The global financial markets restructuring team at Clifford Chance regularly advises major international banks, funds, private equity investors, and corporates on a wide spectrum of R&I work. Most matters are cross-border, as the the firm leverages its pan-Asian coverage and its capacity to combine expertise across a full spectrum of products and practices, such as finance, litigation, and dispute resolution. An illustrative instance of this strength is the team’s robust response to the aftermath of disruptions in the airline industry, which has notably affected many of the firm’s clients, leading to a collaborative effort between the R&I practice and the aviation finance practice. In addition to its expertise in aviation, the team excels in sectors like TMT, food and beverage, and energy. Donna Wacker heads the contentious insolvency practice and regularly leads on complex cross-border liquidations. The non-contentious side of the practice is led by Scott Bache, a key contact for international corporates seeking guidance on the full spectrum of restructuring and insolvency matters. Other key figures within the team include Soo Khim Keoy, an experienced litigator, the ‘extremely hard-working and exceptionally intelligent’ Phoebe Lo, who specialises in corporate insolvency and restructuring work, and Thomas Walsh, whose practice focuses on cross-border disputes.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Phoebe Lo is one of very few trilingual restructuring and insolvency partners in HKSAR, is commercially astute, responsive and very pleasant to deal with.’

  • 'One of the few stand-alone restructuring teams in the market, Scott Bache and Phoebe Lo lead an excellent team. The team has the capability of working seamlessly through the full spectrum of restructuring options, from non-contentious to contentious, and are extremely well-versed in terms of understanding the structures and details of the underlying financing product/transaction.'

  • 'Phoebe Lo is extremely hard-working and an exceptionally intelligent practitioner. She clearly understands the Asia market and is a pleasure to work alongside.'

Key clients

  • FTI Consulting

Work highlights

  • Representing the Liquidators of Gatecoin Limited, one of Hong Kong’s earliest and most popular cryptocurrency exchange platforms that went into liquidation in 2019 following a hack in which crypto currency assets were stolen from the exchanges hot wallets.
  • Advising FTI Consulting in their capacity as liquidators of Trinity Limited, a holding company of the Trinity Group.
  • Advised a range of financiers and lessors with respect to the restructuring of Hong Kong Airlines pursuant to a Hong Kong scheme of arrangement and UK Part 26A restructuring plan.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Scott Bache, Donna Wacker

Other key lawyers

Soo Khim Keoy, Phoebe Lo, Thomas Walsh, Yvonne Shek, Hinny Leung