Latham & Watkins Adds Experienced Restructuring Partner in London

Monday, May 18, 2020
Tags:  Latham & Watkins LLP | London
Latham & Watkins is pleased to announce that Jessica Walker will join the firm’s London office as a partner in the Finance Department and Restructuring & Special Situations Practice. Walker’s practice focuses on advising companies, directors, private equity firms, funds, insolvency practitioners, pension trustees, joint venture partners, financial institutions, and other stakeholders on a variety of domestic and international restructuring, insolvency, and special situations. Walker joins Latham from Mayer Brown in London.

“Jessica’s arrival marks the latest step in the development of our restructuring practice in London,” said Stephen Kensell, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in London. “She brings considerable experience advising on an array of complex cross-border transactions, and will add further firepower to our phenomenal team in the City.”

Walker has significant experience advising on both contentious and non-contentious matters, with particular expertise in distressed transactions, including insolvency appointments, company voluntary arrangements (CVAs), pensions restructuring and schemes of arrangement. She also regularly advises corporate trustees in respect of the enforcement of security to facilitate a restructuring as well as corporates, sponsors and lenders with respect to debt restructuring in distressed situations.

“Jessica’s extensive experience in formal insolvency in the UK adds tremendous depth to our existing capabilities,” added Simon Baskerville, Global Vice Chair of Latham & Watkins Restructuring & Special Situations Practice. “Clients are facing an unprecedented array of business and operational challenges right now. Jessica is a highly-regarded and versatile practitioner, with impressive front-line experience advising on major transactions in the UK and across Europe.”

“We have a highly talented and experienced team in London, and Jessica’s arrival will further enhance our ability to advise clients on a range of complex corporate rescue strategies across the entire capital structure. Jessica’s broad practice nicely complements our existing funds and bondholder, debtor, distressed M&A, and credit fund direct lending practices,” said Scott Gottdiener, Global Chair of Latham’s Finance Department.

 In April, the firm also added partner Suzzanne Uhland, who joined Latham from O’Melveny & Myers in New York. Walker and Uhland join Latham’s deep bench and growing global Restructuring & Special Situations Practice.