Department profile
Guildhall Chambers

Restructuring/Insolvency

UK Bar Guide 2026 : Western (Bar)


Guildhall Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Restructuring/Insolvency - Western (Bar)

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

The barristers at Guildhall Chambers are well regarded across corporate and personal insolvencies. The team's areas of strength include corporate administrations and liquidations, directors' disqualification proceedings and cross-border insolvencies, with one respondent praising the set's ability "to deal with a wide range of complex insolvency issues." The set's barristers act for insolvency office holders and several regulatory bodies. Barristers at Guildhall recently represented the liquidators of Ethos Solutions. One interviewee described Guildhall as "the outstanding set in the West, with the ability to go toe to toe with London sets."

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The main clerks are Stephen Arnold and Joe Stayte, both of whom are really easy to communicate with and really knowledgeable. I know I can call them to find the right fit for a matter.

    Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks are outstanding. Joe Stayte, practice manager, and Stephen Arnold stand out for responsiveness, helpfulness and general ability to ensure what is required is achieved.

    Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • The clerks were incredibly good: very attentive, good communicators and provided good follow-up.

    Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Stephen Arnold, senior practice manager, is the main go-to clerk and he is great.

    Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 1Hugh Sims
    Band 1Hugh Sims

    Hugh Sims

    Hugh Sims KC is an esteemed silk who is highly regarded for his ability to advise on complex insolvency cases. He is frequently active in High Court litigation in relation to high-value claims and has also appeared in the Court of Appeal. He has notable expertise in insolvency cases involving alleged wrongdoing by company directors, with experience both pursuing and defending such claims.

    • Hugh is approachable, very competent, extremely hard-working, highly intelligent and great to work with.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Hugh's output is prodigious. His presentation is unusual for a silk, in that he is extremely relaxed, friendly and easy to get on with. He's a character and clients absolutely love him.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Hugh Sims is our main port of call for the more complex work. He has real expertise on the personal insolvency side.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Stefan Ramel
    Band 1Stefan Ramel

    Stefan Ramel

    Stefan Ramel handles personal and corporate insolvency matters, and also writes and speaks on a broad variety of insolvency topics. He is multilingual and is widely respected for his impressive command of cross-border issues. He frequently pursues claims for and against directors and shareholders, representing both private individuals and office holders. He is also on the Attorney General's Panel of Junior Counsel.

    • Stefan is a knowledgeable, pragmatic barrister with a specialism in cross-border matters. He is both commercially astute and articulate.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • He has a lot of gravitas and a very busy practice with niche interests in cross-border work which a lot of people are afraid of. He's very good and unflappable.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Holly Doyle
    Band 2Holly Doyle

    Holly Doyle

    Holly Doyle has a broad range of experience that encompasses winding-up and bankruptcy petitions as well as complex misfeasance cases and transaction avoidance claims. She is also capable of handling professional negligence claims against administrators. She is regularly involved in high-value cases, appearing before the County and High Courts.

    • She's really good and constructive in working together.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Holly got on top of the detail very quickly and guided our course very nicely afterwards. She understood how the court and judges worked and what they expected to see. She really stood out.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2James Hannant
    Band 2James Hannant

    James Hannant

    James Hannant is recognised for his specialisms in personal and corporate insolvency, with experience of both advocacy and advisory work. At a contentious level, he has been led and appeared as sole counsel. He has expert knowledge of matters involving misfeasance, determining validity of payments and obtaining injunctive relief, and he frequently acts for trustees in bankruptcy.

    • He has a fantastic demeanour, is very unflappable, commands attention and inspires great confidence with lots of gravitas.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • James is very pragmatic, really good with the client and super user-friendly.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2John Churchill
    Band 2John Churchill

    John Churchill

    John Churchill has gained a significant reputation within the field of insolvency, appearing in the High Court and the County Court in company and insolvency cases. He acts in both personal and corporate insolvency, with his practice regularly delving into misfeasance cases brought by office holders.

    • John Chuchill is always a very thorough, user-friendly and technical barrister.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • John has excellent written and advocacy skills.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • His presentation is very sophisticated and calm, normally something you see in someone with more experience. His advocacy has the sophistication of somebody of a greater level of call.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Richard Ascroft
    Band 2Richard Ascroft

    Richard Ascroft

    Richard Ascroft maintains a substantial practice covering all areas of corporate and personal insolvency law. He is an expert in directors' duties and is regularly instructed in transaction avoidance claims and directors' misfeasance proceedings. He has additional experience advising on technical issues surrounding bankruptcy.

    • He can make sense of very complex cases, is really user-friendly and his written work is very good. He is also able to react to questions and is good on his feet.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Richard is the go-to for directors' misfeasance cases. His written work is immaculate, genuinely brilliant, and his drafting is completely immaculate.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Simon Passfield
    Band 2Simon Passfield

    Simon Passfield

    Simon Passfield KC is a well-regarded barrister active in all areas of corporate and personal insolvency. He acts for liquidators and administrators in addition to corporate entities and individuals more generally, and has appeared in the Court of Appeal. As well as continuing to be instructed in major, high-value disputes, he sits as a Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge.

    • Simon was very good on his feet in court, quite an impressive advocate. He marshalled information, was on top of all the detail, and was quietly impressive.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Simon is very helpful and knowledgeable.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Simon is easy to work with, extremely intellectual, able to pick up complicated cases very quickly, and he is a great advocate.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • He's brilliant - really down to earth, but also super-smart.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Simon is brilliant, a force of nature with very significant experience in insolvency.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
  • Up and ComingGovinder Chambay
    Up and ComingGovinder Chambay

    Govinder Chambay

    Govinder Chambay is establishing a reputation as an effective barrister with a particular specialism in restructuring and insolvency matters. He has advocated successfully for clients in the High Court and writes regularly about insolvency questions, including co-authoring a book about contested administration applications.

    • Govinder is an excellent junior. His written work and advocacy are both of a high standard and he is a pleasure to work with.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Govinder has been great at picking up tricky cases and running with them, seeing the grains of sand in between the rocks and getting the results you wanted.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Govinder is one to watch and a bit of a rising star. The work he's doing and how he handles himself is far beyond his year of call.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Govinder is very committed and impressive in court.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar
    • Govinder's turnaround is great. He is an insolvency specialist and gets stuck in.

      Restructuring/Insolvency respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Guildhall Chambers (8)

Western (Bar)

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