Our restructuring and insolvency team

Our market-leading global team of lawyers and banking and finance experts, have the in-depth knowledge and expertise to help businesses facing restructuring, insolvency or contentious issues with tailored solutions and dedicated advice.

We act for some of the largest and most high-profile debtors, lenders, creditors and insolvency practitioners globally providing support and bespoke advice and guidance.  We work collaboratively to ensure that our clients receive the best possible advice efficiently and sensitively and that we build rapport and trust with all involved parties to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.

Our team is recognised for resolving complex distressed matters and structuring novel special situation financings, working with special situation funds and other alternative capital providers and for supporting lenders and investors on non-performing loan portfolio transactions and distressed investment opportunities across multiple jurisdictions. We are trusted by a wide range of clients across many industries, most notably in the energy, commodities and mining and infrastructure sectors, something that truly sets us apart from our peers.

Our experience includes some of the most difficult and complex financial restructurings, including many of the biggest restructurings in recent years and a number of market 'firsts' including:

• Acting on behalf of British Land, who formed part of an ad hoc group of landlords that opposed the restructuring plans of Virgin Active to rationalise its leasehold portfolio, in which the Court imposed one of the first cross-class cram downs. This was a landmark matter which led to a number of important principles being determined.
• The mezzanine lenders on the gategroup Part 26A restructuring plan which set the market in the cross-border effectiveness of this new English restructuring process.
• Advising Virgin Atlantic in relation to its interests in Flybe as part of the Connect consortium, and previously on its takeover offer for Flybe and a novel transaction structure.
• Advising Ernst & Young on the Nortel administration and CVAs- one of the biggest restructuring mandates in the world
• Advising the senior lenders to North Sea Oil & Gas company EnQuest plc in connection with the group's restructuring of its US$1.7 billion revolving credit
• Acting on behalf of SeaTrucks International in a complicated dispute concerning the recovery of specialist vessels of strategic importance to the Nigerian oil and gas industry, and the successful settlement of over 100 proceedings involving 65 parties globally effected via a complex restructuring.
• JB Sports on a series of measures designed to create a stable financial platform for the revitalisation of its retail business, including the use of a ground-breaking CVA to effect a solvent restructuring, paving the way for similar arrangements to be used by other listed companies including a second CVA by JJB.

We are recognised by the leading legal directories for our extensive restructuring and insolvency expertise, with our 'high-quality team' attracting praise for our ' sound tactical and strategic judgement', and our 'excellent oil and gas sector expertise'.

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