Located within the firm’s broader commercial dispute resolution department, the insolvency and corporate recovery team at Ward Hadaway LLP stands out for its strength in the mid-market, adeptly handling the full range of contentious and non-contentious insolvency-related work. Acting for corporate stakeholders, individuals, creditors, businesses, and public sector bodies, the group demonstrates particular proficiency in restructurings, post-insolvency issues, and personal insolvency matters. Practice leadership is shared by Steven Petrie, who leads the broader commercial dispute resolution department, and Jane Garvin, who heads the insolvency sub-group across the firm’s Manchester, Leeds, and Newcastle offices. Petrie has particular experience in personal insolvency matters and regularly advises creditors on recovery strategies, while Garvin is recommended for insolvent business sales and asset recovery claims. The core team also includes Claire Robertson, who takes point on bankruptcy petitions and annulment applications for private clients.

Well regarded for its capabilities in corporate insolvency matters and investigations following corporate failures,  Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP counts boards of directors, individual and mainstream lenders, and businesses among its impressive roster of clients. Sally Dallow, Julian Gill, and Peter Maxwell jointly steer the practice, with Dallow advising on large investigations and insolvency defence, and Gill, who leads the firm's non-contentious offering, attracting praise for his ‘vast amount of knowledge, experience, and strong commercial acumen’. Maxwell is the key contact for companies and individuals facing misfeasance, fraud, and misconduct charges prior to formal insolvency. They are well supported by Alex Kirtley, who focuses on contentious work.

Clarke Mairs LLP multifaceted caseload extends to pre-insolvency advice, restructurings and reorganisations, liquidations, and administrations, and general bankruptcy advice for both personal and corporate clients. Recently, the team has seen an uptick in instructions relating to misfeasance claims and disqualifications following the misuse of furlough and Covid-related loan schemes. A key contact for contentious matters, the ‘tactically astute’ Paul Rushworth is a key contact for contentious matters and frequently acts for directors and stakeholders in insolvency litigation. Rushworth is well-supported by the ‘fantastic’ Alexandra Rose, whose capabilities encompass enforcement work and reviewable transaction claims. Louise Ager, who has a ‘laser focus on what really matters in a dispute,’ handles insolvency-related property mandates and is another key member of the team.

Businesses in distress, lenders and creditors, and liquidators frequently seek the expertise of Muckle LLP in matters concerning debt recovery, investigations, and matters of directors’ conduct. Practice head Louise Duffy is a key name for liquidator-led investigations, while Laura Keegan has a broad practice that spans both contentious and non-contentious work with a significant emphasis on advising directors facing the liquidation of companies. Sarah Farish is highly recommended by clients for insolvency work in the engineering sector.