Bio
Mark Holligon is the Managing Partner of the Isle of Man office and head of Appleby’s Isle of Man Dispute Resolution team. His expertise spans the contentious and non-contentious arenas, both onshore and offshore, with a focus on commercial litigation, insolvency and restructuring.
He began his career in England, qualifying in the City of London in 1995 and gaining experience with two further leading UK firms before moving to Walkers in the Cayman Islands in 2003 and on to the Isle of Man in 2008.
Bio
Mark Holligon is the Managing Partner of the Isle of Man office and head of Appleby’s Isle of Man Dispute Resolution team. His expertise spans the contentious and non-contentious arenas, both onshore and offshore, with a focus on commercial litigation, insolvency and restructuring.
He began his career in England, qualifying in the City of London in 1995 and gaining experience with two further leading UK firms before moving to Walkers in the Cayman Islands in 2003 and on to the Isle of Man in 2008.
Work Highlights
Examples of Mark’s recent work includes:
- Obtaining world-wide freezing orders and ancillary relief in connection with a substantial fraud.
- Acting for majority shareholders in dispute over control of natural resources exploration company.
- Acting for a large listed company in a takeover effected by way of a scheme of arrangement.
- Defending the enforcement of a multi-million dollar arbitral award.
- Acting for the liquidators of investment funds that had suffered losses in excess of US$1bn in the collapse of 2007/08.
- Acting for the liquidators of an offshore subsidiary of a major UK IT supplier in its restructuring, rescue and sale as a going concern.
- Acting for a national financial services regulator in winding up an investment fund in the public interest.
- Acting for a national government in connection with a scheme of arrangement to save a collapsed bank.
- Acting for the special servicer of a secured lender in successfully making the first ever application to the Manx Court to obtain a Letter of Request to the English Court to place a Manx company that has its Centre of Main Interest in the Isle of Man, into administration in England.
- Advice to board on successful restructuring of Manx fund invested in non-correlated alternative asset class and related regulatory issues.
- Acting for Manx fund in creating a side pocket for illiquid asset through the use of a Court sanctioned Scheme of Arrangement. This is believed to be the first time the Manx Court has approved split voting by nominees at a Scheme Meeting.
- Acting for former trustee of Manx unit trust invested in UK property in connection with a contribution claim by IFAs who had been sued for mis-selling.
- Advising the protector of a trust in connection with claims by beneficiaries.
- Acting for the settlor of a number of Isle of Man trusts that were subject to an SEC investigation in connection with a letter of request for judicial assistance issued by a New York Court requesting the Manx Court to require certain Respondents to attend and give testimony in the Isle of Man for use in US civil proceeding.
- Restructuring a number of High Street banks by way of bank transfer schemes.
- Acting for life insurers on transfer of business schemes.
Examples of Mark’s recent work includes:
- Obtaining world-wide freezing orders and ancillary relief in connection with a substantial fraud.
- Acting for majority shareholders in dispute over control of natural resources exploration company.
- Acting for a large listed company in a takeover effected by way of a scheme of arrangement.
- Defending the enforcement of a multi-million dollar arbitral award.
- Acting for the liquidators of investment funds that had suffered losses in excess of US$1bn in the collapse of 2007/08.
- Acting for the liquidators of an offshore subsidiary of a major UK IT supplier in its restructuring, rescue and sale as a going concern.
- Acting for a national financial services regulator in winding up an investment fund in the public interest.
- Acting for a national government in connection with a scheme of arrangement to save a collapsed bank.
- Acting for the special servicer of a secured lender in successfully making the first ever application to the Manx Court to obtain a Letter of Request to the English Court to place a Manx company that has its Centre of Main Interest in the Isle of Man, into administration in England.
- Advice to board on successful restructuring of Manx fund invested in non-correlated alternative asset class and related regulatory issues.
- Acting for Manx fund in creating a side pocket for illiquid asset through the use of a Court sanctioned Scheme of Arrangement. This is believed to be the first time the Manx Court has approved split voting by nominees at a Scheme Meeting.
- Acting for former trustee of Manx unit trust invested in UK property in connection with a contribution claim by IFAs who had been sued for mis-selling.
- Advising the protector of a trust in connection with claims by beneficiaries.
- Acting for the settlor of a number of Isle of Man trusts that were subject to an SEC investigation in connection with a letter of request for judicial assistance issued by a New York Court requesting the Manx Court to require certain Respondents to attend and give testimony in the Isle of Man for use in US civil proceeding.
- Restructuring a number of High Street banks by way of bank transfer schemes.
- Acting for life insurers on transfer of business schemes.
Recognition
Mark has been named as a ´Leader in his Field´ by Chambers UK from 2015 onwards and also recognised in the Legal 500 UK editions from 2015 onwards, now ranked in the ‘Hall of Fame’ within the Dispute Resolution practice area.
In the Legal 500 UK guide, Mark has been described as having “extensive experience of offshore dispute resolution” and “a force to be reckoned with on the Island. A very punchy litigator who will take the fight to the other side”. Mark was also described as “excellent and really knows his way around the IOM court system and what is required, when and how. He also has great knowledge of the English Insolvency legislation which is really helpful. He is a quality lawyer with a quality team around him.” The Appleby Dispute Resolution team has been described as “first-class in the field of dispute resolution and the leading firm on the Isle of Man”.
Chambers UK has refereed to Mark as being “very thorough” and “very astute” and that he “is everything a litigation lawyer should be”. In addition, “he articulates things extremely well and is very confident. I wouldn´t want to be on the other side”.
Chambers UK interviewees have described Mark as being “very good indeed”; adding: “he is well practised, good on his feet and knows how to present to the court”.
Mark has also regularly appeared in Who’s Who Legal Asset Recovery where he has been described as an “extremely accomplished” practitioner.
Mark has been named as a ´Leader in his Field´ by Chambers UK from 2015 onwards and also recognised in the Legal 500 UK editions from 2015 onwards, now ranked in the ‘Hall of Fame’ within the Dispute Resolution practice area.
In the Legal 500 UK guide, Mark has been described as having “extensive experience of offshore dispute resolution” and “a force to be reckoned with on the Island. A very punchy litigator who will take the fight to the other side”. Mark was also described as “excellent and really knows his way around the IOM court system and what is required, when and how. He also has great knowledge of the English Insolvency legislation which is really helpful. He is a quality lawyer with a quality team around him.” The Appleby Dispute Resolution team has been described as “first-class in the field of dispute resolution and the leading firm on the Isle of Man”.
Chambers UK has refereed to Mark as being “very thorough” and “very astute” and that he “is everything a litigation lawyer should be”. In addition, “he articulates things extremely well and is very confident. I wouldn´t want to be on the other side”.
Chambers UK interviewees have described Mark as being “very good indeed”; adding: “he is well practised, good on his feet and knows how to present to the court”.
Mark has also regularly appeared in Who’s Who Legal Asset Recovery where he has been described as an “extremely accomplished” practitioner.
Qualifications & Education
University of Durham (England)
University of Durham (England)
“Mark Holligon is a particularly impressive litigator. He has a practical, results-focused approach that places a clients strategic objectives at the heart of any matter. He marries commercially and shrewd legal tactics and has an uncanny knack of finding out-of-the box solutions that work.”