Mike Pavitt
LLP Partner
Southampton 02380 482 482
Winchester 01962 679 777
Appointments during Coronavirus lockdown
During these difficult and unprecedented times, please rest assured that the corporate restructuring & finance team at Paris Smith is still available to support you and your business, should you need us. Whether you are an existing client or somebody who needs assistance for the first time, we can still meet or speak with you via Skype, Facetime or other video conferencing facilities.
For more information, please call either the head of our corporate restructuring & finance team, Mike Pavitt on 023 8048 2275; or visit our team and individual lawyers’ pages for our contact details.
Our Expertise
The CR&I team deals with all 3 of the main limbs of insolvency-related legal work:
- Transactional insolvency (buying and selling distressed businesses and assets)
- Contentious insolvency (disputes, potential claims and litigation)
- Insolvency and restructuring advisory (everything else, including procedural input)
We act on a huge variety of transactions, issues and estates ranging in value from just a few thousand to many millions of pounds.
The team advises and assists on matters including:
- options in event of financial distress
- business turnaround and corporate restructuring
- effect of all forms of formal insolvency procedure including applicable moratoria
- employees in insolvent situations
- negotiation and realisation of assets, including debts and bankruptcy properties
- cross-border insolvency
- exposures (including risk of prosecution) arising on insolvency and phoenixism
- powers and duties of office holders, including appointments
- administration of insolvent businesses and estates
- all forms of litigation under insolvency legislation, including bankruptcy annulment
- directors duties and disqualification
- enforcement of creditor / landlord rights in insolvent situations
We advise on all issues which may arise including the drafting and negotiation of sale and purchase documentation (including specialist bankruptcy conveyancing, debentures and guarantees), review and release of existing security.
Our Service
The team is focused on delivering a service which is:
- cost transparent
- client focused
- commercial and pragmatic
- partner led
- proactive
- sensitive
In recent years the team undertook its single largest assignment to date, assisting the administrators of a major chain of convenience stores to maximise realisations and save jobs through the disposal of numerous trading outlets and associated premises.
Our Clients
The team’s insolvency practitioner clients include:
- RSM
- Begbies Traynor
- CVR Global
- James Cowper Kreston
- KPMG
- Mazars
- Portland Business & Financial Solutions
- Smith & Williamson
- Quantuma
We also act for and/or on referrals from:
- funders e.g. banks, building societies, asset-based lenders
- domestic and overseas suppliers, trading partners, landlords, other creditors
- company directors
- bankrupts, their spouses and other family members and guarantors
- non-IP LPA receivers
- non-specialist solicitors
Our Team
The team comprises specialist lawyers in the fields of banking, company, corporate, creditor services, crime and regulatory, employment, intellectual property, landlord and tenant, licensing, property and (of course) pure insolvency (both corporate and personal).
Pick the right team for YOU: Read the team bios below
Mike Pavitt - (C)
Position (ACM) Partner
Seasons with Club – 8
Legal disciplines – Pure insolvency
Specialist attributes – FABRP / Chairman R3 (South)
Specialist skills – Bankruptcy / Claims strategy / IPs’ powers and duties
Mike has been wearing the CR&I team “captain’s armband” since his arrival during the 2011 pre-season. A true insolvency specialist and playmaker, Mike keeps his eye on the ball and helps bring together the firm’s extensive skills and experience of acting for insolvency practitioner clients. Click on Mike’s image to access his full webpage information.
Chris Holliss
Position (CF) Partner
Seasons with Club – 16
Legal disciplines – Creditor services/Litigation
Specialist attributes – Recovery & contract advice to asset based lenders/Recruitment
Specialist skills – Efficiency/negotiation/maximising recoveries
Chris joined Paris Smith in 2003 and he focuses on the pursuit of recovery action on behalf of clients, including the firm’s own debtor book.
He has dealt very successfully with a large number of claims on behalf of insolvency office holders, on a structured fee or (where appropriate) conditional fee basis and is often asked to issue statutory demands and/or petitions, and to file proofs and proxies in the event of debtor insolvency. Click on Chris’s image to access his full webpage information.
Christopher Parsons
Position (SS) Solicitor
Seasons with Club – 1
Legal disciplines – Insolvency & Corporate Restructuring, Commercial Litigation
Specialist attributes – Mike Pavitt’s No. 2
Specialist skills – Negotiation
Chris signed to Paris Smith during the mid-season transfer window of 2018-19 having trained and qualified at another local regional firm. Chris brings
with him a background in commercial, contract and debt recovery litigation with a developing specialism in insolvency & corporate restructuring. This allows him to provide a full spectrum of recoveries advice to clients across a wide variety of sectors. Click on Chris’s image to access his full webpage information.
Michael Moore
Position (LCM) Partner
Seasons with Club – 8
Legal disciplines – Corporate transactional/Company law
Specialist attributes – Acquisitions and disposals/Investment finance
Specialist skills – Commercial approach
Michael joined Paris Smith in 2011 bringing with him City experience and a wealth of contacts. He has supported and run numerous sale and purchase transactions for or involving insolvency practitioners. Click on Michael’s image to access his full webpage information.
Richard Atcherley
Position (RCM) Partner
Seasons with Club – 13
Legal disciplines – Corporate and insolvency transactions/advice
Specialist attributes – Reorganisations/co-working with accountants
Specialist skills – Drafting under pressure/co-ordination
Richard has come up through the ranks at Paris Smith and is the lead partner for most insolvency-related transactional work undertaken at the firm. He has run a large number of sale and purchase transactions involving insolvent businesses for insolvency practitioners and also for buyers.
Richard advises owner managers and SME private companies across a wide range of sectors, including in relation to insolvency issues. Click on Richard’s image to access his full webpage information.
Helen Brown
Position (DM) Partner
Seasons with Club – 1
Legal disciplines – Commercial litigation
Specialist attributes – Tackling debtors, tenacious negotiating
Specialist skills – Transactions at undervalue/preferences, recovery of assets
Helen signed for Paris Smith during the January 2019 transfer window, making the long journey from her last squad in Manchester. She acts for office holders in recovering assets, property and debt. She has experience
in a wide range of industries including construction, retail and food manufacturing. Click on Helen’s image to access her full webpage information.
Emma Pope
Position (SS) Associate
Seasons with Club – 5
Legal disciplines – Real estate
Specialist attributes – Development/Landlord and tenant
Specialist skills – Sales and purchases
Emma rejoined Paris Smith in 2014 and brings with her a wealth of experience in acting for and opposite insolvency practitioners, agents and surveyors with an interest in the distressed arena. Click on Emma’s image to access her full webpage information.
David Eminton
Position LCB (Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution)
Seasons with Club – 33
Legal disciplines – Property Dispute Resolution/Construction law
Specialist attributes – Advising landlords/Co-working with surveyors
Specialist skills – Claims and risk management/Professional negligence claims
David joined Paris Smith in 1986, just as the Insolvency Act was coming into force. He has handled a great many situations involving insolvent tenants
(and sometimes landlords) and advises insolvency practitioners frequently. Click on the image below to access David’s full webpage information. Click on David’s image to access his full webpage information.
David Roath
Position RCB (Partner)
Seasons with Club – 15
Legal disciplines – Employment
Specialist attributes – Mediation/Sports clubs
Specialist skills – Director/senior employee exits/Tribunals
David joined Paris Smith in 2004 and amongst his other roles he provides employment law support on insolvency transactions and contentious issues, such as TUPE, redundancy and protecting companies from financial damage caused by departing senior employees or directors. He has dealt
with a number of matters involving insolvency practitioners and financially distressed contracting parties. Click on David’s image to access his full webpage information.
James McNeil
Position RB (Partner)
Seasons with Club – 13
Legal disciplines – Banking/finance
Specialist attributes – Real estate finance/Leisure industry
Specialist skills – Project Coordination/Lateral approach
James joined Paris Smith in 2007 and has used his City background to build up what is now an established banking and finance practice. James’ understanding of the finance sector lends great value to other members of
the CR&I team, particularly where security issues arise in relation to financially distressed entities. Click on James’s image to access his full webpage information.
Cliff Morris
Position GK (Partner)
Seasons with Club – 25
Legal disciplines – Regulatory/criminal law
Specialist attributes – Advocate/prosecutions/defence
Specialist skills – Risk and crisis management
Cliff is head of our Business Regulation and Compliance team. In recent years Cliff has assisted numerous insolvency officeholders with their regulatory dilemmas including those involving environmental, consumer law, health and safety issues, licensing and professional regulatory issues. Click on Cliff’s image to access his full webpage information.
Jennifer Packer
Position – RCM (Solicitor)
Seasons with Club – 1
Legal disciplines – Corporate and insolvency transactions/advice
Specialist attributes – Re-organisations/co-working with accountants
Specialist skills – Drafting under pressure/co-ordination
Jennifer specialises in corporate work and advises on a wide range of corporate matters including acquisitions and disposals, equity investments, reorganisations and corporate governance issues. She acts for private companies, owner-managed businesses, directors and investors across a wide variety of sectors.
Reserves
Nicola Davies(read Nicola’s full profile)
Position CF (Associate)
Seasons with Club – 4
Legal disciplines – Property and commercial litigation
Specialist attributes – Possession proceedings/Construction disputes
Specialist skills – Commercial approach/strategic negotiator
Joining the Paris Smith line up in 2015 is our new recruit, Nicola Davies a Solicitor in our litigation department. Nicola has a strong track record of recovering debt from reluctant players and takes a no-nonsense strategic approach to all her matches. She has experience in undertaking possession proceedings, bankruptcy and winding up petitions for creditors.
Stephen Stafford (read Stephen’s full profile)
Position SS (Chartered Legal Executive)
Seasons with Club – 17
Legal disciplines – Commercial debt recovery/Personal disputes
Specialist attributes – Consumer credit/Hire and lease purchase
Specialist skills – Efficient systems/acting for individuals
Steve joined Paris Smith in 2002 and he is currently working towards his qualifications as a member of ACTAPS (the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Solicitors). His work for IPs has included the pursuit of personal and intercompany guarantees and negotiating personal injury claims for officeholders.
Peter Taylor (read Peter’s full profile)
Position GK (Managing Partner)
Seasons with Club – 28
Legal disciplines – Dispute resolution/Business advice
Specialist attributes – Accredited mediator/liability claims/professional negligence
Specialist skills – Business risk management/strategy/communication
Peter joined Paris Smith in 1991 and in January 2015 became Managing Partner of the firm. Whilst chiefly calling the shots from the dugout in insolvency terms, Peter is very much a player manager, maintaining a diverse portfolio of advice and guidance to a wide spread of the firm’s clients. He has on many occasions worked closely with insolvency practitioners to produce desired outcomes for clients.
Ed Power (read Ed’s full profile)
Position SS (Partner)
Seasons with Club – 15
Legal disciplines – Real estate/Secured finance
Specialist attributes – Not for profit/asset based lenders
Specialist skills – Sales by/purchases from IPs
Ed joined Paris Smith in 2004 and is the first port of call for most insolvency-related property work undertaken at the firm. He has dealt with a large number of transactions involving insolvency practitioners and financially distressed contracting parties.
Clive Thomson (read Clive’s full profile)
Position SS (Consultant)
Seasons with Club – 43
Legal disciplines – Commercial and insolvency litigation/Trust and probate litigation
Specialist attributes – ADR accredited commercial mediator/Full member ACTAPS
Specialist skills – Arbitration/Licensing/Inheritance
Clive joined Paris Smith as long ago as 1975 and is an experienced commercial and insolvency litigator. He has dealt with a very large number of claims, many of high value for and against office holders. Clive is part of the ‘spine’ of the team and one of the firm’s leading contacts for insolvency work.
Laura Trapnell (read Laura’s full profile)
Position LB (Partner)
Seasons with Club – 7
Legal disciplines – Intellectual property/Information technology
Specialist attributes – IP strategy & management/client focus
Specialist skills – IP exploitation/Contract drafting & IP in commercial business
Laura joined Paris Smith in 2012 having run her own, successful niche practice. She has run “IP for IPs” seminars for insolvency practitioners and is experienced in providing both contentious and non-contentious support on IPR issues affecting insolvency practitioners as well as insolvent businesses and individuals.
Recent Blogs
- An overview of the new ‘breathing space’ regulations
- Top 3 reasons why UK businesses should engage with trade associations
- The truth about CVAs and insolvent tenants
- Insolvency law in a Brexit environment – the dangers of winding back the winding up clock
- 7 key lessons and a validation of the work of R3’s Regional Committees
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