Karabeth Ovenden

Karabeth is Partner in Quinn Emanuel’s London Office where she specialises in cross-border commercial litigation and arbitration disputes, in particular in the areas of insolvency, financial markets (including fintech and crypto assets), derivatives and regulatory issues.  She also has extensive experience on a broad range of complex disputes relating to corporate governance, shareholder agreements, and M&A.   Karabeth has negotiated numerous favourable settlements for her clients and taken through to final hearing or trial several cases involving multiple jurisdictions, most notably, England, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Russia, Tanzania, the United States, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands.   

In recent years, she successfully negotiated and secured a number of significant settlements for corporate clients arising from M&A transactions and high-net worth individuals in connection with government actions and regulatory investigations. This includes obtaining the release of over US$400 million in assets frozen by government authorities. She has also played a key role in several high-profile cases, including:

• J.P. Morgan International Finance Ltd v Werealize.com Ltd:  Secured a victory for WeRealize.com Ltd in Court of Appeal victory concerning the interpretation of option exercise provisions, establishing important precedent on the interpretation of complex exit rights in shareholder agreements, in connection with US$5 billion shareholders’ dispute arising out of JP Morgan’s acquisition of a 48.5% stake in Viva Wallet.
• Karonis, & Others v. J.P. Morgan International Finance Limited:  Obtained an anti-suit injunction from the English High Court blocking JPM from pursuing Greek proceedings in which JPM sought US$1 billion in damages from the directors of Viva Wallet, a Greek fintech company.  
• In the Matter of NMC Healthcare Ltd, & Others: In the courts of the Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), secured the administration and resulting restructuring of over US$7 billion in debt for the NMC Healthcare group.  Following the discovery of a multi-year fraud involving billions of dollars, this was one of the largest cross-border insolvency proceedings in recent years and the first ever administration in the United Arab Emirates. Also successfully securing recognition of the ADGM administration order in the onshore courts of the UAE, the courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Courts of England and Wales, and established key precedents in the cross-border insolvency space in the Middle East.   
• Barrick Gold and Acacia Mining PLC: In the courts of Tanzania, successfully defended Acacia Mining PLC (now Barrick TZ Limited) in connection with over 100 regulatory disputes exceeding US$190 billion, which eventually culminated in a settlement with the Government of Tanzania.  
•  NMC Healthcare LTD and associated companies v Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC & Others: In the courts of the Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), secured a victory for the NMC group in the court of first instance, following a 5-week trial (which was the first substantial trial in the ADGM courts) in relation to a US$450 million financing facility dispute concerning purported security. 
• Sayacorp B.S.C. (formerly First Energy Bank B.S.C.) v NMC Healthcare Ltd & Others: In the courts of the Abu Dhabi Global Markets, represented NMC Healthcare in connection with its defence to Sayacorp’s claim and her client’s US$800 million counterclaim for conspiracy and fraudulent trading, ultimately ending in a settlement prior to trial.

Karabeth has been recognized in Chambers UK and Legal 500 for her expertise in banking, insolvency, and tax disputes.  She was also named one of The Lawyer’s Hot 100 lawyers.   In recognition of her expertise, she has also been invited to speak on a number of industry panels, including: London International Disputes Week; GRR LIVE – Women in Restructuring; ASIL International Economic Law Interest Group; ALM/Law.com Power, Influence, and Women in Law; Dubai Arbitration Week; and Seton Hall University School of Law’s Healthcare Compliance Program.

Karabeth holds an A.B. in politics with a certificate in economics from Princeton University, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School, in New York.  She also has a Master’s degree from the University of Oxford in international tax disputes.   Prior to joining Quinn Emanuel, Karabeth worked in the New York office of a US law firm, and in the equity derivatives teams of leading international investment banks. She was also appointed as a Magistrate by the Lord Chief Justice in 2015.