Partner

Martin Brown

Languages

English
French

Martin is the Head of CMS’s UK Restructuring & Insolvency team, with over 25 years’ experience of advising creditors, debtors and insolvency practitioners on all aspects of financial restructurings and non-litigious aspects of formal insolvency proceedings. He also advises special situation investors on their investments, including the acquisition of non-performing loan portfolios, single credits and distressed businesses, as well as being a regular adviser to pension trustees.

Based in London, Martin qualified in 2000 and has been a partner since 2008. His experience includes a secondment to a leading UK bank’s work-out team. He is ranked as a leading individual for restructuring and insolvency by both Legal 500 and Chambers, described as ‘a class act. He is absolutely exceptional - he reads circumstances and situations very well’.

Relevant experience

TGI Fridays - advised the lenders to this national restaurant franchise business, with its shares listed on LSE, over a 18month period and thereafter the administrators on a pre-packaged sale.
Project Turbo -advised an investor on the first major NPL transaction to be completed in the Middle East, with a face value of USD 1.2bn.
Huner Boot group - advised this well-known PE-owned business (company and board) when in financial difficulties and then its administrators on the realisation and run-off of the business spread over various jurisdiction in North America, the Far East and the UK.
Project Coast - long-time adviser to the lenders to a major UK university including on an initial debt restructuring and various subsequent phases as part of the university’s turnaround plan.
Project Altrincham - advised a club of five banks on the GBP 250m RCF it had made available to a listed national car retailer which encountered financial and regulatory difficulties.
Oak Furnitureland - advised a special situation investor on its loan to own acquisition of this national retailer and a related financial restructuring.
Intu - advised one of the key lenders to Intu, including advice in relation to the proposed group-wide standstill and thereafter on certain bespoke transitional service arrangements and a legal structure to enable a managed exit for the lender in relation to two shopping centres.
Project Tennessee - advised a well-known package holiday business on the restructuring of its balance sheet as part of a consensual transaction with its senior lenders, sponsor and the CAA.
Project Eight - advised a club of five lenders on its GBP 175m facility to a national commercial vehicle leasing business over an 18-month period following various defaults, culminating in a successful sale to a financial institution.
Project Serlby - advised a special situation investor on its acquisition of a portfolio of loans secured against various property company interests in care homes and the subsequent work-out of the value in those assets.
Carillion - advised a range of stakeholders on major issues arising from this high-profile compulsory liquidation.
Flybe plc - advised the trustees of the Flybe pension scheme on the company’s restructuring proposals, its rescue by the Connect Airways consortium and subsequent administration.
Fairfield Energy Group - advised the Fairfield Group in relation to the restructuring of USD 1.5bn debt and related oil and gas matters.
TM Lewin - advised the lender on a sale of its debt to a fund that effected a restructuring and pre-packaged administration sale to keep the business trading as a going concern.
Carpetright plc - advised a club of banks on a financial restructuring that this national listed retailer went through in 2019 which included the use of a CVA and a rights issue, and thereafter advised the banks on the sale of their positions to a special situation investor.
A national dental practice - advised a group on the restructuring of its leveraged finance facilities, leading to a solvent sale with equity return.
Project Owl - advised a club of three banks in relation to the restructuring of their GBP 110m of credit facilities to a chain of 12 ‘Holiday Inn’ branded hotels which included the banks taking 95% of the equity from the sponsor.
Phones 4U group - advised ING as the security trustee for bondholders and banks.

Education

1997 – LPC, The College of Law, Chester
1996 - LLB Law with French, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham
1995 - Diplôme d’Etudes Juridiques Françaises, L’Université de Limoges

Practice Areas

Banking & Finance Restructuring & Insolvency

sectors

Insurance

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024

Select your region

Martin Brown

Languages

Relevant experience

Education

Practice Areas

sectors

Insights by Martin

New EU rules on Non-Performing Loans

Leveraged finance: handling an impending financial covenant breach

Fire sale: keeping your cool during an administration

ABT Auto Investments Ltd v Aapico Investment Pte Ltd – importance of agreeing...

Insights

Global Reach

UK Pay Gap Report 2024

Select your region

Martin Brown

Languages

Relevant experience

Education

Practice Areas

sectors

Insights by Martin

New EU rules on Non-Per­form­ing Loans

Leveraged finance: handling an impending financial covenant breach

Fire sale: keeping your cool during an ad­min­is­tra­tion

ABT Auto Investments Ltd v Aapico Investment Pte Ltd – importance of agreeing...

New EU rules on Non-Performing Loans

Fire sale: keeping your cool during an administration