Biography
Neil’s practice is focused on providing practical, leading-edge advice to companies and their stakeholders on complex, high value debt restructurings.
Neil works with credit funds, senior management and private equity sponsors on stressed, distressed and special situations. He also advises on associated M&A and alternative investments.
Described by clients as “the ideal combination of technical knowledge, diligence and commerciality”, Neil is consistently recognised as a market-leading restructuring lawyer across all major legal directories. In Chambers UK, clients comment that “Neil is able to look through complexity to come up with pragmatic and innovative solutions, and is willing to fight for his clients' interests in difficult circumstances" with others stating that "From a technical perspective Neil is excellent - a 360-degree lawyer".
Representative Matters:
- Advising CD&R portfolio company Vialto Partners on its consensual recapitalization and refinancing of its c. $1.7 billion of first-lien and second-lien debt facilities
- Advising Ares on the refinancing of TalkTalk Telecom Group
- Advising the ad hoc group of Supporting Creditors in relation to the global restructuring of McDermott International.
- Advising an ad hoc group of noteholders of Ideal Standard’s senior secured notes due 2026 in relation to its Exchange Offer, Consent Solicitation and Scheme Solicitation
- Advising an ad hoc group of bondholders on Worldwide Flight Services (“WFS”) tender offer
- Advising an ad hoc group of noteholders in relation to the consensual recapitalisation and financial restructuring of Frigoglass S.A.I.C and the group of companies formerly controlled by it (the “Frigoglass Group”)
- Advising an ad hoc group of secured lenders to the world’s largest regional aircraft lessor, Nordic Aviation Capital, in relation to its restructuring by way of chapter 11 proceedings
- Advising an ad hoc group of senior lenders to UK based deepwater drilling contractor, Seadrill, in relation to the Group’s ongoing chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the US
- Advising a range of portfolio companies on strategic options and capital structure solutions
- Advised an ad hoc group of bondholders of Spanish based construction and civil engineering company, Obrascón Huarte Lain, in relation to the Group’s debt for equity swap, implemented through a scheme of arrangement in the UK
- Advised an ad hoc group of bondholders of UK based speciality metals producer, Ferroglobe, in relation to the Group’s financial restructuring
- Advised Europe’s largest cinema operator, Odeon (part of the AMC Entertainment Group), in relation to the Group’s financial difficulties and the refinancing of its European business
- Advised an ad hoc group of senior creditors of UK based drilling and engineering contractor, KCA Deutag, in relation to the Group’s debt for equity swap, implemented through a scheme of arrangement in the UK
- Advised an ad hoc group of bondholders of Caribbean mobile phone operator, Digicel, in relation to the Group’s balance sheet restructuring, implemented through a series of exchanges offers, coupled with a scheme of arrangement and provisional liquidation in Bermuda
- Advised an ad hoc group of bondholders on the restructuring of Galapagos, a German industrials business, involving a distressed disposal of the group implemented through an enforcement sale in Luxembourg.*
- Advised an ad hoc group of senior creditors of Noble, a Singapore listed commodities trader, on the group's new financing and debt for equity swap, involving parallel schemes of arrangement in the United Kingdom and Bermuda, and a "light touch" Bermuda provisional liquidation.*
- Advised an ad hoc group of bondholders on the restructuring of Frigoglass, a Greek-listed glass and refrigeration business, involving a new capital injection and debt-for-equity swap implemented through a scheme of arrangement in the U.K.*
- Advised an ad hoc group of senior bondholders of Avanti Communications, a U.K.-listed satellite operator, on the group's new financing and debt-for-equity swap, involving an exchange offer and English scheme of arrangement.*
- Advised an ad hoc groups of senior creditors on the restructuring of the collapsed Icelandic banks Glitnir, Kaupthing and Landsbanki.*
* Experience gained at previous firm