Gavin is a highly experienced Senior Associate specialising in high value insolvency and commercial litigation. He acts for insolvency practitioners, funders, creditors, directors, debtors, claimants and defendants. He has particular expertise in bringing and defending complex claims against company directors and regularly advises on director’s disqualification, voluntary arrangements and large bankruptcies, often with a cross border dimension.

Gavin has a detailed knowledge of insolvency law, and wide experience of high value bankruptcy and company insolvency. He adopts a pragmatic, commercial approach to litigation and recognises the importance of responding promptly and clearly to clients’ questions and concerns.

He co-edits the insolvency chapter of Sweet & Maxwell’s Landlord and Tenant Factbook.

View more about Gavin

Gavin is a highly experienced Senior Associate specialising in high value insolvency and commercial litigation. He acts for insolvency practitioners, funders, creditors, directors, debtors, claimants and defendants. He has particular expertise in bringing and defending complex claims against company directors and regularly advises on director’s disqualification, voluntary arrangements and large bankruptcies, often with a cross border dimension.

Gavin has a detailed knowledge of insolvency law, and wide experience of high value bankruptcy and company insolvency. He adopts a pragmatic, commercial approach to litigation and recognises the importance of responding promptly and clearly to clients’ questions and concerns.

He co-edits the insolvency chapter of Sweet & Maxwell’s Landlord and Tenant Factbook.

Work highlights

  • Acting on a £4.5m claim under the Insolvency Act 1986 against the director of a company in liquidation. The claim was successfully resolved through ADR.
  • Setting aside a statutory demand served on a high net-worth client.
  • Advising on the administration of a long-established special needs school. This involved the sale of a valuable property and advice to the school’s trustees regarding the correct application of the surplus proceeds.
  • Advising on the individual voluntary arrangement of a high-profile bankrupt with debts exceeding £2bn.
  • Acting on a wrongful trading claim seeking damages in excess of £6m.
  • Advising a foreign company facing claims for a share of its recovery in a multi-million international arbitration.
  • Advising family members of the director of an offshore company in liquidation on dealing with enquiries from the liquidator. This involved dealing with cross-border insolvency issues and responding to threats made to examine the family members in court.
  • Acting for a trustee in bankruptcy on the repossession and realisation of a large residential development in London which the bankrupt sought to protect through a sham trust.
  • Acting on a claim against directors for the improper use of tax-avoidance schemes.
  • Acting on a claim for fraudulent trading, dishonest assistance, knowing receipt, unjust enrichment and breach of director’s duty valued at £12m. This included obtain freezing injunctions against two of the defendants and successfully opposing an application by one of them to set aside the freezing injunction.
  • Acting on a substantial debt-recovery claim against a Swiss company, including dealing with service out of the jurisdiction and issues arising under Swiss law.
  • Advising on the CVA (company voluntary arrangement) of a high-profile chain providing medical services.  This included advising on voting, the conduct of a highly contentious creditors’ meeting, complex creditor claims and a variation of the CVA’s terms.
  • Advising a large commercial landlord on its rights and options after it was served with House of Fraser’s CVA proposal.

Qualification date: 1991

View less about Gavin

“We found Gavin at all times to be professional and engaged in our project. We would not hesitate to call on his expertise again”

Client feedback