Conventus Law

Conventus Law

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Neil McDonald leads Kirkland’s restructuring practice in Asia, based out of the Firm’s Hong Kong office. He has been involved in a wide range of matters in Asia in respect to the restructuring and insolvency of distressed companies. Neil acts for financial institutions, insolvency appointment holders, turnaround management firms, hedge funds and private equity firms.

 

Neil is widely recognized as a leading lawyer for Restructuring and Insolvency by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Chambers Asia-Pacific, IFLR1000 and PLC Which Lawyer? guide book.

 

The latest issue of Chambers & Partners described him as “very well regarded – the first person to turn to”, whilst the directory in the past has called him “a dream lawyer to work with”, “one of the best lawyers I've come across” and “one of the market leaders in his field and an outstanding restructuring lawyer”. IFLR1000 describes Neil as the “go-to-guy…very customer friendly and very practical in his advice”, whilst Legal 500 says he “knows the market exceptionally well, and really makes himself available to clients”. The directory describes him as “unique it that he is equally skilled at handling both contentious and non-contentious matters.”

 

Representative Matters

 

Neil has advised on the following matters:

 

  • Advising the ad hoc Steering Committee of bondholders of Kaisa Holdings in relation to Kaisa’s outstanding US$2.5 billion of defaulted bonds
  • Advising an ad hoc group of senior noteholders in respect of the 2016 and 2017 senior notes issued by Bumi Resources which have a combined value of US$1 billion
  • Advising the liquidators of Titan Group Investment Limited in relation to the sale of assets for value in excess of US$300 million
  • Advising the Steering Committee of bondholders in relation to defaults of US$1.8 billion of bonds issued by Sino-Forest Corporation, and in relation to the subsequent debt for equity swap achieved through a Canadian CCAA bankruptcy filing
  • Advising the bondholder groups in relation to debt issuances by China Forestry Holdings Co Ltd and NQ Mobile Technology.
  • Advising the senior lenders led by Rabobank and RBS in respect of the restructuring of Asia Timber Products Company Limited’s onshore and offshore debt liabilities
  • Advising the Noteholder Steering Committee on defaults under US$200 million Secured Convertible Notes issued by Skyfame Realty (Holdings) Limited, including restoration of securities and the restructuring of debt obligations under the Notes
  • Advising the Agent and Security Trustee in respect of the enforcement of rights in relation to Rightway China Real Estate Limited’s US$600 million onshore and offshore debt liabilities and the appointment of receivers
  • Advising the founding shareholders of GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited in relation to their shareholder rights
  • Advising a number of financial institutions in relation to the collapse of Lehman Brothers
  • Advising a major commercial bank in respect of its exposure to a multi-billion dollar commodities and trade finance fraud centered in Qingdao in China.

 

Courts

 

High Court of Hong Kong

Supreme Court of Western Australia

Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia

High Court of Australia