Natasha Atkinson

Natasha also has extensive regulated experience with the supplier of last resort proceedings (SoLR), having acted on Avro Energy's transition and sale to Octopus Energy, as well as Omni Energy, and the large-scale, complex financial services regulatory special administration of investment bank Dolfin Financial (UK).

Additionally, she has represented insolvency practitioners in both transactional and contentious corporate restructurings. Notably, Natasha has advised Alvarez & Marsal, Teneo and Interpath, and led a multidisciplinary legal team on the pre-pack administration sales of retailers Missguided, Ted Baker and Hotter.

• Ted Baker. Advising Teneo as joint administrators of the Ted Baker corporate group on trading and transitional insolvency matters, including the transfer of its brand license, stock liquidation and funding arrangements with Hilco, as well as the trading administration.
• Morrisons PLC. Acting for Morrisons supermarket group on all restructuring matters, and recently in its acquisition of farming assets and key grower contracts from Teneo administrators of A H Worth.
• LXi REIT PLC. Advising on all restructuring matters to the investment real estate fund portfolio and, in particular, concerning tenant insolvencies.
• Aartee Bright Bar. Acting for Barrett Steel on its acquisition of the business and assets out of the trading administration pre-pack administration sale conducted by Alvarez & Marsal as administrators.
• Government of Jersey, Ports of Jersey. Acting for client Government of Jersey in relation to the distressed business activities and debt position of their main lifeline ferry service provider, Condor Limited. Providing strategic advice to the Government of Jersey on restructuring options and advice across the accelerated stakeholder management process, advising on contingency planning alongside Teneo Advisory, reviewing all commercial contracts and underlying financial documents, and preparing on enforcement options in Guernsey, including throughout the contested procurement process.
• Unbound Group PLC/Beaconsfield Footwear Limited. Advising the group on all aspects of its restructuring and working with our corporate team on listed markets Nomad updated. Devising a restructuring plan and ultimate pre-pack administration sale of the Hotter Shoes business to competitor and working with Interpath as administrators.
• Avro Energy. Advising the corporate group in respect of energy supplier of last resort proceedings, implementing the transitional arrangements and sale of assets and debtors to Octopus, and working with administrator Alvarez & Marsal.
• Missguided. Corporate advisory and contingency planning role following failed debt refinance, and eventual pre-pack sale of business and assets of trading company and appointment of fixed charge receivers to transfer out the IP license and brand.
• Superbikes. Share acquisition of a stressed solvent business and its assets to a distressed funds client, Endless Enact.
• OneDome. Pre-pack acquisition of shares of FCA-regulated mortgage group for funds client (Interpath).
• Rushmere Shopping Centres. Advising the administrators on the trading administrations of three shopping centers sale valued at £530 million by Grant Thornton (NI) and working with real estate team on sales.
• Musicqubed Portfolio. Advising Kroll as receivers on the sale of the music brand and valuable IP.
• High-Profile Fast-Food Chain. Advising in relation to a Section 26A restructuring plan for UK and European Papa Johns and working with Alvarez & Marsal on the proposed plan, which was ultimately agreed as an out-of-court consensual stakeholder agreement.
• Polish Airline Scheme of Arrangement. Acting with EY (Poland) on a scheme of arrangement of client Enter Air, advising the client on all aspects of the restructuring and taking a multistakeholder management role.
• WILKO. Advising client Pepco Group PLC, the fast-growing variety discount retailer which owns the Pepco and Dealz brands in Europe and Poundland in the UK, on its agreement with PwC—the administrators of Wilkinson Hardware Stores Ltd, the UK discount retailer—to take control of up to 71 Wilko store leases. Provided complex corporate and competition advice to Pepco Group.
• African Agriculture Developer Conglomerate. Advising the group, based in the Netherlands, in relation to AMA and contingency planning. Providing urgent legal advice and negotiations on key Swedish fund withdrawal of support and freezing of banking facilities resulting in a 50% devaluation in the company's share price. Advising on the Market Abuse Directive while negotiating with various company stakeholders, creating sufficient time for the company to raise funds through the equity market and re-negotiate its lending package with its senior lender. Ultimately, this action stabilized the share price and protected stakeholder value. Further advised the board and management team through a re-finance and stakeholder agreement with stakeholders, including obtaining a £150 million bridging facility.

• JD Sports Fashions PLC. Represented the group and worked with PWC as administrators on the acquisition of 53 Gyms group, the largest gym and sports provider in the UK.
• Re Hellas Telecommunications (Luxembourg) II SCA. Represented the joint liquidators of a Luxembourg holding company that shifted its COMI immediately prior to an insolvency process to claim a UK COMI, and the consequent application of the insolvency laws of England and Wales and chapter 15 proceedings in the Southern District Court of New York.
• Madoff International Securities Limited (MSIL UK). Acting for office holders in the cross-border recovery and pursuit of assets dissipated by Bernie Madoff.
• HMRC v (1) Portsmouth Football Club (in administration) and (2) The Football League in the determination of Football Creditors falling outside the scope of the anti-deprivation principle and parri passu distributions prescribed under UK Insolvency Legislation.