With a diverse clientele of banks, investment funds, creditors, and private equity investors, Akin focuses on investment disputes. The team has a proven track record representing hedge funds and investment funds, with particular expertise in distressed debt and sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt disputes. Practice head Richard Hornshaw focuses his cross-border litigation practice on finance and securities disputes, and contentious insolvency and restructuring proceedings. Mouna Moussaoui, an active member of the team and ‘litigation star’, was promoted to counsel in January 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The team is outstanding. One of many strong features is its ability to draw on the knowledge of colleagues in other departments where relevant.’

  • ‘Richard Hornshaw is outstanding. Incredibly user-friendly and also always on top of all the detail.’

  • ‘Very strong. Akin is obviously strong in capital markets, debt and funds work and the banking litigation team has great experience in all these areas. I would say that it is one of the best teams in the market.’

  • ‘Richard Hornshaw is excellent. A really competent lawyer who thinks through all the details but also someone who is a real pleasure to deal with. Mouna Moussaoui is a very talented, up and coming associate.’

  • ‘Akin has an excellent team for banking and finance litigation. Their litigators are very experienced in handling complex banking disputes, including disputes with an international aspect.’

  • ‘Richard Hornshaw is an exceptional litigator and team leader for high profile banking and finance litigation.’

  • ‘Akin has a very high profile with funds, private equity and bondholders. They are a go to firm for contested workout situations, whether of bank debt or other credit. They are excellent and have an intuitive understanding of what their clients want to achieve.’

  • ‘James Terry - incredibly thoughtful and energetic. A really outstanding committed lawyer. Richard Hornshaw - a great litigation partner. He's across all of his cases and exercises sound judgement. Mouna Moussaoui - a litigation star. Future partner material for sure. She's very engaged with her cases and her client's objectives.’

Key clients

  • Goldman Sachs
  • Barings Asset Management
  • The administrators of African Minerals Limited
  • Apollo
  • Elliott Advisers
  • Ad Hoc Group of Noteholders to Imtech
  • Ad Hoc Group of Noteholders to Adler

Work highlights

  • Advised the ad hoc group of noteholders to Adler on the first Court of Appeal judgment regarding a restructuring plan and the parameters of the cross-class cram down power.
  • Advising the letter of credit ad hoc group of lenders on challenging the McDermott restructuring plan commenced under Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006.
  • Advising Elliott on its judicial review against the London Metal Exchange (LME) for the almost half-billion-dollar loss Elliott suffered by virtue of the LME’s decision to retrospectively cancel nickel trades entered into in the early hours of March 8, 2022.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Richard Hornshaw

Other key lawyers

Mouna Moussaoui, James Terry