Leonie Tear has joined the Bermuda office of Walkers as a partner in its Regulatory & Risk Advisory practice group.

Ms Tear has more than 15 years of specialised experience in regulatory law, and joins Walkers from King & Wood Mallesons in Hong Kong, where she was counsel.

She previously held the position of principal associate at Eversheds Sutherland.

Currently, Ms Tear is on secondment in the Cayman Islands where she is training alongside Lucy Frew, partner and head of the firm’s Regulatory & Risk Advisory group. She is due to arrive on the island next month.

The firm said Ms Tear’s expertise includes advising financial institutions and digital asset businesses on both contentious and non-contentious regulatory matters.

Her extensive experience covers AML/CTF, sanctions, licensing, cybersecurity and data privacy.

She has represented clients under investigation by major global regulators, and has assisted clients in managing the fallout from cyber attacks and ransomware incidents.

Kevin Taylor, office managing partner of Walkers Bermuda, said: “Leonie's global experience and deep regulatory expertise will be invaluable as we continue to expand our regulatory offerings across the Americas."

Ms Tear said: "I am excited to work with a team renowned for its dedication to regulatory law.

“The opportunity to assist clients in navigating Bermuda's regulatory infrastructure, supported by my global experience, is sincerely rewarding."