Rob Long

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Robert is a consultant within our top tier Litigation team. His practice focuses on all aspects of commercial and chancery litigation, with a particular interest in and experience of insolvency matters. Robert has appeared regularly as counsel in cases before the various divisions of the Isle of Man High Court.

Robert is ranked in Band 1 in Chambers and Partners UK Guide and is ranked in the ‘Hall of Fame’ in The Legal 500 UK, reserved for lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Selected directory mentions include:

“You can always rely on Rob Long’s highly knowledgeable and commercially minded approach to local and international litigation matters”

“He is a great litigator who is very experienced.” “He is a very good advocate”

“Rob Long provides sage advice on the most complex of private client matters” 

“Robert Long has a wealth of knowledge in complex corporate disputes and commercial litigation. Sources highlight his ‘commercial awareness’ and report that ‘everything he says is well thought through and accurate'”

“The ‘very sensible’ Rob Long is ‘calm and collected, and always does his best for clients’”

“Direct, forthright and pragmatic, he is one of the most experienced litigators in the Manx Bar and has the ear of the court”

“Robert Long is lauded by clients as ‘a highly pragmatic and responsive lawyer.’ Clients also appreciate his meticulous approach, asserting that ‘everything is investigated, looked at and addressed.’’”

A “very effective advocate” who “impresses clients with ‘the speed that he grasps complicated issues – and whenever he speaks invariably worth listening to him’”

Publications

Provided a chapter for “Cross-Border Judicial Cooperation in Offshore Litigation” (ed. Kawaley and others 1st and 2nd ed.s) regarding the Island’s ability to provide assistance in multi-jurisdictional corporate insolvency situations.

  • Contributed a chapter to FT Law & Tax’s “International Tracing of Assets”
  • Have had articles published on such subjects as the recognition of cross-border insolvency and judicial co-operation.

Richard Kniveton

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Richard is a Senior Solicitor (England & Wales) and Trainee Advocate within Cains’ top tier Corporate and Commercial and Banking and Finance team, having joined in September 2024.

Richard has over a decade of experience in the legal sector, having spent over 10 years at global law firm Clyde and Co’s London office with a speciality in projects and construction, before relocating back to the Isle of Man in 2024.

Richard now advises on a wide range of domestic and cross-border corporate, commercial and regulatory matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and complex corporate restructurings. From a regulatory perspective, Richard is well versed in advising clients on their legal obligations under financial services legislation and anti-money laundering legislation. Richard also has experience in assisting with high value debt and equity financing transactions and regularly acts for both lenders and borrowers.

Charles Williams

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Charles is a Senior Associate within our top tier Litigation team and since joining in 2015 has been involved in both international and local commercial litigation matters.

He has experience advising clients on a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious litigation matters including insolvency, debt recovery matters, contractual disputes, civil fraud and contentious employment cases. He regularly appears as counsel in cases before the Isle of Man High Court.

Charles has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ by The Legal 500 UK for his dispute resolution and litigation work, gaining high praise from clients for “providing practical solutions when required on complex matters”.

Holly McGarrigle

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Holly is an Associate within Cains’ Banking and Finance, Corporate and Commercial and Property teams and has experience advising on a varied number of finance transactions ranging from corporate finance, asset and property finance; with a strong focus on commercial real estate financing. Holly regularly acts for a variety of lender and borrower clients, and advises on cross-border real estate financing transactions. She also frequently acts on corporate and commercial matters such as mergers & acquisitions, and complex corporate restructurings.

Holly is an integral part of the Commercial Property team, and is involved in a broad range of commercial property transactions including commercial acquisitions, disposals, financing and lettings acting for a variety of clients including developers, investors, retailers and financial institutions.

Holly has been recognised as a ‘Leading Associates’ by The Legal 500 UK for her Commercial Property work, gaining high praise from clients for her “attention to detail, promptness of correspondence, and the concrete knowledge that we are in safe hands every time make working with the team a genuine pleasure every time.”

 

Jorden Rafferty-Gough

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Jorden is an Associate within our top tier Litigation practice, having joined in July 2023.

Before relocating back to the Isle of Man, Jorden acquired her legal experience in England, where she spent over two years as an advocate with DWF Law LLP, Manchester gaining extensive drafting and advocacy experience in county courts and tribunals across the UK. She qualified as a Manx Advocate in August 2022.

Jorden was educated at Northumbria University where she obtained a First Class Masters in Law. Simultaneously Jorden studied the Bar Professional Training Course and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2017.

She has a broad range of experience advising on commercial, trust and regulatory disputes across multiple jurisdictions including Russia, Luxembourg, Canada and the Cayman Islands.

Jess Whitley

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Jess is an Associate within Cains’ top tier Corporate and Commercial team and Banking and Finance practice, advising on a range of matters from banking and debt finance, mergers & acquisitions, asset finance (with a focus on shipping and aviation finance) and property finance.

Jess graduated from the Northumbria University with a Masters Degree in Law and her postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice.

Jess was formally called to the Manx Bar in January 2022 and is a Commissioner for Oaths.

Since qualifying, Jess has advised banks, asset financiers, syndicated lenders and high net worth individuals on a broad range of domestic and multi-jurisdictional banking transactions as well as corporate and commercial matters.

Jess has been recognised as a ‘Leading Associates’ by The Legal 500 UK for her Shipping and Aviation work, gaining high praise from clients for being “Knowledgeable, reliable, effective and efficient.”

Ruby Roberts

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Ruby is an Associate in the employment and data protection team. Ruby joined Cains from the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance where she held the position of Information Governance Officer.

Ruby qualified as a Manx Advocate in 2022. She has particular experience in relation to data protection and information governance. Ruby was educated at Liverpool University where she obtained a First-Class Honours degree in Law, before further completing an MSc LPC in Law, Business and Management, gaining a Distinction.

Rhys Westwell

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Rhys is a Trainee Advocate within our top tier Litigation practice, having joined in July 2023.

As part of his role, Rhys will begin his two-year articles initially within the company’s litigation department and is scheduled to complete the Manx Bar in 2025.

Rhys attended Ballakermeen High School before attending the University of Leeds, where he graduated in 2021 with a first-class honours law degree. Following his return to the Island in 2021, he has gained in-house legal experience as a paralegal at a global online gaming company.