Appleby is the only law firm in Bermuda ranked by Legal 500 in Tier 1 across all of the six practice categories: Banking, Finance & Capital Markets; Corporate & Commercial; Dispute Resolution; Insurance/Reinsurance; Regulatory & Compliance; Trusts/Private Client.
Dispute Resolution practice:
Mike Goulborn is an experienced advocate and trust practitioner, with extensive expertise in advising on trust matters, and regulatory and corporate disputes, as well as supervising trust and company structures. He practiced at a leading City of London firm before moving offshore to Jersey and re-qualifying as an Advocate of the Royal Court, appearing for two of the plaintiffs in one of Jersey’s longest ever trials. He has also acted as a director of a Jersey-regulated trust company, advising international high-net worth families. Prior to joining Appleby, he practiced at another Bermuda firm where he advised on the largest in value case ever to come before the Bermuda courts. Mike holds both a Master and Bachelor of Arts in Law from the University of Cambridge. He was admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales in 1992 and called to the Bermuda Bar in 2023.
Matthew Hollis-Smith has represented clients in Bermuda’s Supreme Court and Magistrates’ Court on a wide range of matters including commercial contract disputes, credit recovery, bankruptcies, probate and estate disputes. He has experience working on cross-border insolvency matters and alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration. Prior to joining Appleby, he practised at another Bermuda firm. Matthew completed his LLM and LPC at The University of Law and holds a GDL from City St George’s, University of London. He obtained a Master of Science in Chemistry from Queen Mary University of London. He was called to the Bermuda Bar in February 2024.
John Wasty, Head of Dispute Resolution, commented, “I’m delighted to welcome Mike and Matthew to our dynamic Dispute Resolution team. Mike brings extensive international experience and is a highly regarded trust practitioner with exceptional expertise in complex trust matters. He advises on both contentious and non-contentious issues, including regulatory investigations, and provides trustees and fiduciaries with clear, strategic guidance that will further strengthen our expanding trusts practice. Matthew, a Bermudian, brings a fresh perspective to the team. With a focus on general commercial litigation, including regulatory matters, he will support our lawyers across a broad range of matters and sectors, further enhancing the depth and versatility of our practice.”
Corporate practice:
Avechi Chimara has broad capital markets and corporate experience, advising on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general corporate and commercial matters. Prior to joining Appleby, Avechi practiced as a corporate and securities lawyer with a law firm in Toronto where she advised both privately held and publicly traded companies, concentrating her practice on private placements. She also conducted due diligence in relation to acquisition targets, venture capital investments and transactions within the renewable energy, mineral exploration and sensor technology sectors. Avechi holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours Bachelors of Arts from the University of Toronto with a double major in Political Science and Sociology. She was admitted to practice law in Ontario in 2021 and the State of New York in 2025.
Brad Adderley, Bermuda Managing Partner and Head of Corporate added, “Avechi joins our highly active and growing corporate practice, which continues to see strong demand across capital markets and commercial work. She brings strong expertise advising on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and a wide range of commercial transactions which will further strengthen our team.”
