trusts in relation to a wide range of different issues, including breach of trust claims, beneficiaries' information requests, issues with chains of trusteeship and in cases where the trustee has been named in foreign divorce proceedings in which the settlor or a beneficiary is a party

• Advising and acting for shareholders in disputes including unfair prejudice claims, breach of partnership, breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent misrepresentation claims in structures including underlying companies in Cyprus, Russia, PRC, Hong Kong, Africa and India

• Advising the General Partner of a BVI Limited Partnership and acting in litigation arising out of a number of BVI Limited Partnerships; and acting in a BVI-based arbitration

Professional qualifications

• Solicitor Advocate, British Virgin Islands

• Solicitor, England and Wales (currently non-practising)

• ACTAPS Education Course

Memberships

• The BVI Bar Association
• The Restructuring and Insolvency Specialists Association
• A founding member of Women's Offshore Network

What the directories say

Commentators draw attention to Eleanor's "pragmatic and level-headed" approach, adding that she is "very smart and sensible" and "a great person to have on your team.", Chambers and Partners Global, 2021. 

Commentators hold Eleanor Morgan in high regard, describing her as "knowledgeable and swiftly decisive" and "hugely experienced in litigation.", Chambers and Partners, 2020.

"Eleanor Morgan is a no-nonsense litigator whose direct and forthright approach to litigation has won her many admirers.", Legal 500, 2020. 

Eleanor is named in the prestigious Legal Week Private Client Global Elite directory, 2019.

Eleanor Morgan is 'superb – a great practitioner and also very personable', Legal 500, 2019.

'Eleanor Morgan is well thought of among peers, with a broad international litigation practice which covers trust disputes as well as high-value insolvencies. According to one source, "she's a great practitioner - very personable, clearly very experienced and knowledgeable. She is my main go-to for BVI disputes work."' Chambers Global, 2019.

'She is very practical and not afraid to give advice you don't want to hear,' Chambers Global, 2018.

'An excellent commercial litigation lawyer,' Legal 500 Caribbean, 2018.

'Conscientious and able, a very safe pair of hands,' Legal 500 Caribbean, 2017.

'She'll leave no stone unturned; she's a very, very good lawyer,' Chambers & Partners, 2017.

'Sources are particularly impressed with her 'technical aptitude' and 'responsive manner',' Who's Who Legal, 2016.