|
|
In the male-dominated world of insolvency and restructuring Louise Verrill achieved something special when she became the first woman President of the UK Insolvency Lawyers Association, and also the first woman and lawyer, to be elected president of the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA), the sole UK insolvency practitioner regulator.
Ms. Verrill heads Brown Rudnicks European Bankruptcy and Corporate Restructuring Group and has built a reputation as a sharp mind and regularly represents major creditors and stakeholders both UK and internationally. She is not afraid to challenge the hierarchy of the profession and go out on a limb for her clients.
Ms. Verrill has extensive knowledge and experience of all areas of out-of-court and in-court turnaround and insolvency matters regularly operating across several jurisdictions at any time. She has been involved in many high profile insolvency and restructuring litigation assignments including MG Rover, TXU, Euro Tunnel, Enron, Polestar, Lehman and Northern Rock. She led a successful litigation challenge in the Powerhouse case. If this had not succeeded, the UK property market could have lost £38 billion in value and the principle of the law of guarantee would have been destroyed, having a major impact on UK financial institutions and English law.
Ms. Verrill has developed a wide national and international client base comprising, financial institutions, bondholders, steering committees, equity holders, ad hoc committees, insolvency practitioners, major corporations and distressed companies.
She has also built a strong reputation in the retail work out sector dealing with all aspects relating to the retail industry including complex lease portfolio work outs. She also has extensive experience in the pension restructuring arena, acting for the Pension Protection Fund (UK Government Life Boat Scheme), corporates and pension trustees.
With regard to her international focus, Ms. Verrill has been involved in restructuring workouts in many jurisdictions including: France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Far East and all of the off shore jurisdictions. Advising on the impact of the EC Regulation, centre of main interest (COMI) and establishment issues, and primary and secondary insolvency proceedings across European and off-shore jurisdictions and US Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 issues.
Prior to joining Brown Rudnick, Ms. Verrill was the Chair of Addleshaw Goddards Insolvency Group in London.
Representative Matters
Some of her high-profile cases include:
Acting for Noteholders including Northern Rock, Artumas, Polestar.
Acting on various Lehman-related matters.
Acting for purchasers of redundant lease portfolios with gross liabilities of £450 million.
MG Rover Nederland B.V.: Represented Dutch Liquidators including to a determination of the COMi and successfully attacking the UK administration and major dispute regarding crucial Intellectual Property Rights against Nanjing Automotive.
TXU: Represented major US creditor ($670 million)
Enron: Represented creditors and trade claimants.
KPNQuest: Represented UK Liquidator in relation to the validity of claims ($750 million) concerning Netherlands, US and UK.
Euro Tunnel: Represented a French bondholder group in relation to the UK proceedings.
Powerhouse (UK retailer) and the Wall Group (New Zealand parent company): Represented a major creditor group made up of British Land, Scottish Widows and Standard Life to challenge the Company Voluntary Arrangement, the Supervisors and the New Zealand compromise ($700 million).
Dana Corporation: Represented joint venture automotive partner and creditor concerning UK, US, Germany and Slovakia operations.
Collins and Aikman Automotive Floormats Europe B.V.: Represented the Dutch Liquidators.
Acted for the office holders of a group 15 companies including UK, US and Gibraltar. Companies regulated by Financial Services Authority and Financial Services Commission with funds circa £860 million. Litigation to challenge former professional advisors of the group, FSA, and directors (ongoing).
OT Computers (Tiny Computers): Represented Administrators and trustees of Consumer trust.
Advised Law Debenture in relation to Rail Track and Marconi.
Additional Retail Matters
Acting for the Administrators of Lambeth Howarth Group.
Acting for the lenders of Benjys (sandwich store).
Acting for the investors and funders of Trident Fashions (270 stores).
Acting for the Administrators of Designer Room (290 stores).
Acting for the investors and funders of Bodilson/Traesko (69 stores) (flat pack furniture suppliers and retailers).
Managing the exit of all Littlewoods stores.
Advising Bank syndicate on restructuring of JJB Sports, Poundstretcher and Walton Garden Buildings.
Acting for the Administrators of the House of Bath.
Acting for the proposed investors of Allders, Your More Stores, Woolworths, Mark One and DIY Focus.
Publications
Co-author, "Cayman Island Insolvencies: Looking Ahead to Positive Changes," The Hedge Fund Journal, October 2008
Co-author, "Subprime Crisis: The Ripple Effect Continues," Eurofenix, Summer 2008
Co-author, "Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency: Redefined by Today's Credit Crunch," Euromoney Yearbook, Global Insolvency & Restructuring Review 2008/09, April 1, 2008
Co-author, "Collateral Damage: Tracking the Course of the Subprime Virus," International Securitization and Structured Finance Report, February 15, 2008
Co-author, Insolvency, Banking and Finance: Banking on Stability, LegalWeek.com, February 14, 2008
Author, Twilight Trusts Insolvency Intelligence, Issue 10, January, 2008
Co-author, "Lehman Brothers fallout," Eurofenix, Summer 2010
Author, Hedgefund Review, October, 2007
Author, Powerhouse Challenge Recovery Magazine, August, 2007
Author, Tollys Receivership Chapter, 2005
Co-author, "Lehman Brothers fallout," Euromoney's Global Insolvency & Restructuring Review, 2010-2011
Speaking Engagements
Ms Verrill is often invited to be a conference presenter at leading industry events. Recent speaking engagements include:
Panelist, "Distressed Debt Conference", New York, September 2009
Panelist, "International Insolvency Recent Developments," IBA Asia-Pacific Forum, Hong Kong, September 2008
Chair, Retail Workout Session, "Success and Failure of the Retail Sector," INSOL International Conference, Shanghai, September 2008
Presenter, "Regulating the Insolvency Office Holder Profession," INSOL Europe Conference, University of Leiden, The Netherlands, June 2008
Chair, Distressed Investor Conference, London, 2007
Panelist, "Managing Family Owned Businesses," INSOL International Conference, Cape Town, 2007
Panelist, INSOL Europe Conference for the Cooperation and Communication project session, 2007
Bar Admissions & Memberships
Admitted, Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales
President, Insolvency Lawyers Association (ILA) (2007 - 2008); Vice Present (2006 - 2007)
President, Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) (2005 - 2006), the only wholly dedicated insolvency regulator in the UK. Ms. Verrill was the first lawyer to be elected to this role and was instrumental in rolling out the new regulatory format.
Fellow, Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3)
Co-Chair, G36 INSOL International (2004 - 2007)
Member, Executive Committee, INSOL Europe (2004 - 2007)
Member, ICEAW Investigation Committee (2001 - 2004)
Member, IPA Membership and Authorisation Committee (2003 - 2005)
Assistant examiner for the Joint Insolvency Examination Board exams ("JIEB") and has contributed to the present assessment of the JIEB "process" (1999 - 2002).
|
|
|
 |
