Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Under John Whiteoak‘s leadership, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP has garnered a formidable reputation on behalf of corporate debtors—including board members—as well as officeholders on complex insolvency processes. With a strong foundation in commercial disputes and restructuring expertise, Whiteoak is particularly noted for his contentious work, including as it relates to director disqualification proceedings and preference claims. Leveraging the firm’s skills at the front end of projects and infrastructure matters, the team also regularly handles work when there is some distress, with Kevin Pullen having niche expertise on PFI/PPP restructuring matters. ’Established heavyweight’ John Chetwood is well-versed in many formal insolvency processes, including on restructuring plans, recently working as part of a cross office team for Sumitomo as one of the principal creditors of the Ambatovy Nickel Project in Madagascar in the successful use of a restructuring plan.