Polly Richard

Travers Smith

Promoted in 2020 while on maternity leave, Polly Richard returned to the firm last February ready to plunge right into her new partnership role. When she came back to work it was remotely, and like many, she has had to face new management challenges she did not anticipate. However, over the past year she’s been making a success of it, contributing to the success of Travers’ flourishing disputes practice.

She’s been the go-to partner on Young v Nero Holdings, the high-profile challenge to Caffe Nero’s company voluntary arrangement (CVA) by Ronald Young, a landlord of premises let to the coffee group. The High Court rejected all of Mr Young’s allegations of material irregularity and unfair prejudice, dismissing the challenge application. The case has important ramifications for landlords, CVAs, insolvency practitioners, high-street retailers and the hospitality industry.

Richard’s workload will not slow down any time soon; she has a pipeline of insolvency litigation work to keep her going for some time to come.