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Benn Richards

Partner

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  • Benn Richards
Solicitor – Admitted 2003
Contact
+44 (0) 333 004 3456
+44 (0)7935 503810
benn.richards@michelmores.com
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Having had the privilege of working with Benn on a number of matters over the years, I have always found Benn to be incredibly professional, knowledgeable and commercial when dealing with case matters. I consider Benn to be a valued and safe pair of hands who not only looks at each case on its own merits, but also considers the responsibilities and duties of Insolvency Practitioners on case matters.

Maxine Reid-Roberts, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, Quantuma Advisory

Benn Richards is a dream to work with, possessing that rare combination of outstanding technical knowledge and commercial acumen.

Adam Chichester-Clerk (Counsel, Three Stone)

There are few solicitors practicing in his area of law who are as tenacious and determined. A real heavyweight.

Justin Brown (Senior Clerk, Three Stone)

Overview

I am a Partner in the Restructuring & Insolvency team specialising in both contentious and non-contentious insolvency. I work closely with insolvency practitioners, creditors, lenders, corporate entities, charities, directors and other stakeholders.

I am a solicitor-advocate (all higher courts, civil and criminal) in both England and Wales, and I am also admitted to practice as a solicitor-advocate in the Eastern Caribbean Circuit.

I have significant experience acting on complex contentious matters, including acting on unlawful tax avoidance schemes, breach of duty claims against directors, cross-border insolvency issues, and acting on complex bankruptcy issues.

I have a depth of advisory experience and have recently advised on proposed Restructuring Plans under Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006; advised a large sports travel company on a joint-venture agreement in relation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and a social housing organisation on a solvent wind-down. I have significant experience in the not-for-profit sector having (among other things) led the insolvency advice on the pre-pack sale of 4Children (August 2016).

I am a member of the International Bar Association, am an appointed Officer of the Insolvency Committee and sit as the Vice-Chair on the Insolvent Financial Institutions Sub-committee. I also sit on the Consulting Editorial Board for Lexis PSL Restructuring and Insolvency, the LexisAsk panel for insolvency law, and am a contributor to the Jordans publication the Law of Legal Services.

I am the Training Principal at Michelmores, and have overall responsibility for Trainee Solicitors and Graduate Solicitor Apprentices.

Areas of expertise
  • Banking & Finance
  • Civil Fraud & Asset Recovery
  • International
  • Restructuring & Insolvency

Recent experience

Cross border:

Advising the founder, shareholder and significant creditor in disputed cross border restructuring of an AI company, with significant debts (over US $600m), which gave rise to multiple applications and contested proceedings in the Supreme Court of Bermuda.

Advising a UK large sports travel company on a joint-venture agreement in relation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Acting for a large group of Spanish creditors in relation to the UK administration of a time-share company, successfully seeking the removal and replacement of the administrators

Advising the Swiss liquidators of Swissair in various cross border applications: Schweizerische Luftverkehr-Aktiengesellschaft [2009] All ER (D) 153 (Aug)

Acting for Cayman liquidators to a Hedge Fund, which was a feeder fund to a well-known New York based “Ponzi scheme” on various cross border application and UK proceedings against a major clearing bank

Successfully obtaining judgment in the sum of €26m for English liquidators against a major Czech bank

Litigation:

Acting for the petitioning creditor in a complex bearer share dispute concern property in the Czech Republic (which included appointing provisional liquidators) – GBI Investments Limited ([2010] All ER (D) 171 (Jun))

Acting for numerous liquidators concerning claims for breach of duty, wrongful trading and other Insolvency/Company Act claims, including pursuing claims where unlawful tax avoidance schemes have been used.

Acting for stakeholders on a disputed Restructuring Plan

Acting for Joint Special Administrators on a collapsed Crypto-asset business

Acting for Administrations on a disputed administration of a crypto asset analytics business

Bankruptcy:

Acting for a significant creditor group on one of the UK’s largest every bankruptcies

Acting for joint trustees on a bankruptcy to recoup significant assets to the bankruptcy estate, which were dissipated pre-bankruptcy

Acting for the trustee in bankruptcy in Amin v Redbrige [2018] EWHC 3100 (Ch) – annulments and recessions of bankruptcy orders and costs orders

Acted for the trustee in bankruptcy on the issue of matrimonial settlements and bankruptcy  Segal v Pasram [2007] All ER (D) 20 (Dec).

News
Michelmores acts for founder and shareholder of Afiniti Ltd on challenging a c. $500 million multi-process, cross-border restructuring transaction in Supreme Court of Bermuda
Michelmores acts for founder and shareholder of Afiniti Ltd on challenging a c. $500 million multi-process, cross-border restructuring transaction in Supreme Court of Bermuda
MORE
Restructuring & Insolvency
April 10, 2025
News
Michelmores advises Freshways Group on acquisition of Liverpool based Coulton’s Bread Ltd
Michelmores advises Freshways Group on acquisition of Liverpool based Coulton’s Bread Ltd
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Corporate
April 16, 2024
Insight
The evolving issue of directors’ duties and insolvency
The evolving issue of directors’ duties and insolvency
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Restructuring & Insolvency
July 20, 2023
Insight
Graduate team insights: an interview with Benn Richards
Graduate team insights: an interview with Benn Richards
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Trainee
May 30, 2023
Insight
Return of the banking crisis? Consequences and outcomes
Return of the banking crisis? Consequences and outcomes
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Restructuring & Insolvency
March 17, 2023
Insight
Claims against directors in insolvency proceedings – evolution or regression?
Claims against directors in insolvency proceedings – evolution or regression?
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Restructuring & Insolvency
January 31, 2023
View All

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+44 (0) 333 004 3456

enquiries@michelmores.com

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