VANEPS

Insolvency & Restructuring, Insurance

Of Counsel

Michiel Gorsira is an experienced litigator, specializing in business litigation, insolvency law and insurance law. Michiel is well-known for his role as trustee in the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers on Curacao.

Michiel advises and assists official authorities and public entities as well as clients in the private sector. His approach can be described as proactive and pragmatic.

Michiel started his career in 1981 at Van Doorne & Sjollema in Rotterdam. In 1985 he moved to Curacao and entered into the employ of VANEPS, where he was appointed partner in 1988. In 1997, Michiel moved back to the Netherlands, where he joined Trenité Van Doorne and in 2001 Simmons & Simmons, until his return to VANEPS on Curacao in 2008. Since 2015, Michiel has managed our establishment on St. Maarten.

In 2021 Michiel  continued his role as bankruptcy trustee of the Curacao based offshore bank Banco del Orinoco N.V., in which bankruptcy he is entrusted with the creditors’ claims totaling USD 1.1 billion and he was also involved in the reorganization and restructuring of all activities of Little Switzerland, a large jewelry business throughout the Caribbean. Michiel was also handling the international bankruptcy of the Australian Bell Group in the role of advisor to the creditors. In addition, he also assisted international reinsurers on Aruba in procedures against local insurers and is continuously involved in general corporate and commercial litigation.

During his career Michiel held several related positions. He was secretary and later dean of the Curacao Bar Association. He was also chairman of the Foundation for Training for the Legal Profession. Currently, Michiel is a member and a substitute member of the Appeal Councils of, respectively, the BES islands and Curacao.