1. Home
  2. Our Expertise
  3. Restructuring & Insolvency

Restructuring & Insolvency

Market-leading restructuring and insolvency lawyers

Russell McVeagh's insolvency lawyers advise on some of the most significant and high-profile restructurings and insolvencies in the New Zealand market as well as cross-border insolvencies. We have a multi-disciplinary team of practitioners who provide financial advice, corporate advisory, and assistance with litigation when required. 
Our dedicated national restructuring and insolvency practice has experience advising on a full range of restructuring and insolvency matters, including debt recoveries, voluntary administrations, corporate debt restructurings, bankruptcies, liquidations, cross-border insolvencies, creditor claims, directors duties, receiverships, and turnarounds.
 
We advise a range of different clients, including receivers of companies, insolvency practitioners, liquidators, creditors, company directors, financiers, special situations investors, and trustees.

Russell McVeagh has a strong restructuring and insolvency team with talented and hardworking lawyers. They also bring in very good subject matter experts to assist in engagements when required.

The Legal 500 (Asia-Pacific 2020 guide), client feedback.

Experience

Our experience includes advising:

  • The receivers of FE Investments.
  • The administrators of CBL Corporation.
  • The secured creditors and receivers of Tamarind Taranaki Limited.
  • The liquidators of Halifax NZ.
  • The administrators of the RCR group of companies.
  • General Motors on the cessation of its business in New Zealand.
  • The receiver of Orange H Group Limited and other companies in the group.
  • A major secured creditor in relation to the receivership of the companies operating Burger King restaurants in New Zealand.
  • Receivers of the Pumpkin Patch retail group.
  • Senior financers in relation to Solid Energy New Zealand’s restructuring in 2015.
  • Senior record creditors on the New Zealand recognition proceedings (Chapter 11) for UCI Holdings.
  • Bath Street Capital in proceedings brought by Pyne Gould Corporation in respect of the sale of shares in Perpetual Trust Limited.
  • An investor in respect of its senior debt holding and shareholding in the Mediaworks debt for equity restructure.
  • The receivers of the Mainzeal construction group.
  • The voluntary administrators and deed administrators of RED Group, including the Whitcoulls and Borders New Zealand retail chains.
  • The receivers of the Hurlstone Group.
  • Senior and subordinated lenders to the Yellow Pages Group.
  • The security trustee and senior banks in relation to the NZ Glass (Metroglass) restructure.
  • The administrators of Probis Financial Services Pty Ltd on the liquidation of Mars Cap Ltd.
  • Senior lenders to the entity that operates the Ruapehu Alpine ski fields.
  • The borrowers in the restructuring of Accolade Wines group of companies.
  • The liquidators of the Ezibuy group of companies.
  • The administrators of the NZ Godfreys business.
  • The creditors of Progressive Insurance Company Limited (Samoa). 

Rankings and Awards

Our Restructuring and Insolvency team has been recognised across all the main legal directories and industry platforms, including being listed as the only New Zealand firm in the Global Restructuring Review's GRR100 2021 list and being ranked in the top tier by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2021 guide, IFLR1000 and Doyles Guide. 

Restructuring and Insolvency partner Matthew Kersey is recognised as a leading individual in his field by Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and the peer-nominated Doyles guide, and is listed as an Elite Practitioner by Asialaw Profiles 2021. He sat on the Board of the Restructuring, Insolvency & Turnaround Association New Zealand (RITANZ) and is a member of Insol: the International Association of Insolvency professionals.

The team was awarded 'Impact case of the year' at the Asialaw Awards 2020 for its work advising the administrators of CBL Insurance.

A very experienced team with great depth.

The Legal 500 (Asia-Pacific 2023 guide), client feedback

The team have an excellent appreciation of commercial awareness and what the client's strategic aims are. They are very experienced in dealing with all aspects of insolvency litigation, which is very comforting.

Chambers & Partners (Asia-Pacific 2024), client feedback

They are pragmatic and have a very thorough approach to their work.

Chambers & Partners (Asia-Pacific 2024), client feedback