The FSI Insolvency and Business Recovery Team is a cross departmental group consisting of partners and lawyers from Commercial Dispute Resolution, Property, Employment, Company Commercial and Tax. The Team advise companies, directors, individuals, insolvency practitioners, other lawyers and intermediaries, on substantial insolvency issues and disputes within the UK or internationally.
recent CONTENTIOUS experience:
Tim Bignell, Partner, Commercial Dispute Resolution Group received instructions, including the following:-
- Acting for a liquidator of a travel company in a claim against auditors for overstating the company’s solvency prior to it entering into administration;
- Acting for a trustee in bankruptcy and setting aside a disposition of real property by the debtor to family members in contravention of Section 284 of the Insolvency Act;
- Acting for a supervisor of a company voluntary arrangement and successfully resisting a challenge to the amended scheme by a creditor acting with ulterior purpose;
- Acting for a supervisor of a collective individual voluntary arrangement in defending forty negligent mortgage valuation claims settled at mediation; and
- Acting for a director of an offshore company in respect of an application for public examination under Section 133 of the Insolvency Act 1986.
recent non-CONTENTIOUS experience advising:
Recent restructuring transactions have included the following:
- FSI Corporate Partner, Peter Carter, advised entrepreneur Leo Caplan on his recent acquisition of two of the UK’s premier kitchen and furniture businesses - Smallbone of Devizes and Mark Wilkinson Furniture from administrators via a Newco vehicle. FSI advised on all related post acquisition property work including the operation of licences to occupy and coordinating the negotiation and transfers of leases.
- FSI Corporate Partner, Paul Glassberg, acted for MCR on the pre-packaged administration and sale of recruitment business CIP Recruitment to a Newco controlled by CIP's existing management. In addition, Paul acted again for MCR on the pre-packaged Administration and sale of communications business Souk Communications to a Newco controlled by Souk’s existing management. Paul also acted for MCR on the administration of a UK restaurant chain owned by a major US restaurant chain and on the ongoing conduct of the administration. Paul was also instructed by joint receivers, MCR and David Rubins & Partners in the administration and sale of Wavetrend.
- FSI Corporate Partner, Sara Wax, acted for Mour Hotel Group on the purchase of the Dakota Hotel in Nottingham from liquidators. In addition Sara advised on the purchase of a wholesale fish supply business from an administrator for an existing client.
- FSI Head of Corporate, Ashley Reeback, advised AIM listed provider of leisure, health, fitness and wellness products and services ADDleisure Plc on a corporate restructuring and financing including the administration of two subsidiaries (ADD Wellness Holdings Limited and Movers & Shapers Limited) and a facility from BUPA Finance Plc.
- FSI Partners, Philip Rubens and Andrew Wigston acted for Smith & Williamson, liquidators of Land Heritage Ltd which was one of the largest land banking operators in the UK.
Teams within the Group
Commercial Dispute Resolution
Property and Property Litigation
Employment
Corporate and Tax
IP Media
Tim Bignell Partner: Commercial Dispute Resolution
+44 (0)20 7344 5641
tim.bignell@fsilaw.com