Offshore Alert Names Local Attorney
Bruce Putterill
Friday, June 11, 2004
The on-line financial newsletter Offshore Alert featured an extensive article
on Appleby Spurling Hunter Senior Partner Bruce Putterill in its most recent
edition of 31 May.
The article, which was written under the headline “Appleby Spurling Hunter’s
Cayman boss discusses his past,” delves into Mr Putterill’s or his firm’s past
and present involvements with high-profile companies that became entangled in
legal controversies.
The topics covered in the article included Mr Putterill’s being a director of
the liquidated Euro Bank, his firm’s handling of hundreds of companies owned by
Enron Corp, and his firm’s current representation of Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman
developer Michael Ryan.
The article also deals with the mention of Mr Putterill’s name, although
misspelled, in a 1989 book by Berkeley Rice entitled “Trafficking: The Boom and
Bust of the Air America Cocaine Ring.”
In the article, Mr Putterill is quoted offering explanations for each of the
topics, maintaining that he and/or his firm were never guilty of any wrongdoing.
“We are a reputable firm of attorneys operating in what is recognised by
those who are up to date in such matters (such as the IMF) to be a well
regulated and respectable financial centre,” Mr Putterill is quoted as saying in
the article. “As such, false and unfounded allegations of fraud and other
dishonesty in your publication would be particularly damaging.”
Appleby Spurling Hunter, which was formed by the merger of Bermuda-based
Appleby Spurling & Kempe with Hunter & Hunter in April of this year, is
currently representing the Ritz-Carlton developer in two actions against
Offshore Alert, one for libel and one for breach of confidence.
Mr Putterill indicated in the article that there could be an ulterior motive
for Offshore Alert’s inquiry into the topics covered. “We suspect that your
e-mail is directed at intimidating us as attorneys in the conduct of litigation
recently commenced against your company on behalf of our client,” he is quoted
as saying.
Efforts to obtain direct comment from Mr Putterill on the Offshore Alert
article were unsuccessful.
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