Biography
Stephen leads our Restructuring and Insolvency team in Birmingham. He has 25 years of experience in advising on restructuring, turnaround, distressed debt, security issues, corporate recovery, insolvency planning and formal insolvency scenarios.
Stephen specialises in non-contentious insolvency advice and is a recognised specialist in advising on pension deficit issues. His client base includes clearing and secondary banks, financiers, insolvency practitioners, corporates, directors and pension scheme trustees.
Recent highlights:
- Dwell Retail:advising the administrators of a national furniture retail chain on their business trading and disposal strategy
- Cloggs UK:acquisition of the online fashion retailer out of administration on behalf of JD Sports Fashion Plc
- Perfect Pizza: administration trading and disposal of a national fast food chain and property portfolio
- Greenwoods Communications Group: administration disposal advice to lenders and administrators
- Berkley Berry Birch: advising administrators on the settlement of a complex IFA litigation claim
- First Quench (Thresher):insolvency planning advice to Scheme Trustees and negotiations with PPF
- AMF Bowling:US chapter 11/UK insolvency advice to Pension Scheme Trustees and PPF
Market view:
"Stephen George is an excellent partner who has a calm, balanced approach in all dealings coupled with commercial and practical application of the law." - Legal 500, 2022 (Leading Individual)
"He is well known within the market, very well connected and does great directors' advice work. A knowledgeable individual... He is brilliant - he is really strong and has a great reputation." - Chambers & Partners, 2022 (Leading Individual - Band 1)
Stephen George is a "Leading Individual." – Legal 500, 2021
"Stephen is excellent – one of the leading names in insolvency. He is calm and reassuring to an astonishing degree. His knowledge of insolvency is excellent, his restructuring work is really good and he oozes a quiet confidence." – Chambers & Partners, 2021 (Leading Individual – Band 1)
"Stephen George is commercial, easy to work with and proactive." – Chambers & Partners, 2020
"Stephen George is very calm, keen to deliver the right solutions and has a very good bedside manner," and "Very thorough, very professional and very commercial." – Chambers & Partners, 2018
"Very approachable, with a very quick grasp of the relevant matters." - Chambers & Partners 2017
"Provides pragmatic and effective advice with a strong focus on high-quality delivery" - Legal 500, 2016
"He is experienced in restructuring, recovery and turnaround, as well as pre-administration advice." - Chambers & Partners 2016
"Has significant experience advising on restructuring and insolvency issues pertaining to the ABL market." - Legal 500 2015
"Stephen George is thorough and commercial, comes up with innovative solutions and is praised by clients for his considered bedside manner." - Chambers & Partners 2014
"Stephen is tenacious, with a real willingness to take responsibility in resolving complex cases." - Chambers & Partners 2013
