Kevin Pullen
Herbert Smith Freehills LLPHeaded by the ‘outstanding’ John Whiteoak, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP has forged a particularly strong reputation advising corporates as debtors (including board members) as well as officeholders on high-profile insolvency processes. Combining broader commercial disputes prowess with restructuring smarts, Whiteoak is best-known for his contentious work in this context, including work with regard to director disqualification proceedings, preference claims and increasingly contested restructuring plans. Kevin Pullen and John Chetwood both have vast expertise across a myriad of insolvency processes, including restructuring plans, CVAs and schemes of arrangements, with the former also offering niche expertise in relation to PFI/PP restructurings. Natasha Johnson is another key member of the team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'They have strength-in-depth across the detail and are able to handle highly complex cases in a clear and considered manner, always mindful of specific client interests and needs.'
- 'John Whiteoak is outstanding. Engaged, passionate and smart in handling a complex case with multiple parties. Always seeking to manage the case in a strategic and proactive manner.'
- 'John Whiteoak and Natasha Johnson worked incredibly well together, providing balance and perspective throughout.'
- 'Andrew Cooke is outstanding.'
Key clients
- Certain non-executive directors of Carillion
- Project Toucan (JWC)
- Birmingham Highways Limited
- Made.com
- Three Hills Capital Partners
- Babylon Healthcare
- MP & Silva
- Nortel Networks International Finance & Holding BV (in administration)
- Link Fund Solutions
Work highlights
- Advising certain former non-executive directors in relation to director disqualifications proceedings brought by the Secretary of State as a result of the high-profile liquidation of Carillion plc. This is a significant matter with major implications for the scope of directors' duties and is currently one of the largest ever proceedings brought under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
- Advised the joint administrators of Nortel Network since January 2009 in what has been described as "one of the most complex transactional legal proceedings in history" by Hon. Warren Winkler, the former Chief Justice of Ontario.
- Acted for Made.com in assisting with its contingency planning in parallel with its strategic review and subsequently acted for the administrators on the sale of the Made.com brand, associated intellectual property, domain names and customer databases to Next Retail Ltd.
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John Whiteoak