Tom Pugh

Practice Areas

Tom advises on Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands law and he leads our Insolvency, Restructuring & Dispute Resolution Group in Asia. Tom focuses on advising insolvency practitioners, creditors, and debtors and shareholders in respect of cross-border insolvencies and restructurings as well as funds and financial institutions on investment disputes, with experience in consensual workouts; court-led restructurings and recovery processes; and enforcement / strategic investment advisory reviews.

He frequently advises on corporate law and investment matters for a variety of stakeholders, including redemption issues, other exit options, directors' duties, protective steps, enforcement and remedies and strategies involving consensual and/or court-based approaches.

Tom has worked on a variety of large-scale cross-border liquidations and restructurings such as Lehman Brothers and MF Global (acting for the liquidators in Hong Kong), Asia-related Chapter 11 cases such as Pacific Andes/China Fishery and TMT and advised the steering committee representing the interests of more than 30 bank lenders and credit support providers/ECAs in connection with Hong Kong-listed Genting's US$3.5bn debt restructuring, as well as cross-jurisdictional recognition cases such as Z-Obee, Changang and Huiyuan Juice involving interplay among the courts of Hong Kong and Bermuda/the Cayman Islands.

Restructuring and liquidation work has involved advising on cross border asset recoveries and settlements, court processes to resolve key issues affecting liquidators’ ability to determine and distribute assets, matters arising in the administration of failed brokerages, and assignments involving China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and Japan.

Career

Prior to joining Walkers in 2021, Tom was a partner in Mayer Brown's restructuring and insolvency practice for eight years where he worked on a variety of large-scale cross-border liquidations and restructurings, Asia-related Chapter 11 cases as well as cross-jurisdictional recognition cases, with 17 years' experience in the Asia region.

Professional Memberships

Tom is a member of INSOL, including as a member of INSOL’s 12-seat editorial board for its monthly newsletters and a previous board member/secretary of the Hong Kong chapter of the global Turnaround Management Association.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Admitted in:

Bermuda, Registered Associate

British Virgin Islands

England and Wales (not practising)

Hong Kong (not practising)