Sequor Law successfully defends a $19.5 million injunction protecting offshore-dissipated escrow funds, affirmed by Florida's Third District Court of Appeals in February 2019. Third District Court of Appeals Affirms $19.5 Million Mandatory and Prohibitory Temporary Injunction Order in Case No. 17-01358 CA 22 – Hakim v. Tawil et al. Open Case Results Open June 17, 2020 1 minute read Sequor Law Sequor Law represented the Plaintiff in successfully obtaining a $19.5 million temporary mandatory and prohibitory injunction to protect the res of a constructive trust claim, which funds had been dissipated from Miami escrow accounts to offshore accounts during the pendency of the case. The Florida Eleventh Judicial Circuit Complex Business Litigation Court required the Defendants to return the $19.5 million to a Miami escrow account and prohibited further transfer of the funds. The Defendants appealed the adverse injunction order over the escrow funds by arguing, among other things, that the Court should not have entered the injunction without first determining it had personal jurisdiction over the defendants. Sequor Law represented the Plaintiff as Appellee in the appeal. After considering the briefing and oral argument, on February 26, 2019, the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed injunction order in a written opinion. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Miami's Sequor Law hires insolvency and litigation partners Leyza B. Florin and Fernando Menendez Jr. from GrayRobinson, growing to 14 lawyers and strengthening its cross-border insolvency practice. Miami’s Sequor Law Raids GrayRobinson for Two Insolvency/Litigation Partners Open In the News Open June 4, 2018 2 minutes read Sequor Law By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys Leyza B. Florin and Fernando Menendez Jr. joined Miami’s Sequor Law as partners. Leyza B. Florin and Fernando Menendez Jr. Sequor Law , the Miami firm formed in 2017 as the successor to Astigarraga Davis, on Monday hired insolvency and litigation lawyers Leyza B. Florin and Fernando Menendez Jr. as partners. Both came from GrayRobinson . Florin said Sequor Law’s well-known international insolvency practice is a great fit for her practice. She does a range of insolvency work and litigation, including complex business bankruptcy and commercial litigation. Menendez does a variety of insolvency work, including complex workouts, bankruptcy litigation and representation of foreign and domestic court-appointed trustees. Florin , who is also a Florida Supreme Court-certified civil mediator, declined to identify clients they brought with them to the new firm. “The firm not only gains two outstanding lawyers with years of experience in insolvency, restructuring and commercial litigation, but their bilingual and multicultural heritage will add to the growth of our market leadership in international asset recovery and cross-border insolvency,” Edward Davis, a founding partner of Sequor Law, said in a statement. Both Florin and Menendez are fluent in English and Spanish. In April 2017, Astigarraga Davis co-founder Jose Astigarraga left the firm along with a group of international arbitrators to open a Miami office for Reed Smith. At that time, Davis changed the name of Astigarraga Davis to Sequor Law, which has a practice focusing on asset recovery, financial fraud and cross-border insolvency. With the lateral hires, Sequor Law now has 14 lawyers. GrayRobinson, the duo’s former firm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Click to view full article. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law Shareholder Leyza B. Florin is inducted to the 32nd Class of The American College of Bankruptcy, recognized for professional excellence in bankruptcy and insolvency practice. Leyza B. Florin Inducted to the 32nd Class of The American College of Bankruptcy Open Awards & Recognition Open November 9, 2021 1 minute read Sequor Law Congratulations to Shareholder Leyza B. Florin for her induction to the 32nd Class of The American College of Bankruptcy and being honored and recognized for her professional excellence and her exceptional contributions to the bankruptcy and insolvency practice. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law Shareholder Leyza B. Florin, IWIRC International's Immediate Past Chair, is featured as IWIRC Florida's member spotlight, highlighting her unique journey from teacher to top attorney. Leyza B. Florin Featured as IWIRC Florida Member Spotlight Open In the News Open July 12, 2022 1 minute read Sequor Law Sequor Law Shareholder Leyza B. Florin , and IWIRC International’s Immediate Past Chair was this month’s IWIRC Florida’s member spotlight. Did you know Leyza started her career as a public school teacher? Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law's Amanda E. Finley examines how the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) affects document discovery obligations in US litigation and insolvency proceedings. The Effect of the General Data Protection Regulation on Discovery in the United States Open Legal Insights Open December 8, 2020 4 minutes read Sequor Law By Amanda E. Finley , Miami The European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and it became effective on 25 May 2018. 1 The GDPR enforces privacy requirements to protect EU citizens. 2 “The GDPR applies to the processing of ‘personal data,’ which is defined as any information related to an ‘identified or identifiable natural person,’” who can be directly or indirectly identified by the data produced. 3 The GDPR purports to have extraterritorial effect by applying “regardless whether the processing takes place in the EU or elsewhere.” 4 The GDPR allows imposition of penalties and sanctions that “significantly increase[d] the maximum fine to €20 million, or 4% of annual worldwide turnover, whichever is greater.” 5 Further, “[t]he GDPR provides an individual with access to the courts to seek a judicial remedy” in addition to any administrative remedy. 6 Essentially, any production of documents that contain information about EU citizens could cause serious consequences and large fines for a GDPR violation. The early cases in the United States suggest that the GDPR may have a profound impact on discovery in the United States. The GDPR may provide for targets subject to the jurisdiction of courts in the United States to object to discovery with the purpose (or possibly under the guise) of protecting EU citizens’ privacy. Defendants may object to production as a whole, request significant redaction of the discovery, request a strict confidentiality agreement, request to produce anonymized data that does not identify any EU citizen, or any combination thereof. There is limited case law on the implications of the GDPR on U.S. discovery because it is a relatively new regulation. So far, U.S. courts have taken divergent approaches on how to address and resolve objections to discovery based on the GDPR. Overall, it appears that most courts are allowing production of the discovery in some form, over a defendant’s GDPR objection. U.S. Courts’ Historical Response to Discovery Objections Based on Foreign Privacy Statutes or Secrecy Laws Historically, U.S. courts have been unwilling to allow a foreign privacy statute to preclude the production of responsive documents that were otherwise discoverable in U.S. litigation. As the Supreme Court stated, “[i]t is well settled that such statutes do not deprive an American court of the power to order a party subject to its jurisdiction to produce evidence even though the act of production may violate that statute.” 7 The Court further noted that the French “blocking statute” was “originally ‘inspired to impede enforcement of United States antitrust laws,’ and that it did not appear to have been strictly enforced in France,” which further undercut U.S. courts’ interest in enforcing that foreign privacy statute over the American interest of full disclosure in discovery. 8 Prior and subsequent courts similarly ruled that foreign privacy statutes are not dispositive on production of discovery in U.S. cases, although the statutes may be relevant to the issue of whether sanctions should be imposed for failure to comply with U.S. discovery orders. 9 Likewise, U.S. courts deemed foreign bank secrecy laws insufficient to preclude discovery in U.S. litigation. 10 Therefore, generally, courts in the United States overwhelmingly have held that full disclosure in discovery outweighs any interest in enforcing foreign privacy or secrecy laws. A Chronological Review of U.S. Courts’ Approaches to GDPR Discovery Disputes and Other Foreign Privacy Statutes On 5 October 2018, the first published ruling on GDPR in U.S. litigation involved a defendant, Microsoft, raising a GDPR objection to discovery based on the undue burden and cost of producing the discovery due to “the alleged tension with GDPR.” 11 The court did not significantly analyze the GDPR issue, but stated that “the court [wa]s not persuaded by Microsoft’s arguments concerning undue burden” and required the production of documents. 12 On 17 December 2018, the first substantive ruling by a U.S. court to address an objection to discovery based on GDPR was in the context of a 28 U.S.C. § 1782 application to obtain discovery for use in a foreign proceeding. 13 The court “grant[ed] the application with respect to documents held by foreign custodians only to the extent that the Applicants (1) assume the costs of the document production, including the costs of compliance with the GDPR or other applicable European data privacy laws and (2) indemnify Respondents against any potential breaches of European data privacy laws.” 14 Although the court granted production of the documents over the GDPR objection, this ruling has serious adverse consequences for parties seeking discovery in U.S. litigation if the GDPR is implicated because it required unknown and potentially multimillion-dollar indemnification liability on the party receiving the documents. The approach in Hansainvest of requiring indemnification of the discovery target “against any potential breaches of European data privacy laws” is a serious deterrent to any party seeking discovery. 15 It would be unusual and highly unlikely that any party would knowingly accept such an open-ended and potentially large financial risk given the large fines for a GDPR violation. If courts routinely adopted this approach, it would have a significant chilling effect on U.S. discovery when the GDPR is implicated. Hansainvest is the only U.S. court, thus far, to rule that indemnification of any GDPR liability is a condition precedent to production of the documents. In later rulings, U.S. courts have taken less drastic approaches to GDPR objections to discovery. Click here to read the full article in the Spring 2020 International Law Quarterly (page 16) and the Business Law Section. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law's Daniel Coyle explains the asymmetrical nature of discovery in Chapter 15 proceedings, where foreign representatives can obtain discovery while resisting demands from other parties. Just Say No: Discovery in Chapter 15 Bankruptcies is Asymmetrical Open Legal Insights Open April 21, 2021 1 minute read Sequor Law By: Dan Coyle Foreign Representatives in Chapter 15 petitions are specifically permitted to conduct discovery to locate the debtor’s assets within the United States to increase estate and creditor recoveries in the overseas proceedings and to probe the debtor’s affairs, rights, obligations or liabilities. In the U.S. ancillary proceeding, the Foreign Representative will encounter resistance and other entities may seek to propound subpoenas under Fed. R. Bankr. 2004. Sometimes, these entities are creditors who seek information relevant to their claim or assets available to pay the same. Other times, these entities are subpoena targets who seek to gain a peek into the Foreign Representative’s search, seek to distract and/or delay the Foreign Representative from the asset search, or who seek to “punish” the Foreign Representative. The Foreign Representative may be able to avoid responding to such requests by moving for protective order or to quash the subpoena based upon 11 U.S.C. 1521(a)(4) and/or Rule 2004(a). The arguments are based upon: 1) the language of 1521(a)(4) and two canons of statutory construction, or, alternatively; 2) interpretive case law under Rule 2004 as to the requirements to show a “pecuniary interest” in a case. Read the original article here . Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law's Christopher A. Noel speaks on international trends and high net worth matrimonial asset recovery at the 27th USMBA Annual Conference in Houston, Texas. Christopher A. Noel to Speak at the 27th USMBA Annual Conference Open Events & Speaking Open October 7, 2021 1 minute read Sequor Law Christopher A. Noel will be speaking on the International Trends and Family Law panel focusing on high net worth matrimonial asset recovery at the 27th USMBA Annual Conference in Houston, Texas on October 20th. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

An overview of 28 U.S.C. § 1782, one of the most powerful discovery tools available to foreign litigants, allowing evidence gathering in US federal courts for use in international proceedings. Section 1782 Remains One of the Most Powerful Discovery Tools as Appellate Courts Uphold its Use in Aid of Private Commercial Arbitration Open Legal Insights Open June 10, 2020 4 minutes read Sequor Law 28 U.S.C. § 1782, known colloquially as “Section 1782,” is a federal statute that allows foreign litigants and interested persons to request judicial assistance from U.S. federal courts to obtain evidence for use in a proceeding in a foreign or international tribunal. Section 1782 is highly relevant to a wide array of legal practitioners, both within and outside the U.S., as federal courts have concluded that evidence obtained through Section 1782 may be used in civil, criminal, probate, bankruptcy, marital, administrative, and regulatory cases. In short, if your client is not using Section 1782 as part of its litigation strategy, there is a good chance that your client’s opponent is using it to your client’s disadvantage. Section 1782 is an alternative to the slower, and oftentimes cumbersome, cross-border discovery mechanisms such as letters rogatory and diplomatic or consular channels, because it can be pursued directly by the litigant or interested party without the involvement of the foreign court or tribunal or of the governmental authorities making up the traditional channels. Section 1782 was enacted decades ago and was revised extensively in 1964, but its widespread use did not take off until after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2004 ruling in Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. against Intel Corp. , or “Intel” as the seminal decision is widely known. In the Intel case, the Supreme Court clarified the statutory requirements that an applicant has to satisfy to obtain evidence using Section 1782 as well as a number of discretionary factors courts should also consider. If the applicant is successful, it can obtain U.S.-style discovery from persons or entities located where the application is filed (in the form of site inspections, requests for production of documents, or deposition testimony under oath) for use in the foreign proceeding. Typical Section 1782 subpoena targets include businesses (including affiliated companies and subsidiaries), financial institutions, professionals such as lawyers and accountants, brokers, escrow agents, art galleries and auction houses, former employees, and many more. This incredibly powerful tool can also be pursued on an ex parte basis (at least initially) and does not require the applicant to prove that she has exhausted her domestic evidence gathering tools in the foreign case or, significantly, that the evidence will be admissible in the foreign proceeding. One issue that has been contested since Intel was decided is whether Section 1782 can be used in support of a private commercial arbitration (as opposed to treaty-based arbitrations where the use of Section 1782 is clearly supported by the applicable case law). Recently, the Sixth Circuit and Fourth Circuit Courts of Appeals broke with the Second and Fifth Circuits and determined that interested parties may rely on Section 1782 to obtain evidence for use in a privately constituted international arbitration proceeding. In September 2019, the Sixth Circuit analyzed the definition and interpretation of the word “tribunal” at length (relying on the ordinary meaning of the word, several dictionary definitions, the use of the word in legal writing, and an examination of the statute’s text, context and structure) and held that the language of Section 1782 unambiguously “includes private commercial arbitral panels established pursuant to contract and having the authority to issue decisions and bind the parties.” Abdul Latif Jameel Transportation Co. Ltd. v. FedEx Corp. , 939 F.3d 710, 723 (6th Cir. 2019). A few months later, the Fourth Circuit followed. In March 2020, the Fourth Circuit agreed that private arbitral tribunals are “foreign tribunals” within the meaning of Section 1782, and rejected a litany of policy arguments advanced by the respondent. Servotronics, Inc. v. Boeing Co. , 954 F.3d 209 (4th Cir. 2020). Although district court decisions have been deeply divided on the issue since Intel, there is now strong momentum gathering at the appellate level favoring the use of Section 1782 in aid of private commercial arbitration. For example, California district courts had uniformly followed the Second and Fifth Circuits in holding that an applicant may not obtain evidence through Section 1782 for use in a private commercial arbitration—until recently. In February 2020, a federal court in the Northern District of California adopted the reasoning and conclusion of the Sixth Circuit’s decision regarding Section 1782’s application to private international arbitration. HRC-Hainan Holding Company, LLC v. Yihan Hu , No. 19-mc-80277, 2020 WL 906719 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 25, 2020). That case is now on appeal, and the Ninth Circuit is positioned to rule on the issue. In sum, the already powerful Section 1782 has seen its applicability bolstered by two of the highest courts in the U.S. indicating that Section 1782 will remain an indispensable tool in any international lawyer’s toolbox for the foreseeable future. About the authors: Arnie Lacayo ( alacayo@sequorlaw.com ) is a Shareholder and Cristina Vicens ( cvicens@sequorlaw.com ) is an Attorney at Sequor Law. Lacayo and Vicens focus their practices on investigations, financial fraud and corruption-related asset recovery cases, as well as cross-border insolvency. Both Lacayo and Vicens have extensive experience with the Section 1782 statute, including in some of the most-cited cases in the U.S. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

A Florida court grants emergency Chapter 15 relief to Grant Thornton trustees after UK jeweller Darren McCormick failed to disclose his US property portfolio in his British bankruptcy. Tyneside jeweller failed to disclose US assets, joint trustees say Open In the News Open November 20, 2019 2 minutes read Sequor Law A Florida court has recognised a British jeweller’s bankruptcy after his joint trustees Grant Thornton found he had lied about his US property portfolio before an English court. In an order on 15 November Judge Catherine McEwen , at the US Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, granted emergency relief to Grant Thornton partner Nicholas Wood and director Colin Diss , who were appointed as joint trustees of Darren McCormick in May this year. McCormick is a jewellery distributor based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a city in the UK’s north-east England region. He is the director and shareholder of locally incorporated company Darren McCormick Jewellery. Hong Kong-based watch company Zero Time Product Design International filed for a petition for McCormick’s bankruptcy in December 2018, after he failed to pay a debt he owed to them. McCormick failed to appear at the bankruptcy hearing and in April 2019 District Judge Michelle Temple, in the County Court of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, declared him bankrupt. The court appointed Diss and Wood the following month. In their petition before the Florida court the trustees said McCormick had transferred £83,000 (US$107,000) from two UK pension funds to his US bank account in Florida in January. In a signed declaration before the Newcastle court in July, McCormick said the withdrawals from the pension funds were, “to fund a dental cosmetic treatment and cell injection therapy” he had been receiving in the US and denied owning property in the US. But an investigation by the joint trustees found that he in fact owns a property in Rockwood, Tennessee, and had recently owned two in St Petersburg, Florida. One of the properties McCormick had owned in Florida, which he claimed he sold for US$236,000, had in fact been sold for US$255,000. It found he had sold the second to DMJ Trading, a Florida company he owned, for US$10. Diss told the court the third property was valued at US$349,600. The joint trustees deduced that McCormick had lied about his US property assets to thwart their ability to realise his US assets. Based on these findings the joint trustees said “we know that the Debtor’s sworn declaration, stating that he owned no property in the United States, is false”. In March, after McCormick learned that bankruptcy proceedings were pending against him, he transferred ownership of his primary residence in Newcastle to his ex-wife, although he continued to live in the property rent-free with her permission. McCormick then transferred £14,000 (US$18,000) from his US bank account to another one of his creditors American Express. Diss told the court he had later transferred his controlling interest in two companies to a third party “for no apparent consideration”. He said that following Chapter 15 recognition he expected to be able to identify additional assets belonging to McCormick in the US. In the US Bankruptcy Court Middle District of Florida Tampa Division In Darren Bernard McCormick [Case 8:19-bk-10768-CPM] Counsel to Foreign Representative Sequor Law Shareholder Leyza B. Florin in Miami Joint trustees and foreign representatives Grant Thornton Director of asset and recovery team Colin Diss and partner Nicholas Wood in London County Court at Newcastle Upon Tyne District Judge Michelle Temple To view the original article, click here. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law celebrates National Pet Day by making a charitable donation to PAWS4you Rescue, a Miami nonprofit dedicated to saving abandoned animals across South Florida. Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Donation to PAWS4you Rescue Open Firm News Open April 9, 2025 2 minutes read Sequor Law Miami, Florida— In honor of National Pet Day, Sequor Law has made a charitable contribution to PAWS4you Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the lives of abandoned and at-risk animals across South Florida. Founded in 2007, PAWS4you provides critical medical care, shelter, and adoption services to dogs in need. The organization relies on community support to carry out its mission of rescue, rehabilitation, and responsible pet ownership. “At Sequor Law, we believe pets are more than companions—they’re family. We’re proud to support PAWS4you’s tireless efforts to rescue and rehome animals in our community,” said Gregory S. Grossman, Founding Shareholder, Sequor Law. Mirta Segredo, Community Outreach Director at PAWS4you, expressed her appreciation: “We depend on the generosity of our donors to continue our mission. This donation from Sequor Law will help us save more lives.” This initiative is part of Sequor Law’s broader commitment to community engagement and philanthropy. The firm invites others to celebrate National Pet Day by adopting, donating, or volunteering. To learn more about PAWS4you or to get involved, visit www.paws4you.org . For a behind-the-scenes look at the furry friends who inspire us daily, visit our Pets of Sequor Law page, https://www.sequorlaw.com/pets . *** Sequor Law is an international law firm focusing on representing victims of financial fraud, including sovereign governments and state-owned enterprises, public and non-public companies, insolvency practitioners, and all manner of clients in the areas of asset recovery, financial fraud, cross-border insolvency, and international litigation and arbitration. www.sequorlaw.com . *** PAWS4you Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteer and donor-subsidized animal rescue organization based in Miami, Florida. Founded in 2007, we are a 100% no-kill shelter serving the community by rescuing abandoned and neglected animals, nurturing these animals back to health through love and state-of-the art care, and promoting healthy and enriching relationships between pet owners and their pets. PAWS4you visualizes a world where pets are safe from the threat of euthanasia and live fully in the comfort of loving homes, enhancing the lives of those around them. www.paws4you.org Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.

Sequor Law's Greg Grossman and Francis Curiel analyze the Eleventh Circuit's broad discovery ruling under Section 1782 in support of foreign bankruptcy proceedings, comparing it to Chapter 15. Eleventh Circuit Gives Green Light to Broad Discovery in Aid of Foreign Bankruptcies Open Legal Insights Open October 21, 2020 5 minutes read Sequor Law By Greg Grossman and Francis Curiel , Miami The Eleventh Circuit recently affirmed a district court’s broad grant of discovery for use in five foreign bankruptcy proceedings to which the discovery applicant was a creditor-party. This article will briefly examine how the (relaxed) standard set forth by this Section 1782 proceeding compares to the (less relaxed) standard set forth by two notable Chapter 15 cases. In re Petroforte, by now a well-known Chapter 15 case, involved the liquidation of one of Brazil’s largest gas and ethanol distributors. During the liquidation, the Brazilian trustee found evidence of fraudulent transfers made to several entities, which led the Brazilian court to extend the bankruptcy case to include the transferees. The Brazilian trustee commenced a Chapter 15 proceeding in the Southern District of Florida to seek discovery to assist the Brazilian liquidation. The discovery targets objected, arguing that the subpoenas sought broad financial information about the non-debtor targets that exceeded the limits of discovery under Section 1521(a)(4) and Rule 2004. When the court interpreted the scope of “debtor” under Section 1521(a)(4), it held, in part, that the entities that were subject to the Brazilian bankruptcy extension order were “debtors subject to Section 1521’s discovery powers; however, with regard to any third parties who were not subject to the extension order, the trustee was entitled to broad discovery only when the debtor was a majority stockholder in the non-debtor discovery target. In re SAM likewise dealt with a Chapter 15 proceeding stemming from a Brazilian bankruptcy, wherein the debtor concealed corporate interests by transferring property to family members. The foreign representative sought documents relating to non-debtors who the foreign representative alleged were relevant to his investigation and potential recovery of assets of the foreign estate. The court focused on whether the foreign representative exceeded the proper scope of Rule 2004 discovery. It found that the foreign representative was entitled to discovery relating to (1) the transferees and (2) the non-debtor corporate entities in which the debtor had a majority interest or in those entities already found by the Brazilian courts to have participated in the debtor’s asset concealment scheme. The foreign representative was not entitled to discovery relating to the non-debtor entities whose connections to the debtor had not yet been established in the Brazilian courts. The court further noted that the foreign representative’s inquiries of non-debtors were to be narrowly tailored. Notably, courts have analogized discovery under Chapter 15 with discovery under 28 U.S.C. § 1782. An incongruity may now exist when comparing Petroforte and In re SAM to the Eleventh Circuit’s recent case, In re Victoria. In March 2018, Victoria, LLC (Victoria) filed a § 1782 application in the Southern District of Florida, seeking discovery for use in five pending Russian bankruptcy proceedings to which Victoria was a creditor. The bankruptcy proceedings pertained to either (1) Iliya Likhtenfeld (the Debtor) or (2) his Russian companies. Victoria planned to object to the dischargeability of debt, but first needed proof that the Debtor failed to disclose his U.S. assets in the Russian bankruptcies. To do so, Victoria requested testimony and documents relating to corporate governance, banking, financing, money transfers, business transactions, accounting practices, and the like, from (1) the Debtor; (2) Florida banks with which the Debtor did business; (3) Florida entities that the Debtor allegedly owned or was affiliated with; and (4) individuals affiliated with the Florida entities. To support the existence of these affiliations, Victoria submitted Sunbiz corporate records. Some of these records showed that a woman—who lived at the same address as the Debtor—acted as (either current or former) manager and registered agent of two of the target Florida entities. Notably, the Debtor’s name appeared nowhere on the corporate records of these two Florida entities. Discovery was nonetheless granted for use in the Russian bankruptcies. The shared residence between the Debtor and the manager of these entities proved connection enough. Moreover, in support of its allegations that the subpoena targets were “closely related” to the Debtor, and that the targets “should have documents and knowledge of assets tied to the Russian [bankruptcies],” Victoria created and submitted a chart showing that many of the Florida entities shared the same address, principals, and registered agents. The entities were thus alleged to be interrelated to each other, although not all directly related to the Debtor himself. Victoria also submitted two noteworthy declarations in support of its Section 1782 application. The first declarant alleged “upon information and belief” that the Debtor had (1) caused his Russian companies to enter loan agreements with no intention of repaying; (2) failed to repay the borrowed money; and (3) transferred the borrowed money directly or indirectly to his family members or trusted representatives. Ultimately, the declarant “believed” that the borrowed funds found their way into the United States and were used, in part, to support the Debtor’s luxurious lifestyle in Florida. Neither the declarant nor Victoria submitted any other evidence to support these allegations or the connection between the borrowed funds and the Florida corporations. The second declarant stated that the Debtor had not disclosed any of his U.S. assets to the Russian bankruptcy court even though, “based on the [Sunbiz corporate records],” the Debtor owned and/or held officer positions in several Florida entities. Despite the tenuous connections between the Debtor and some subpoena targets, the court granted the broad financial discovery request with few limitations. The aforementioned evidence (or lack thereof) was enough for this grant of discovery to survive through the Eleventh Circuit, which upheld the district court’s ruling. The disconnect between the above cases poses a noteworthy question—is the Petroforte limitation too narrow in light of the In re Victoria grant of discovery? Victoria, as a creditor seeking discovery assistance for use in foreign bankruptcy proceedings, was granted wide-ranging discovery relating to (1) the Debtor; (2) the Debtor’s banks; (3) non-debtor associates; and (4) non-debtor entities, some of which showed little to no relation to the Debtor besides a shared address with the entities’ manager. The court did not inquire into the Debtor’s ownership interests (or transfer thereof). Nor did it probe into the foreign courts’ findings. Rather, the grant of discovery was based largely on uncorroborated beliefs and bare allegations. More so, it was based on reasonable suspicion that these target individuals and non-debtor entities were involved in the Debtor’s transfer of assets to the detriment of his creditors. In re Victoria has introduced a more relaxed standard that loosens the restrictions placed on discovery requests for use in foreign bankruptcies. In light of this recent development, perhaps it is time to reassess the scope of discovery in Chapter 15 cases, too. Click here to read the original PDF . Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. 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Meet Sequor Law's new partners Leyza B. Florin and Fernando Menendez in this Q&A about their cross-border insolvency and asset recovery practices and why they joined the firm. Partner Q&A Open Attorney Spotlight Open July 3, 2018 4 minutes read Sequor Law This June, we welcomed two new powerhouse attorneys as partners at Sequor Law. We sat down with Leyza B. Florin and Fernando Menendez to discuss what led them to our firm, their viewpoints on their unique practice areas, and their interests and community involvement. Why did you decide to join Sequor Law? Fernando – Being geographically situated in Miami, which serves as a gateway to Latin America and a hub for international business, Leyza and I were excited by the possibilities presented in joining a firm with a great depth of experience and knowledge in the international asset recovery arena. We have known the lawyers at Sequor Law professionally for many years and greatly admire their practice. We believe that our addition to this exceptional team creates natural synergies, adds to the firm’s resources and helps us all respond to the needs of our clients worldwide. Leyza – Sequor Law presented an excellent opportunity to join professional colleagues who are world-class experts in the fields of Insolvency, Creditors’ Rights and Asset Recovery, and who would augment my cross-border practice with an already established global presence in those fields. What do you think is unique about the firm? Fernando – The firm’s depth of experience in international asset recovery matters is truly impressive. In the few short weeks since joining the firm, I’ve had the opportunity to assist clients and work with global teams on matters with ties, not only to the U.S., but to the U.K., Gibraltar, Luxembourg, Panama, Turkey, and Romania. I don’t know that I could say that anywhere else. Leyza – Sequor Law is unique because it is a specialized firm with a niche practice and global reach in the Insolvency, Restructuring and Asset Recovery space. How are your practice areas important for Sequor, and/or in general? Fernando – I’ve focused my practice on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters for some time. Sequor’s focus on representing companies and individual clients in the areas of asset recovery, financial fraud, insolvency and financial services litigation fits perfectly within the scope of the work I’ve done throughout my career. I believe that our addition to the team will amplify the firm’s already formidable resources, and allow us to better assist and respond to the needs of our clients, whenever and wherever they may arise. Leyza – Our practice areas have synergy with Sequor’s existing cross-border insolvency and restructuring practices. We look forward to adding to Sequor’s already deep bench in these areas. How do you see your practice areas evolving or changing in the next 5-10 years? Fernando – In a world that (at least as it relates to commerce) is getting smaller by the day, I see the scope of my work expanding to meet the needs of U.S.-based clients engaged in international business, and to assist clients in their asset recovery efforts around the world. Leyza – I see our practice evolving to expand the use of U.S. Courts to assist clients from all parts of the world in asset recovery and insolvency proceedings. What special strengths do you bring to Sequor? Fernando – During my career, I’ve had the opportunity to handle numerous types of bankruptcy and insolvency matters from a number of different perspectives. In addition to working for plaintiffs and defendants in various fraudulent transfer and avoidance cases, I’ve also assisted a broad range of clients acting in various capacities in bankruptcy and other litigation proceedings, including debtors, trustees, secured creditors, bondholders, judgment creditors, and shareholders. I think the broad range of my prior engagements provides the benefit of multiple perspectives on how to handle new challenges. Leyza – We bring additional depth of experience in both cross-border and domestic insolvency and creditors’ rights matters as well as the ability to counsel clients in Spanish, as we are native Spanish speakers. How do you give back to the community? Fernando – My wife and I contribute to several charities that are primarily focused on assisting children in developing countries. Leyza – For many years, I have taught law students in clinical programs with the goal of serving the profession of law and the community. Most recently, I have assisted with a medical/legal partnership clinic assisting students with indigent clients who seek pro bono assistance in insolvency matters. I am also committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and to this end have served in various leadership roles, including Treasurer of the Florida Bar’s Business Law Section and Finance Director of IWIRC (International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation.) When I served as President of the Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida, I brought the Credit Abuse Resistance Education Program (C.A.R.E.) to South Florida, and then throughout the state. The C.A.R.E. Program teaches students of all ages the dangers of credit abuse. Through this program, we have presented to students in middle schools through to university freshmen. I am still involved in this program and most recently presented to students at the Department of Juvenile Justice in collaboration with the Legal Up Program. Teaching at-risk students and foster youth in transition about the dangers of credit abuse has been a good way to merge my skill set and experience as a bankruptcy lawyer with my love of teaching. What is something people don’t know about you? Fernando – Last year, I decided to take on the challenge of building a large wooden deck in my backyard. Not being a carpenter, and working only on weekends, the project turned out to be somewhat ambitious, and took far, far, . . . far longer than anticipated. Although it was a very rewarding experience, I’m fairly certain that my wife will insist that all future carpentry be left to the professionals. Leyza – Many people do not know that law is my second career, having worked as a public school teacher prior to and during my law school years. Since then, I have also served as an adjunct professor teaching law students. Open Back to all Entries Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Copy link Latest News & Insights Open Open Attorney Spotlight May 19, 2026 1 minute read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Noah Rosenblum 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was drawn to law because I've always enjoyed solving complicated problems and thinking.. Attorney Spotlight May 9, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Michael Hanlon 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was less drawn to law in the abstract and more.. Firm News Apr 11, 2026 2 minutes read Sequor Law Celebrates National Pet Day with Continued Support of Paws4You Rescue In recognition of National Pet Day, Sequor Law is proud to continue its support of Paws4You Rescue, a Miami-based nonprofit... Attorney Spotlight Jan 29, 2026 2 minutes read Attorney Spotlight – Get to Know Alain M. Acanda 1. What inspired you to pursue a law career? I was inspired to pursue a career in the law after having negative experiences with the law as.