Dechert LLP
Despite the departure in January 2023 of Solomon Noh and Alastair Goldrein to Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Dechert LLP maintains a strong offering for both creditors and debtors where it displays a ‘high level of technical excellence, in both UK and multi-jurisdictional situations’. Leveraging the firm’s rich heritage in the asset management space, funds-related work informs much of the deal flow, both for private equity sponsors and credit funds. Praised for her ‘thorough and business-oriented’ approach and her ability ’to build consensus’, Kay Morley is key to the success, regularly acting for distressed investors seeking to realise value in European distressed scenarios, as well as for private equity portfolio companies as debtors. Team head Adam Plainer ‘brings common sense, commerciality and plain speaking to any situation’, be it on behalf of distressed investors, junior and senior lenders or IPs.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The team is diverse and provides hands-on, clear and thorough advice.'
- 'Very client focused, technically excellent and responsive.'
- 'High level of technical excellence, in both UK and multi-jurisdictional situations.'
- 'Adam Plainer is experienced, committed to his clients, technically very strong and commercial.'
- 'Adam Plainer is an exceptional practitioner who brings common sense, commerciality and plain speaking to any situation.'
- 'Kay Morley is very approachable, sharp, thorough and business-oriented.'
- 'Kay Morley is very calm and insightful, and brings great influence to build consensus.'
- 'Adam Silver - Technically very strong and very dedicated.'
Key clients
- Noteholders of Public Joint-Stock Company Commercial Bank “PrivatBank”
- Funds managed by Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited
- Davidson Kempner
- Citadel
- Elliott Associates
- Alden Global Capital
- Monarch Alternative Capital LP
- Eurohold Bulgaria AD
- Sindicatum Renewable Energy Company PTE
- JSC Ukrainian Railways
- Duncan MacInnes & 465 SI Limited (“465 SI”)
- Kevin Hellard and Amanda Wade, as trustees in bankruptcy of Derek Hood (Tuke proceedings)
Work highlights
- After PrivatBank, the largest commercial bank in Ukraine, was placed into “temporary administration” and then nationalised under Ukrainian law, advised various noteholders on two related LCIA arbitration and English High Court proceedings relating to the sums due under Loan Participation Notes indirectly issued by PrivatBank through an SPV and purportedly “bailed-in”.
- Advised the joint trustees in bankruptcy of Derek Hood who is the former owner and director of JD Classics, the largest classic car dealership in Europe.
- Advised Mr MacInnes and 465 SI on the restructuring of their assets in order to satisfy a judgment of over £11 million obtained by Xenfin Fund 1 Trading Limited.
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Leading individuals
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Adam Plainer