The ‘highly professional, technically strong, and easy to work with’ practice at Browne Jacobson LLP is a key port of call for corporates, financial services, and insurance entities. Corporate recovery, distressed debt, insolvency, and restructuring expert Stephen George leads the team and counts banks, directors, and financiers on his client roster. Emma Taylor is lauded as ‘knowledgeable, pragmatic, proactive, measured, and supportive.’ Other key members of the team include Joe Price, who is commended by clients for his ‘diligence and vision.’
Insolvency and corporate recovery in East Midlands
Browne Jacobson LLP
Practice head(s):
Stephen George
Other key lawyers:
Emma Taylor; Joe Price
Testimonials
‘Browne Jacobson’s insolvency and corporate recovery practice is highly professional, technically strong, and easy to work with.’
‘They have dealt with all my issues promptly and competently, only involving other experts when really required. They are very attentive to my needs as a client.’
‘Emma Taylor is knowledgeable, pragmatic, proactive, measured and supportive. She’s very responsive and easy to work with, she provides calm and sensible advice when challenging circumstances arise.’
‘Joe Price’s diligence and vision led to a successful claim.’
Key clients
FRP Advisory LLP
RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP
Mazars LLP
Leonard Curtis Recovery Solutions Limited
BDO LLP
Interpath Advisory Limited
The Trustee of Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities LLC
HSBC Bank plc
London Borough of Croydon
Moorfields Advisory Ltd
Work highlights
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP
A strong choice for asset-based lenders, banks, and private equity clients, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is particularly active in the energy, financial services, and real estate sectors. Lauded for his ‘vast knowledge across multiple sectors’, Mark Wood oversees the team and often handles corporate recovery and corporate restructuring. Other key members of the team include Ian Gill. All of the individuals that have been mentioned are located in Nottingham.
Practice head(s):
Mark Wood
Other key lawyers:
Ian Gill
Testimonials
‘The team is commercial and pragmatic and has great strength and depth, pulling on resources around the firm as necessary to ensure that the proposed strategy is appropriate and can be delivered as planned. The team are capable of dealing with all work types from mundane to extremely complex.’
‘A strong East Midlands presence with significant experience, they are a diverse team, with wide relationships.’
‘The team always work beyond what is expected and in a down-to-earth, easy-to-understand manner. Their experience of similar cases is quite apparent which helps with the speed of response and strategy of how to approach a case.’
‘They are down-to-earth like-minded people, you have confidence in the work that gets undertaken which helps you and your colleagues sleep at night. ’
‘The team at Eversheds Sutherlands provides outstanding service, making each client feel like their top priority. Mark Wood has assembled an exceptional team of highly skilled individuals, with notable members including Ian Gill. It would be difficult to find another firm with such a formidable and dynamic lineup.’
‘Mark Wood is extremely capable and my primary contact. Mark supervises all other threads of work and ensures that any advice is coherent and complete. Mark is an extremely good communicator, being able to break down complex messages in an understandable way for both professionals and non-professionals.’
‘Mark Wood is a widely recognised business leader in the East Midlands and a well-renowned restructuring lawyer with expertise in supply chain and insolvency.’
‘Finding a lawyer with Mark Wood’s skillset and vast knowledge across multiple sectors is rare. However, finding a lawyer as personable as Mark, with the ability to communicate in a no-nonsense, efficient way, them are rarer.’
Key clients
FRP Advisory LLP
Quantuma Advisory
Ernst & Young LLP
RSM
Interpath Advisory Limited
KPMG LLP
Pricewaterhousecoopers
Mazars LLP
Teneo Financial Advisory Limited
Smith Cooper
Work highlights
Gateley Legal
With ‘a strong presence in the East Midlands restructuring market’, Gateley Legal’s broad caseload encompasses corporate and individual insolvency-related litigation. The ‘experienced, practical, and commercial’ practice is also a key port of call for asset-based lenders, banks, and investors. Commended as ‘an extremely good communicator’ Chris Radford leads the practice from Nottingham and is vastly knowledgeable of distressed acquisitions and disposals, refinancing, as well as reorganisations.
Practice head(s):
Chris Radford
Testimonials
‘Gateley Legal are a strong presence in the East Midlands restructuring market and has significant experience across construction restructurings, including managing key stakeholders.’
‘The team deals with a range of matters on our behalf and always deals with our enquiries promptly and efficiently. The team is extremely capable and calls on resources from around the group to assist with more specialist areas of advice. The work is delivered to timetable and budget and we are fully appraised of progress, risks, and options.’
‘They really get to the heart of an issue, both from a technical and a commercial perspective. I would never hesitate to recommend them. They are very experienced, practical, and commercial.’
Key clients
BDO LLP
Blakethwaite Limited t/a Blades Insolvency Services
Bridgewood Financial Solutions Limited
BTG Advisory LLP
FRP Advisory Trading Limited
Grant Thornton UK LLP
Interpath Limited t/a Interpath Advisory
Leonard Curtis Limited
PKF Smith Cooper Limited
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Quantuma Advisory Limited
Resolve Advisory Limited
RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP
Teneo Restructuring Limited
Multiple solvent subsidiaries of Time Group Holdings Limited
Work highlights
- Advising the director of multiple solvent subsidiaries of Time Group Holdings Limited (in administration) on the restructuring and disposal of the business.
- Advising FRP as Liquidators of Simons Group Limited, Simons Construction Limited, and Simons Developments Limited on all aspects of their liquidation.
- Advising RSM as Liquidators of White Capstan Limited on matters relating to the liquidation of their company.
Howes Percival LLP
Home to dedicated insolvency litigators, Howes Percival LLP’s broad regional footprint spans Leicester, Manchester, Milton Keynes and Northampton. With over three decades of experience, Katie Summers co-leads the practice and is particularly focused on antecedent claims and bankruptcy cases. Deborah Nigh also co-leads the team and is well-versed in both corporate and personal contentious insolvency mandates. Sarah Lee often acts for insolvency practitioners, while Karyn Coburn’s recent caseload encompasses acting for claimants and respondents in misfeasance claims. Neena Jakhu is noted for her experience in the High Court, and Sundip Mapara is another key team member.
Practice head(s):
Katie Summers; Deborah Nigh
Other key lawyers:
Sarah Lee; Karyn Coburn; Neena Jakhu; Sundip Mapara
Testimonials
‘The team at Howes Percival are knowledgeable, fastidious, commercial and very reliable. In comparison to most other legal firms, the Howes Percival team are easy to reach and are skilled at prioritising work according to client needs. I have worked with them for over a decade in which time I have seen them deal with highly complex cases with relative ease. When you have instructed Howes Percival, rest assured you are in very safe hands.’
‘Howes Percival are very skilled in the law practice and procedure of insolvency litigation, and combine those skills with the ability to give clear legal advice at all times. The team are also very commercially aware and are proactive in achieving commercial settlement.’
‘Howes Percival has a great insolvency team backed up by the other departments which can used as and when required.’
‘Practical and thorough.’
‘Sarah Lee is responsive at all times, gives clear and constructive advice, and her attention to detail ensures outstanding results. She is excellent and is a joy to work with.’
‘Karyn Coburn is an excellent insolvency lawyer who is a pleasure to work with.’
‘I have worked with Katie Summers for over a decade. Her attention to detail and her ability to drown out the white noise and focus on the crux of the issue and her pragmatic advice sets her apart from the vast majority of people. She is very thorough and she has excellent EQ skills, encouraging a better outcome in mediations and in cases in general.’
‘I cannot think of anyone I trust more with my cases – Katie Summers is simply excellent! ’
Key clients
Begbies Traynor Group
Brand Retail Limited
Bridge Newland
Grant Thornton UK LLP
Griffins
Moore
Parker Getty
Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Official Receiver
Work highlights
- Assisted liquidators from Begbies Traynor Group in achieving the settlement of a complex and contentious liquidation.
- Acted for liquidators from Grant Thornton in a recovery action involving 2 fractional-ownership hotels worth in excess of £15m.
- Acting for the Secretary of State via the Insolvency Service on a contested public interest winding up against a company providing “unmeritorious” advice to mortgage debtors.
Geldards LLP
Highlighted for its experience in advising local authorities on insolvency issues, Geldards LLP is regularly instructed by buyers and sellers on purchases out of administration and liquidation. Nino Simone oversees the team from Derby, and is lauded as ‘a very adept insolvency solicitor who has the knowledge and experience of complex legal situations.’ In Nottingham, Ruth Thurland is skilled at contentious and non-contentious corporate and personal insolvency, including company director disqualification. She is also a strong choice for German financial institutions on issues surrounding UK insolvency and is praised by clients as ‘extremely attentive and knowledgeable.’
Practice head(s):
Nino Simone
Other key lawyers:
Ruth Thurland
Testimonials
‘The team is technically strong and equally importantly, they provide a service focused on you, the client. They spend time building the relationship and gaining an understanding of the actual issues.’
‘Ruth Thurland is extremely attentive and knowledgeable.’
‘Ruth Thurland really gets to the heart of an issue, both from a technical and a commercial perspective to achieve a resolution that is best for the client. I would never hesitate to recommend her.’
‘Nino Simone is a very adept insolvency solicitor who has the knowledge and experience of complex legal situations, often advising insolvency practitioners, directors, and financial institutions.’
Key clients
PKF Smith Cooper
Blades Insolvency Services
LM Insolvency Advisory
BDO LLP
FRP Advisory Trading Limited
Nottingham City Council
Derbyshire County Council
Work highlights
Shakespeare Martineau LLP
With offices spread across Birmingham, Leicester, Lincoln, and Milton Keynes, Shakespeare Martineau LLP handles contentious and transactional insolvency matters. In Birmingham, Andrew Taylor co-leads the practice with Leicester-based Sean Moran. Moran often advises directors, stakeholders, as well as stressed and distressed businesses on accelerated M&A and insolvency appointments, he is also praised as ‘approachable, pragmatic, and down to earth.’ Working out of Nottingham, Tim Speed is well-regarded in the energy sector and is informed in contractual, commercial and insolvency disputes. In Leicester, Tom Riley is proficient in advising lenders on restructuring.
Practice head(s):
Andrew Taylor; Sean Moran
Other key lawyers:
Tim Speed; Tom Riley
Testimonials
‘Sean Moran is approachable, pragmatic, and down to earth.’
Key clients
Interpath Advisory
FRP Advisory Trading
BDO
Mazars
RSM Restructuring UK
Kroll Advisory Ltd
FTS
PKF Smith Cooper
Leonard Curtis
Begbies Traynor
Yerrill Murphy
Horsfields Limited
S P Ford & Co Limited
Teneo Restructuring Limited
Springfields Advisory
Bridge Aluminium Limited
Omnia (CS) Limited
Foresight Group LLP
RG Insolvency
Amicus Finance
Manolete Partners Plc
Bell & Company
Bisson Limited
Work highlights
- Acted for Begbies Traynor in securing their appointment as administrators of Ambivent Limited.
- Acted for FRP Advisory Trading Ltd in connection with their appointment as administrators of full-service marketing agency, Low& Behold Marketing Limited.
- Acted for the purchasers of the automotive castings component manufacturer Grainger and Worrall Engineering, in a pre-packaged sale by the administrators appointed to the seller.
Excello Law
Excello Law is proficient in contentious insolvency and restructuring cases, including Insolvency Act 1986 and the Companies Act 2006 claims, for which Victoria Dunstall is a key contact. On the non-contentious side, the practice often handles asset sales and the appointment of insolvency practitioners. Annabel Whittaker is highlighted for her experience in advising creditors pursuing debtors as well as individuals and companies in financial difficulty. All of the individuals that have been mentioned are located in Nottingham. Nicky Calthrop-Owen departed to Rothera Bray in late 2024.
Practice head(s):
Victoria Dunstall; Annabel Whittaker
Testimonials
‘The team is extremely knowledgeable and quick to react to instructions. They have a complete understanding of their clients’ needs and they provide advice and solutions that are pragmatic and achievable.’
‘The team is able provide a wide range of services as they work closely with colleagues to ensure that all requirements are met in an efficient manner by using the correct people.’
‘An independent and versatile practice with strong legal expertise, they provide solid advice across the whole spectrum of insolvency.’
‘Annabel Whittaker is extremely knowledgeable and has a complete understanding of both personal and corporate matters. Annabel is able to distill complex information and present it in a clear and concise manner so that all risks and potential rewards are fully understood before commitment to a strategy.’
‘Annabel Whittaker and Victoria Dunstall are two of the most highly respected insolvency lawyers in the East Midlands, and they are a real asset to Excello. ’
‘Both Annabel Whittaker and Victoria Dunstall are able to offer a personal service, and they ensure matters are seen through to completion, offering continuity and peace of mind to the client.’
Key clients
Interpath Advisory LLP
Bates Weston
FRP Advisory
Greenfield Recovery Ltd
Opus Restructuring LLP
Payplan Partnership Limited
Payplan Bespoke Solutions Limited
Bridgewood Financial Solutions Limited
RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP
Work highlights
- Acting for Interpath Advisory LLP in the pre-pack sale of the business and assets of the companies, including the El Mexicana and Don Churro restaurant brands.
- Acting for Greenfield Recovery Ltd as the liquidator of Emma Property Management Limited in a highly contested appeal against the liquidator’s rejection of a proof of debt within a solvent liquidation.
- Acting for a large IVA provider in a range of matters, which might arise from breaches of IVA terms, bankruptcy annulment applications, and the administration of bankruptcies.
Nelsons Solicitors Limited
Administrations, corporate restructurings, and liquidations are cornerstones of the practice at Nelsons Solicitors Limited. With more than a decade of experience in the sector, Andy Rudkin oversees the team and is reputed for his bankruptcy expertise. Rudkin’s broad caseload encompasses antecedent transactions, corporate and personal insolvency matters, as well as misfeasance actions. Craig Bennett often handles antecedent claims under the Insolvency Act 1986, the appointment of receivers and administrators, in addition to dent claims. All of the individuals that have been mentioned are located in Derby.
Practice head(s):
Andy Rudkin
Other key lawyers:
Craig Bennett
Testimonials
‘Their three locations across the East Midlands make them perfectly placed to assist anyone in the East Midlands and the wider Midlands area.’
‘Good speed of response times.’
‘A good general commercial and insolvency team in the Midlands.’
Work highlights
Smith Partnership
Smith Partnership’s key strengths lie in administration, bankruptcy, company voluntary arrangements, as well as liquidation. Noted for her two decades of contentious insolvency experience, Ruth Ball oversees the team from Derby and is also well-versed in the full gamut of bankruptcy mandates. She is also praised for her ‘excellent client service skills’ and ‘is always able to focus on the key issues at stake.’
Practice head(s):
Ruth Ball
Testimonials
‘The team is excellent and is able to deal with cases at all levels of complexity and value – from small personal disputes and bankruptcy issues, to multi-million pound insolvencies and disputes.’
‘Smith Partnership’s insolvency offering is a close knit team who take a pragmatic approach to procedural and litigation matters. Their billings are competitive and they are prepared to take a commercial view on insolvency matters where appropriate.’
‘The Smith Partnership team really cared about delivering a robust outcome for me.’
Key clients
PKF Smith Cooper
CFS Restructuring LLP
Moore Stoke
Sterling Advisory
Eurocell Building Plastics Limited
Bates Weston
PBC Business Recovery
Work highlights
- Advising directors of a company on an alleged claim in excess of £1.2m for misfeasance pursuant to section 212 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and transactions defrauding creditors pursuant to section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986.
- Advising a director of a company in relation to an alleged overdrawn director’s loan account in excess of £2.3m.
- Advising a company on an alleged claim against it in the sum in excess of £800,000 for an order pursuant to section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 and section 847 of the Companies Act 2006.