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Ashley Katz

Ashley Katz

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Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

England - London • Finance

1

Corporate restructuring & insolvency

Acting on its own, although invariably as part of a multidisciplinary, cross-office offering, including with lawyers from the firm’s New York headquarters, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP‘s sweet-spot lies in its ability to navigate complex cross-border restructuring and insolvency mandates for a varied array of stakeholders. As well as representing corporates and officeholders on balance sheet restructurings and insolvency processes (including matters with contentious issues), the ’very pragmatic’ Ashley Katz is also very skilled at advising funds on their distressed investment activity. Geoff O’Dea co-heads the team alongside Katz following his move from Goodwin Procter in January 2025. He adds additional special situations expertise (including on distressed investing and financing) as well as deep knowledge across many restructuring tools including Schemes of Arrangement. Mandip Englund joined Travers Smith LLP in April 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Phone
+44.20.7972.9196
Email
[email protected]
Profile
friedfrank.com

Profile

Work Department

Restructuring and Insolvency

Position

Mr. Katz is a restructuring and insolvency partner resident in Fried Frank's London office. He has extensive experience advising distressed investors, borrowers, financial institutions, bondholders and insolvency practitioners in relation to all aspects of restructuring and insolvency matters. He advises on a range of cross-border and UK restructurings and insolvencies including matters in the automotive, real estate, construction, financial services, retail and leisure sectors. Mr. Katz has lectured on a range of insolvency topics including the Eurozone crisis, cross border insolvency administration, anti-avoidance provisions, employment/ insolvency law, directors’ duties and customer insolvency.

Career

Mr. Katz joined Fried Frank in 2016.

Memberships
Mr. Katz is a member of the Insolvency Lawyers Association, R3 (The Association of Business Recovery Professionals) and South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association.
Education

Mr. Katz qualified with an Advanced Certificate in International Insolvency Law from the University of Pretoria in 2002, and a Diploma in Insolvency Law with a distinction (awarded Absa Bank Prize) from Rand Afrikaans University in 2000. He received his LLB and BA from the University of Witwatersrand in 1994 and 1992 respectively.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The team is hands-on and commercial, always looking to drive through to solutions in complex situations.'

    'Deep technical expertise with a practical overlay.'

    ‘The individuals that I've worked with from the restructuring team are proactive, diligent and great communicators, which makes them fantastic to work alongside.'

    'Ashley Katz is very active across mid-market insolvency deals and advising funds. He is a good communicator and very pragmatic.'

    'Ashley Katz is capable, experienced, and very responsive. He is a very experienced practitioner, and well-regarded in the market.'

    'Working with the restructuring team, I've found them to be hands-on and commercial, always looking to drive through to solutions in complex situations.'

    'The individuals that I've worked with from the restructuring team are proactive, diligent and great communicators which makes them fantastic to work alongside.'

Key clients

  • HWS 4 Limited (Pizza Hut) Telegraph Media Group Ernst & Young as the joint administrators of CX Reinsurance Company Limited (in administration) LumiraDx Group Limited and LumiraDx International Limited and Andrew James Johnson, Lisa Jane Rickelton, and Lindsay Kate Hallam of FTI Consulting LLP (as joint administrators of LumiraDx Group Limited (in administration) and LumiraDx International Limited (in administration)) Open GI Kroll Agency Services

Work highlights

Advised the HWS Group, including the franchisee of well-known restaurant chain, Pizza Hut, together with the proposed administrators from Interpath Advisory on the restructuring and pre-packaged administration sale of the Pizza Hut business in the UK and Ireland to an affiliate of Directional Capital.