Insolvency and restructuring

money, shares

London Capital & Finance trial kicks off

One of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2024 hit the courts today after it was subject to a three-week delay. The suit is between London Capital & Finance (LCF) and eight defendants alleged to have been involved in a “Ponzi scheme.” LCF collapsed in 2019 following an intervention by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after it […]

Yodel

Dechert leads on Yodel rescue thanks to Weil Gotshal hire

Dechert’s involvement in the rescue deal of parcel delivery company Yodel this week can be attributed to the strategic hire of partner Adam Plainer in 2021. Plainer, who joined the firm from Weil Gotshal & Manges, maintained connections with Yodel’s board, leading to the successful introduction of the deal to Dechert. This week’s rescue deal […]

The Body Shop collapse: Jones Day takes administration role

US firm Jones Day has been appointed as the lead law firm acting on the administration of The Body Shop. It is understood that the collapse of the London-headquartered retailer expects to put over 2,200 jobs at risk, just three months after the brand was sold to German asset manager Aurelius Group by its previous […]

Temple Avenue, near Gibson Dunn

Gibson Dunn lures back Freshfields restructuring partner

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has boosted its restructuring ranks in London, hiring an alumna back to the team. The US firm has added Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Lisa Stevens to its business restructuring and reorganisation practice group. It emerged this morning that Stevens had exited the magic circle firm after only 18 months. Her move […]

keycard exit leaving office

Freshfields restructuring partner leaves after 18 months

A restructuring partner who joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s City team in 2022 has left the firm. Lisa Stevens moved to the magic circle firm in August 2022 from Kirkland & Ellis. Her hire signalled further Freshfields’s intent to laterally recruit in the City after a period of little to no external investment. Other hires made […]

David Ereira

Quinn Emanuel recruits Paul Hastings’ restructuring veteran

Paul Hastings’ restructuring and insolvency partner David Ereira has moved across to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Ereira joins Quinn having also been a partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters. He worked with Quinn on disputes arising from the NMC administration, a hospital operator that collapsed in 2020. He commonly represents debtors, creditors, investors […]

moving jobs

Akin Gump hires new restructuring partner from Milbank

A member of Milbank’s financial restructuring team is making the move to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld after six years at her former firm. Jacqueline Ingram joined Milbank in 2018 as part of a four-partner office raid from Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft led by the firm’s then co-chair of financial restructuring co-chair Yushan Ng […]

liverpool street london

Willkie lures new recruit from Latham

Willkie Farr & Gallagher is set to bolster its London ranks by hiring a high-profile restructuring partner from Latham & Watkins. Simon Baskerville has spent nearly eight years as a partner at Latham & Watkins and served as the global vice chair of restructuring and special situations. He previously trained at Ashurst and was given […]

The long and winding road: Collapsed firm Axiom Ince appoints administrators

Administrators have been appointed to handle the fallout from collapsed firm Axiom Ince, which was closed after intervention from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) last month. Leonard Curtis has taken on the bulky mandate, with Neil Bennett, Alex Cadwallader and Andrew Poxon made joint administrators of the firm. Gordons, Shakespeare Martineau and Stephensons were already […]

Wilko

Wilko GC appeals for staff support amid last-ditch rescue attempts

Wilko’s general counsel has shared a heartfelt post on LinkedIn advocating for Wilko staff members in need of new roles after talks to rescue the brand and its stores fell through.  Robert Powell said: “Every member of the team has shown all of the Wilko values and pulled together, shown each other they care and […]

Sophie Jermine, Allen & Overy

A&O hires new corporate partner from Akin

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has lost one of its financial restructuring partners in London to Allen & Overy. Sophie Jermine joined Akin Gump in 2014 when a mass team joined from collapsing firm Bingham McCutchen. She was a counsel at Bingham, having started her career there in 2006. Her practice focuses on US-based […]

KPMG

KPMG partner exits to re-join former firm

KPMG Law has taken a hit in the City, after one of its partners has left the firm after only a couple of years to re-join his previous firm. Richard Needham has spent two years at KPMG Law, with a practice focused on international business reorganisations. He previously spent 15 years at Baker McKenzie, working […]