"Leading the team, Andrew Cawkwell is praised for his approachability”. Chambers UK, 2010.

"Watson Burton LLP is 'great to deal with'". The Legal 500, 2009.


Our Corporate Recovery and Insolvency group, headed by Andrew Cawkwell, is made up of a team of specialist solicitors and legal advisers to insolvency practitioners in the North East, Yorkshire and London. Our lawyers have in-depth expertise in handling many non-contentious insolvency projects including:-

> high profile turnarounds
> liquidations (insolvent)
> administrations
> Company Voluntary Arrangements
> administrative receiverships / Law of Property Act receiverships.

In addition, the team has a highly regarded personal bankruptcy practice in the North East.

Working from offices in Newcastle, Leeds and London, the corporate recovery department undertakes all aspects of insolvency work, and the scope of work carried out is ever increasing and crosses all areas of the firm. The group has been recognised for its breadth of experience in both contentious and non-contentious work. This is evidenced in the Chambers & Partners Directory for 2008 where Andrew Cawkwell is credited with a “holistic awareness of both contentious and non-contentious insolvency law”.

Our core non-contentious focus is acting for insolvency practitioners in the sale of businesses from administration and for buyers of such businesses. The team has completed over 35 transactions, including several multi million pound transactions, since the Enterprise Act 2002 changed on 15 September 2003, thereby saving thousands of jobs. Our non-contentious expertise also focuses on the solvent reconstruction of businesses using the s110 Insolvency Act 1986 procedure which can enable significant tax advantages to be achieved.

The team also has a robust insolvency litigation practice particularly in the context of personal bankruptcy and has recently rolled out an innovative funding solution for insolvency practitioners. This has allowed cases to be pursued where traditionally, this would not have been possible, thereby increasing recoveries for the insolvent estate. The team is experienced in bankruptcy and winding up petitions to provoke payment of debts owed to our clients.

The group continues to competently handle an array of high value and highly complex administrations and restructurings, for which clients would credit completion with the highest care and quality. The team draws upon expertise where required from the following individuals:-

> Richard Freeman-Wallace and Michael Shuker for commercial property work
> Mark Heath for fraud investigatory work
> David Hardman for specialist non-contentious insolvency advice

The team takes instructions from:-

> Insolvency practitioners
> Factoring companies
> Banks
> Asset based lenders
> Companies
> Individuals

Solid relationships are also maintained with clearing banks such as Lloyds TSB; HSBC; RBS; Allied Irish Bank and The Co-Operative Bank and Close Invoice Finance Limited.

The breadth of our experience enables us to offer pragmatic, commercial legal advice and work closely with our clients to achieve practical and effective recovery solutions.