Overview
James represents financial sponsors, debtors and credit funds in transactions across the full spectrum of restructuring and insolvency (R&I) in multiple jurisdictions and sectors, including distressed M&A, debt-for-equity swaps, liability management exercises, bond restructuring, private credit and other new money financings and distressed debt investments.
James advises distressed credit funds and other alternative capital providers on secondary debt and new money investments, working in close collaboration with the Firm’s finance, corporate, capital markets and other practices across jurisdictions to undertake capital structure analysis and to develop innovative investment structures and strategies.
He led the Firm’s R&I offering in Asia from Hong Kong as a partner for 5 years and has extensive experience of advising funds and debtors on big ticket restructuring situations in Asia.
James undertook a year-long secondment in 2013 to the global restructuring group at the Royal Bank of Scotland, during which he worked in the high-flow business team with large international banking clients to address distressed situations, particularly in the financial institution and shipping sectors.
James is a Legal 500 and Chambers ranked partner.
Work Highlights
James has led, or been a key adviser, on a large number of major R&I and special situation deals. These include advising:
- Thames Water on its liquidity extension transaction, including raising £3bn super senior new funding, implemented pursuant to an English law restructuring plan
- Metro Bank on its recapitalisation transaction (IFR EMEA Restructuring of the Year 2024)
- Shareholders of The LYCRA Company and investors on the refinancing of the 2023 Notes through a drop-down financing transaction and the subsequent settlement transaction
- Yunneng Wind Power Co Ltd (a major Taiwanese offshore wind farm) on the restructuring of its EUR2.9bn debt and recapitalisation
- an ad hoc group of bondholders and lenders holding c.US$3bn in connection with the ongoing c.US$10bn offshore debt restructuring of Sunac China (IFR Asia Restructuring of the Year 2023).
- the lenders under a USD400m mezzanine facility on the restructuring and enforcement of The LYCRA Company to enable such lenders to take equity ownership of the group
- Genting Hong Kong Limited on its c.US$3.5bn restructuring and c.US$1bn recapitalisation – one of the largest and most complicated restructurings in Asia in recent memory
- mezzanine and senior lenders on the debt for equity swap to enable such lenders to take control of Baccarat S.A.
- CGG group on its multi-billion dollar restructuring through a market first safeguard process in France and Chapter 11 and 15 proceedings in the U.S.
- Abengoa in connection with the proposed restructuring of its multi-billion euro financial liabilities through Spanish homologación and Chapter 11 processes
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