Expertise
He conducts a variety of contentious and non-contentious insolvency and restructuring matters, and wider business critical litigation. He acts on behalf of lenders, liquidators, administrators, LPA receivers, trustees in bankruptcy, companies, purchasers of distressed assets, creditors and other stakeholders, shareholders, members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and directors.
Ed specialises in bringing and defending claims brought by office holders including transactions at an under value, voidable preferences, wrongful and fraudulent trading, knowing receipt and dishonest assistance, and breach of duty (including allegations of fraud and international asset tracing) as well as acting for creditors in appointing, or applying to court for the appointment of, administrators and liquidators. He also has significant experience in civil fraud, dishonesty and misrepresentation proceedings and investigations, including the use of freezing and other targeted injunctions.
Business critical litigation includes shareholder disputes, minority shareholder petitions, guarantee claims, professional negligence claims (valuers, solicitors, accountants, tax advisers), earnout / deferred consideration and warranty disputes, and contract/tortious disputes.
Ed also acts as an independent Supervising Solicitor overseeing search (and seizure) orders obtained in civil proceedings.
Recent Experience
His clients include: RSM, PwC, Kroll, BDO, Grant Thornton, EY Parthenon, FRP Advisory, Evelyn Partners and Mercer & Hole.
- Advising on a number of minority shareholder/unfair prejudice petitions and shareholder disputes.
- Advising debtors on setting aside statutory demands and restraining advertisement of winding up petitions.
- Advising landlords and other creditors on the impact of Company Voluntary arrangements and the potential challenges available.
- Advising Jersey liquidators on claims available in the UK.
- Advising in relation to a “phishing” scam.
- Advising defendants in separate multi-jurisdictional fraud claims and worldwide freezing orders.
- Advising liquidators on claims against former administrators for misfeasance relating to the sale of the business and assets.
- Advising an administrator in relation to his appointment and the subsequent sale of the business and assets of an invoice discounting platform.
- Advising a bankrupt on concerns about the ultra vires conduct of the trustees in bankruptcy.
- Advising liquidators on claims against directors of companies in the construction industry for (1) wrongful trading and breach of duty; and (2) transaction to defraud creditors.
- Acting for the purchaser of a chain of approximately 100 retail outlets and concessions from an administrator and, separately, the intellectual property of a live and on-demand video website.
- Acting on negligence claims in relation to entering failed or inappropriate tax planning schemes.
- Acting for administrators in relation to the sale of a significant plot of land and commencing injunctive relief proceedings to clear off any claims to an interest in the land.
- Advising liquidators of a leisure goods investment scheme with a creditor deficit of over £16M on claims against directors and third parties.
- Advising liquidators in challenging dividends paid prior to liquidation.
- Acting for US purchasers of a sports business in a freezing injunction and subsequent proceedings in circumstances where the financial and contractual documentation was fabricated.
- Advising a technology client on its rights in relation to the procurement by a third party to breach a service contract.
- Advising a fund on bringing fraud proceedings against former directors and third parties, and enforcement of a foreign judgement in the UK.
- Advising an employee on the structuring of a significant financial settlement following a bonus dispute.
- Defending directors against misfeasance and undervalue claims brought by an office holder.
Career History
Ed trained with Wedlake Bell and qualified in 2003 and became a Partner in 2010. He is a Member of the Association of Business Recoveries Professionals (R3).