Joseph Bates

Joseph is an Associate and a member of the Corporate & Commercial and Investment Funds  Practice Groups at Stuarts.

Practice Experience

Joseph has extensive experience and knowledge in Corporate Law, including cross-border M&A transactions, capital raisings, investment fund formations and a broad range of commercial agreements and transactions. He regularly advises clients on a wide range of corporate transactions including buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, takeovers, schemes of arrangement, de-listings, corporate restructurings, venture capital investments, privatisations, joint ventures, investment fund formation and all aspects of day-to-day commercial agreements. He has knowledge and a keen interest in the technology, healthcare, hospitality, and renewable energy and resources industries. Joseph is known for his exceptionally high level of customer service and commitment to client excellence.

Joseph is responsible for advising fund managers on the structuring and formation of hedge and private equity funds and the day-to-day administration of funds in the Cayman Islands. Joseph advises on the use of companies, partnerships and unit trusts in the context of investment funds as well as advising on a broad range of general corporate matters. His clients include institutional fund sponsors, boutique investment managers and private equity houses.

Joseph also brings significant in-house experience managing complex legal projects having completed secondments at a major Japanese trading house, where he advised on global joint venture projects in the resources sector, and Australia’s largest infrastructure project, WestConnex advising on its ongoing M&A activities.

Prior to joining Stuarts, Joseph worked at a number of leading international law firms in Sydney, Australia including Baker McKenzie and Ashurst.

Admissions

• Grand Court of the Cayman Islands
• Supreme Court of New South Wales and High Court of Australia (non-practising)

Education

• LLB (Honours)/Diploma of Legal Practice – University of Newcastle, Australia
• Bachelor of Science, University of Newcastle, Australia

Recent Publications

• Mondaq Comparative Guide: Securitisation in the Cayman Islands 2023
• Chambers Global Practice Guides: Doing Business in the Cayman Islands 2023

Professional Associations

• The Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association  

Recognition

• Recommended Lawyer, Legal500 2025 Edition (Investment Funds and Banking, Finance & Capital Markets) . Joseph is recognised for his significant support to the Investment Funds and Banking, Finance &  Capital Markets teams, and is praised for being “thorough and responsive” in his Corporate and Commercial work.