Latham & Watkins

Led by Bruce Bell, the ‘experienced and professional’ seven-partner team at Latham & Watkins has the strength-in-depth to handle a wide range of mandates for an eclectic client base including debtors, creditors and sponsors. Much of the work is of a cross-border nature (where the firm is aided by a sizeable US and European network) and runs the gamut from balance sheet restructurings, liability management exercises and capital raisings, through to formal insolvencies utilising a variety of UK and international processes. The team is also very well-versed at advising on products throughout the capital structure, including a considerable volume of high-yield restructurings for collateralised loan obligations (CLOs). Yen Sum is at the forefront of much of this private-credit-related work and is ’fantastic at managing relationships across difficult stakeholder groups’, with clients benefitting not only from her private practice experience but also her in-house expertise for an investment bank. Praised for her ‘ability to think outside the box’, Jennifer Brennan is also key to the firm’s success in the private credit space and excels in devising strategies for funds seeking to realise value in stressed and distressed situations. David Wallace is also a key member of the team. Simon Baskerville joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP in December 2023.