Restructuring/Insolvency | UK Bar

South Square is widely lauded as "the pre-eminent insolvency set." Chambers houses a deep bench of experienced barristers at both senior and junior levels, and remains the top choice for the most complex and high-profile cases arising in the UK and further afield. Members are instructed in the full gamut of cases and offer significant expertise in complex restructurings, where they are recognised as "the leading barristers for schemes of arrangement" and have recently advised in relation to Veon Holdings. The team is also well regarded for its adroit handling of the administration and liquidation of major corporations, and several of the set's tenants have been involved in the most high-profile cases of recent years, including the administration of Bulb Energy.

4 Stone Buildings is highly regarded as a "heavyweight go-to insolvency set, particularly for complex matters." The set houses a strong bench of experienced barristers who have considerable experience appearing in high-profile disputes. The set's appearance in Byers v Saudi National Bank, heard at the Supreme Court, is a standout example. Drawing on the set's established strength in company law, members are also well regarded for their adroit handling of non-contentious restructurings and complex directors' disqualification cases, as well as prominence in the market for their "strength of knowledge of personal insolvency matters." The set is routinely instructed to act for and advise the government on an array of insolvency-related matters, and several of its junior members are on the Attorney General's A Panels.

Erskine Chambers is highly regarded for its broad expertise spanning the full range of insolvency and restructuring matters. Drawing on the set's recognised strengths in banking and finance, the set is noted as "advising on the most complex and high-value matters." It is considered a top choice in the market for complex cases arising out of the collapse of financial institutions, and members are regularly instructed to act on behalf of bondholders and security holders in high-value disputes. Additional areas of expertise for the team include retail CVAs, international corporate restructurings and cross-border insolvencies, including those involving difficult jurisdictional issues. The set's tenants are frequently instructed in the most high-profile cases in the market, and have experience appearing before the Court of Appeal, the Privy Council and the Supreme Court. In the past year members have continued to advise on high-profile CVAs including the challenge against the New Look CVA and the successful challenge of Re Regis UK. Members also advised Signal Credit in its claim to challenge the USD1 billion restructuring of the Galapagos Group.

Maitland Chambers is recognised as "one of the leading sets for restructuring and insolvency work," housing a strong bench of barristers experienced in a wide range of restructuring and insolvency matters. Members are regularly instructed in major domestic and cross-border corporate insolvencies, liquidations and administrations, and act for a diverse client base including both secured and unsecured creditors, insolvency practitioners and corporations. The set also offers considerable expertise in personal insolvency matters, and members are routinely instructed to represent insolvent individuals. Over the past year, members of chambers have continued to act in high-profile restructuring and insolvency proceedings, including Lehman Brothers and London Capital & Finance.

3 Verulam Buildings is noted as having "very strong expertise across the set in banking and insolvency litigation." The set is well regarded for its handling of contentious commercial insolvencies, and its tenants are regularly called upon to act for insolvency practitioners in high-value, cross-border recovery actions. 3VB's representation of Lehman Brothers Holdings in ongoing disputes about the distribution of surpluses within the Lehman estate is one such example. Members were also instructed by Dubai Islamic Bank and Noor Bank to defend their interests in litigation arising out of the collapse of NMC Healthcare.

Enterprise Chambers is a highly regarded set for restructuring and insolvency matters, and is regularly instructed to appear in complex cross-border disputes. The set houses a strong bench of barristers at both senior and junior levels who are noted for their "excellent range of experience across all manner of insolvency matters." Areas of expertise for the team include directors' misfeasance and disqualification claims, challenges to office holders' remuneration, corporate insolvencies and HMRC winding-up proceedings. Members act for a wide range of clients including administrators, liquidators, financial institutions and insolvency practitioners. The set has recently advised a class of sub-postmasters regarding the Post Office Horizon scandal, in particular advising successfully on strategy to prevent insolvency officers taking compensation for fees and expenses. Members of chambers also continue to act for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme regarding winding-up proceedings in the High Court against foreign-registered companies involved in a multimillion-pound fraud.

Radcliffe Chambers is lauded as "a one-stop shop for insolvency matters," offering expertise spanning a wide range of restructuring and insolvency matters, including both corporate and personal insolvencies. The set houses a strong bench of barristers with experience in the handling of liquidations and administrations, as well as CVAs and directors' disqualification matters. The team is regularly instructed in both domestic and multi-jurisdictional disputes, and its broad client base includes government bodies, financial institutions, major corporations and private individuals. Recent instructions include acting for the petitioner in a winding-up petition against Swindon Town Football Club.

Wilberforce Chambers is noted for its impressive work tackling both corporate and personal insolvency matters. Members are frequently called upon to undertake cases arising both in the UK and further afield, and offer significant expertise in the handling of complex multi-jurisdictional disputes. Market commentators note that "the barristers at Wilberforce are highly intelligent and extremely capable" and "have good experience on a range of insolvency matters," with particular areas of strength for the set spanning administrations, CVAs, restructurings and schemes of arrangement. The team is also regularly instructed in cases involving complex pensions and property elements, owing to the set's established strengths in these areas. An enviable client list includes creditors, debtors and insolvency office holders. Recent cases of note include defending a former director against wrongful trading and misfeasance claims worth over £160 million in relation to the collapse of BHS.

9 Stone Buildings offers expertise in both corporate and personal insolvency matters, and its barristers are highly regarded for their handling of insolvency litigation involving allegations of fraud or professional negligence. The set's barristers also have experience handling directors' misfeasance claims, while cases stemming from trusts or probate matters are also a key area of strength for the team. The set is regularly instructed in both domestic and cross-border claims, and its impressive client roster includes liquidators, creditors and government bodies such as HMRC. Clients note 9 Stone Buildings as a strong set for insolvency matters given its "high number of dependable barristers" and "broad array of expertise." Members have recently been instructed on an IVA challenge in relation to the bankruptcy of high net worth individual Pramod Mittal.

Serle Court is a highly regarded set for insolvency and restructuring matters, and is well positioned to handle cases arising in offshore jurisdictions such as the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean. Members are regularly instructed in both contentious and non-contentious matters, and are well versed in corporate and personal insolvencies. Insolvency litigation involving allegations of fraud is also a key area of strength for the set, drawing on the set's enviable reputation in civil fraud matters, and its barristers have experience appearing before both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Recent cases of note include advising individuals on the insolvency aspects in relation to the Post Office IT scandal while also continuing to act for the administrators of Lehman Brothers.

Twenty Essex is noted as "a very strong set on technical and complex matters," regularly advising on both complex restructuring schemes and contentious insolvencies. The set acts for a diverse client base which includes administrators, liquidators, trustees and lenders. Cross-border insolvencies are a key area of strength for the team, and its members have experience appearing before the courts in several offshore jurisdictions such as the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands. The set has continued to attract high-profile, international instructions including advising a consortium of investors into a travel company in the Genting group as well as advising on proceedings relating to the £1 billion bankruptcy of high-net-worth individual Vijay Mallya.

XXIV Old Buildings offers expertise in both domestic and international insolvency matters, and its members are highly regarded for their handling of cases arising in offshore jurisdictions such as the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Isle of Man. Areas of expertise for the team include complex administrations, liquidations and both company and individual voluntary arrangements. The set's barristers are also well versed in directors' disqualification proceedings and asset tracing and recovery matters. Over the past 12 months, barristers at the set have continued to be instructed on prominent offshore insolvency matters including Carlyle Capital Corporation Limited (in liquidation) & Others v Conway & Others concerning a number of alleged breaches including of fiduciary duties in the failure of a hedge fund.