Venture Capital
United Kingdom
14 April 2025
Leveraging strong IP, banking and corporate relationships, the 'high-quality' team at Osborne Clarke LLP handles a full range of stressed and distressed advisory work, including advising on operational and financial restructurings and turnarounds. Team head Will Gunston is adept at utilising formal insolvency procedures as well as more transactional methodologies, such as loan-to-own strategies, to realise value for stakeholders in distressed situations in an array of industry sectors. 'Standout lawyer' Douglas Hawthorn excels in providing solutions to special situations, is excellent at advising on financial services restructuring and is also regularly referred work by other law firms to provide strategic advice for directors of distressed corporates. The arrival in March 2024 of Nick Axup from Stephenson Harwood strengthens the team's insolvency litigation credentials.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Osborne Clarke has a growing restructuring team and their financial services restructuring experience makes them stand out.’
- 'Exceptionally easy to work with and able to draw on deep expertise from across the firm.'
‘Douglas Hawthorn is a standout lawyer – prepared to go the extra mile and focuses on getting to the right result for his clients.’
Key clients
- Railsbank Technology Limited (in administration), and its administrators of Alvarez and Marsal
- Wiggle Limited (in administration), and its administrators of FRP Advisory
- Bullitt Mobile Limited and group (in administration)
- Planet Organic Limited (in administration), and its administrators of Interpath
- Specialist Aviation Services Limited
- Viola Money (Europe) Limited (in special administration), and its administrators of Interpath
- Xpress Money Services Limited (in special administration), and its administrators of FRP Advisory
- Scentrics Information Security Technologies Limited (in administration), and its administrators of Herron Fisher
- Avro Energy Limited (in liquidation) (previously in special administration), and its liquidators of Alvarez & Marsal.
- Paack Logistics UK Limited (in creditors' voluntary liquidation), and its liquidators of FRP Advisory
Work highlights
Advised Railsbank Technology Ltd (in administration) (Railsr), and its administrators Alvarez and Marsal (administrators) on the pre-packaged sale of the business and certain assets of Railsr to Embedded Finance Ltd.
Prior to Wiggle, an online sports retailer, entering administration, the firm advised the board of directors on their fiduciary duties.
Advised Bullitt Mobile Ltd and group (in administration) since its founder-led buy-back in 2019, and through various restructurings and workouts.
Lawyers
Practice head
Will Gunston
Other key lawyers
Douglas Hawthorn; Nick Axup; Jonathan Hazlett; Mark Wesker; Tom Bussy; Nigel Boobier; Claire Bundy