With demonstrable experience across the aviation, oil and gas, telecoms, construction and transport, maritime and shipping sectors, the team at Clifford Chance is well-placed to handle high-profile transactional and contentious mandates in the restructuring and insolvency arena, and is further supported by the firm’s robust banking and finance practice. Key clients include creditors, lenders, coordinating committees, private equity sponsors, insolvency practitioners and debtors. Shaun Langhorne, who boasts a strong track record in cross-border restructuring matters in the Asia Pacific region, jointly leads the team alongside insolvency expert Nish Shetty. Elan Krishna, a partner at Cavenagh Law LLP, the firm’s Formal Law Alliance partner, is another key contact in the group.

Counting domestic and multinational companies, financial institutions, financial advisers, insolvency practitioners and special situations funds among its key roster of clients, The team at Gibson Dunn handles the full spectrum of mandates, from financial restructuring, distressed M&A and distressed debt trading to consensual turnarounds, insolvency proceedings and special situation transactions. The group is also noted for its stellar capability in acting on debtor-side engagements. Jamie Thomas, who is commended for his ‘ability to deliver commercial value to all stakeholders in the restructuring of distressed debt’ is the main contact, following the departure of former practice head Troy Doyle.

Milbank’s team is noted for its expertise across a broad range of debt and corporate restructurings, boasting an international outlook and frequently utilising its network of offices throughout the Asia Pacific region. The group advises on cross-border transactions, in addition to restructuring joint ventures and bankruptcies before the US and other foreign bankruptcy courts. Managing partner David Zemans, who had a strong track record in high-profile restructurings and financing matters, leads the practice, with other key contacts in the group including Jacqueline Chan and associate Martin Wong, who advises on restructuring issues relating to energy projects in Southeast Asia.

Led by Gautam Narasimhan, the team at A&O Shearman is well-placed to leverage its ‘market knowledge and extensive geographical coverage’ to advise on cross-border restructurings and insolvencies, frequently collaborating with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney. Narasimhan advises banks and credit providers on a range of rescue financings in Singapore and across the Southeast Asia region, while Rishi Hindocha handles a range of mandates, from informal restructurings, statutory rehabilitation and reorganisations, operational restructuring and turnarounds to recovery and enforcement cases. The team is praised for its ‘timely advice and pragmatic suggestions’.

Praised as ‘thorough, prompt, and transparent’, the team at Ashurst handles a broad range of cross-border mandates, including financial restructurings, formal insolvencies, distressed investing and trading, schemes of arrangement, security enforcement and insolvency litigation. With demonstrable experience across the financial services, oil and gas, renewables, real estate and e-commerce sectors, the practice is led by Robert Child, who continues to build ‘a strong reputation in the Singapore market’. Senior associate Karan Puri is another key contact in the group.

Noted for its capability in insolvency-related litigation, Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow’s creditor-driven team stands out for its multi-jurisdictional prowess, and is well-placed to leverage the expertise of other teams across the firm, including finance, corporate and M&A, employment, tax and real estate. Practice leader Nandakumar Ponniya spearheads the firm’s dispute resolution offering and is naturally well-placed to handle contentious mandates arising out of the construction, technology, energy and financial services sectors. Emmanuel Hadjidakis chairs the firm’s banking and finance group, and acts for financial institutions, borrowers and private equity funds across Asia Pacific on restructurings. Emmanuel Chua is another key contact in the group for cross-border insolvency litigation and restructurings.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP’s team boasts a robust aviation restructuring practice and frequently collaborates with the firm’s office in Jakarta to advise on mandates concerning Bankruptcy and Suspension of Debt Payment (PKPU) in Indonesia. Siva Subramaniam departed in November 2023 and Jamie McLaren left in February 2024.

Praised as ‘technically strong with an acute sense for commercial outcomes’, Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee’ team’s acts for a range of international banks and financial institutions on cross-border mandates, from debt restructurings and distressed M&A to insolvency cases and enforcement litigation. ‘Master strategist’ Nick Williams and counsel Carol Hartopp Hall, who has a ‘keen eye for detail without losing sight of the commercial objectives’, jointly lead the team, with the former offering clients a great deal of experience in restructuring and insolvency matters. Associate Koh Wei Lun is commended as ‘incredibly bright and detail oriented, with deep technical knowledge’.

Praised for its ‘strong technical skills to execute complex matters’, Linklaters advises on restructuring and refinancing transactions, cross-border special situations, distressed debt and related contentious mandates, with additional capability in assisting clients looking to address unprecedented disruptions to their business operations. Standout practitioner and practice leader Andrew Payne has considerable experience advising on matters in both Singapore and Hong Kong and is praised as ‘commercial, quick to spot issues and solution-oriented’. Payne is key to the group’s capability to work on multi-jurisdictional restructurings, and is well-supported by counsel Diantha Ho.

Mishcon de Reya LLP boasts a strong presence in the Indonesian market, acting for corporate borrowers on debt restructurings, with additional capability in court-supervised restructurings, including PKPU proceedings and out-of-court consensual arrangements with creditors. Tahirah Ara leads the team and is praised for her ‘substantial experience in restructuring and insolvency’, acting publicly listed and private companies. Other key contacts in the group include managing associates Angelene Teo and Jessica Longman.

Led by Meiyen Tan, who joined from Oon & Bazul LLP in February 2022, the team at Norton Rose Fulbright is well-placed to advise on domestic and cross-border financial restructurings and insolvency mandates, further boosted by its formal alliance with local firm Ascendant Legal LLC. Sue Ann Gan advises in restructurings arising out of the shipping sector, while managing director at Ascendant Legal LLC, Kei Jin Chew, is commended as ‘an experienced insolvency practitioner’. Banking and finance expert Yu-En Ong, who heads the Singapore office, is another key contact in the group.

The team at Stephenson Harwood LLP ‘has strong expertise in shipping and maritime matters, taking a practical and commercial approach to debt restructuring’, with additional experience in the commodities and aviation sectors. Shipping finance specialist Gregg Johnston leads the team and maintains a strong track record in restructurings. Other key contacts in the group include Huay Yee Kwan and Michelle Yong.

Jointly led by Madeline Leong and Charles Viggers, Watson Farley & Williams LLP’s asset and structured finance team is noted for its expertise across the transport and energy sectors, with demonstrable experience advising on restructurings arising out of the aviation and shipping industries. Viggers is global co-head of the firm's aviation practice and Leong counts banks, leasing companies and financial institutions among her key roster of clients.

The ‘technically sound’ team at White & Case Pte. Ltd. handles a range of debt restructuring, scheme of arrangement and enforcement mandates, with additional expertise in PKPU proceedings in Indonesia. Practice leader Alexander McMyn advises on restructuring and workout of interests in defaulted financings, while Charles McConnell acts for banks, credit funds and corporates in non-contentious restructuring and insolvency mandates. Associate Marry Saragi is another key contact in the group.