Sam specialises in providing restructuring, insolvency, and contingency planning advice. His recent assignments have involved contentious and non-contentious matters, including those with complex cross-border issues, with a particular focus on the Financial Services, Construction, and Retail & Consumer sectors.
He provides strategic advice to various stakeholders, including directors on their duties and contingency planning in distressed scenarios; insolvency practitioners on accelerated M&A processes; banks, lenders, and creditors on security and enforcement strategy; and investors and companies on distressed acquisitions.
Sam has been involved in a number of high-profile restructuring and insolvency mandates, including Wirecard, Railsr, Midas Group, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Oasis and Warehouse, and Patisserie Valerie. The complex restructuring and solvent wind-down of Wirecard's UK subsidiary led to Osborne Clarke's nomination for Restructuring Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2022.
Sam is a TMA NextGen member and regularly contributes to restructuring industry publications. Previous publications have included those for INSOL International, and the American Bar Association's Business Law Today.
Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world
I take an active role in championing Osborne Clarke's transformation expertise, focusing on the financial and operational risk caused by distress in supply chains.
Work
Wirecard
A complex restructuring and solvent wind-down of Wirecard's UK subsidiary, following the discovery of substantial financial irregularities (c. €1.9bn) within its group. Osborne Clarke was nominated as Restructuring Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2022 for this mandate.
Retail restructurings
Involved in a number of high-profile Retail & Consumer restructurings, including Oasis, Warehouse, Laura Ashley, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Peacocks, and Patisserie Valerie.
Midas Group
Providing contingency planning advice and advising the administrators on post-administration issues, including business and asset sale processes in the Construction sector.
Contentious insolvency
Recent matters include (i) successful defence of a paragraph 75 claim for misfeasance against former administrators, (ii) settlement of a section 423 IA 1986 claim, (iii) successful dismissal of a winding-up petition presented against a payments firm, (iv) pursuing breach of duty and transaction at an undervalue claims, and (v) early dismissal of winding-up proceedings against a casual dining chain.
Expertise
Sector
Service
Transformation
Insights
Supply chains
How to manage distress in UK construction supply chains
Spotting the warning signs of distress in your construction supply chain and taking early action can significantly reduce the impact...
10/02/2023
Supply chains
How to contingency plan for insolvency in a global supply chain
Early contingency planning can significantly reduce the shock of customer or supplier insolvency
18/11/2022
Corporate
UK Insolvency Service publishes interim report on the effectiveness of measures introduced by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020
The Insolvency Service is satisfied that the restructuring plan and moratorium processes are broadly meeting their policy objectives – and...
22/06/2022
Corporate
How can directors navigate insolvency risk during an economic sea change?
When companies face cashflow and other pressures, early action can assist with the assessment and mitigation of these risks
10/03/2022
