Restructuring/Insolvency | Asia-Pacific

Ashurst's market-leading national practice is active on many of the country's most high-profile restructurings and turnarounds. The team regularly acts for creditors, debtors and insolvency appointees in major restructurings and also demonstrates substantial experience in insolvency litigation. Additionally, Ashurst offers excellent international expertise and has a strong offering in the acquisition of distressed debt in Australia's secondary debt market.

The King & Wood Mallesons team is in demand for its extensive experience acting for a broad range of clients across the mining and resources, construction, manufacturing and retail sectors. The firm regularly advises on multi-jurisdictional and high-profile restructuring and insolvency mandates, including those involving Chinese aspects. Its clients include major banks, insolvency practitioners in their roles as appointees and distressed companies. The team works closely with other practice groups in the firm, such as banking and finance, M&A and private equity, to provide a seamless service to clients on distressed investment restructuring, and offers a wealth of experience handling insolvency litigation at all levels of the Australian court system.

Allens houses a complete restructuring and insolvency offering, fielding experts in workouts and debt trading as well as insolvency litigation and securities enforcement actions. The team operates in a number of sectors including mining, infrastructure and financial services. The firm has extensive experience advising clients, including creditors, borrowers and insolvency practitioners, on high-profile and multi-jurisdictional restructures and insolvencies.

Gilbert + Tobin assists banks, borrowers, investors and directors as well as major insolvency practitioners in all aspects of high-profile insolvency administrations and liquidations as well as workouts and restructurings. The firm has notable expertise in representing investment funds and bondholders in various distressed situations. The team also advises on distressed debt investing, corporate distress, and related disputes and applications. Gilbert + Tobin is active across a variety of sectors including retail, manufacturing, and energy and resources.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer stands out for its global reach and expertise in corporate restructures and turnarounds. The team has extensive experience across a range of industries including real estate, retail, manufacturing, resources, financial services and tourism, and has a strong secured lender practice, acting for banks and corporate investors. The firm possesses noteworthy expertise in turnarounds and complex workout mandates and is also able to assist appointees with regard to formal insolvency proceedings.

MinterEllison offers specialist expertise in the handling of complex insolvency matters, including liquidations, administrations and debt restructurings. The firm acts for a plethora of public bodies and insolvency practitioners on a diverse range of insolvency-related mandates and also has extensive experience in unwinding managed investment schemes. Additionally, MinterEllison assists corporates in financial distress.

Norton Rose Fulbright offers a great depth of expertise in corporate restructures, turnarounds and insolvencies, and strong cross-border capabilities. The firm is also noted for its ability to assist on contentious insolvency matters. The team acts on high-profile corporate collapses and restructurings for global corporations, supported by expertise in distressed debt sales and refinancing. Norton Rose is regularly instructed by banks, non-bank lenders and insolvency practitioners, and frequently acts for clients in the mining, retail and financial services sectors.

The Corrs Chambers Westgarth practice is especially noted for effective handling of securities enforcement litigation and distressed debt refinancings. The team deploys industry-specific knowledge on restructurings, insolvencies and workouts in the mining, real estate, logistics and financial services sectors. Its clients include overseas hedge funds and private equity houses, as well as companies in distress and leading insolvency advisers and banks.

Johnson Winter Slattery's skilled practitioners handle all aspects of restructurings, workouts and insolvency matters, frequently acting for appointed liquidators and administrators as well as lenders and investors with regard to distressed situations. The team possesses further experience advising distressed debtors and appointees with regard to restructurings and insolvency litigation, including asset recovery, removal applications and tax-related proceedings.

Dentons fields respected practitioners offering broad distressed debt, restructuring and insolvency expertise to major banks, insolvency practitioners and trustees. The team handles all stages of financial distress, administrations and liquidations and, thanks to the firm's global network, is well placed to handle multi-jurisdictional bankruptcies. The firm is able to assist clients on litigation as well as non-contentious matters.

Jones Day offers a range of services across the restructuring and insolvency spectrum, both on a consensual basis and through formal insolvency proceedings, including schemes of arrangement, receiverships, liquidations and administrations. The team is particularly focused on cross-border insolvency and restructuring matters, including the use of the US Bankruptcy Code to gain relief in Australian insolvencies. Its clients include creditors and appointees, and the firm advises on debt restructuring as well as insolvency litigation.

K&L Gates's broad practice advises on corporate collapses and workouts, creditor restructures, administrations and liquidations, as well as debt recovery, including securities enforcement. The team is able to draw upon wider expertise from the firm's global presence and to scale up its offering to service multi-jurisdictional mandates. The firm acts for a broad clientele, including major domestic and international banks, trustees and asset purchasers as well as appointees. K&L Gates is active in a range of sectors including financial services, wealth management and construction.

Mills Oakley covers a wide range of restructuring and insolvency-related issues, including priority and perfection disputes, employee entitlement arrangements, debt and equity restructures and the administration of managed investment scheme interest. The firm is active in a range of sectors including finance, construction and manufacturing. The team is further noted for proficiency in debt recovery and security enforcement litigation.

The Baker McKenzie team stands out for its ability to bring regional and global resources to bear on complex cross-border corporate insolvencies and restructurings. The firm also maintains an established domestic practice, acting on large liquidations and receiverships. Baker McKenzie's litigation expertise ensures consistent strength in contentious insolvency matters for a client list that includes creditors, debtors and insolvency practitioners.

Colin Biggers & Paisley advises a varied clientele comprising directors, corporations, investors and restructuring professionals. The team handles a broad range of insolvency issues, including administrations, liquidations and complex litigation in the property, construction and investment management sectors. The team is frequently instructed by appointees with regard to formal insolvency proceedings.

Gadens offers a broad range of experience catering predominantly to the SME market. The firm provides insolvency advice to banks, corporates, administrators and liquidators and handles related litigation. Gadens handles mandates in a diverse range of industries, including retail, property, and food and beverages. The team often acts on the insolvencies of investment funds and distressed companies and also assists banks with recovery actions.

Thomson Geer offers well-established capabilities in restructuring and insolvency matters surrounding secured credit as well as director liability. The team maintains an especially notable track record in the representation of financial services sector clients, and handles all aspects of restructuring and insolvency matters for creditors, shareholders and insolvency practitioners in the SME space, as well as acting on behalf of distressed companies.

A&O Shearman provides a complete restructuring and insolvency offering, with particular expertise in insolvency litigation. The team has a strong global offering, and advises clients in a variety of sectors, including financial institutions and insurance companies.

Clifford Chance boasts a comprehensive international restructuring and insolvency practice, supported by a robust on-the-ground presence in both Perth and Sydney. The firm advises a range of global and domestic clients in sectors such as finance, aviation and entertainment. Its team is experienced in assisting administrators, receivers and liquidators with contingency planning, debt-for-equity swap arrangements and lender refinancing agreements.

Hall & Wilcox advises on a wide range of restructuring and insolvency matters, including the sale of assets and shares and receiverships. Additionally, the team has a notable track record in insolvency litigation. The firm works with a diverse clientele across Australia, spanning corporate energy groups, financial services and government bodies. With offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, the team offers national coverage.

Lavan's experienced team offers expertise in various insolvency-related matters in Western Australia. The firm acts for appointees, company directors, creditors and other market participants on restructurings. Its team is able to assist clients with insolvency disputes as well as non-contentious issues and particularly experienced in the handling of matters linked to the resources sector.

McCullough Robertson maintains a busy practice receiving regular instructions from liquidators, administrators, receivers and distressed companies. Its team acts on a range of matters, including formal insolvency proceedings and voluntary administrations as well as acquisitions of distressed assets and safe-harbour planning. The firm offers particular strength in the agricultural, financial services and resources sectors.

White & Case operates out of Melbourne and Sydney, advising on voluntary administration, business sales and corporate restructurings. The firm's clientele includes secured creditors, administrators and clients from industries such as finance, aviation, healthcare and energy. Clients also benefit from the firm’s ability to leverage its global network.