Dentons has rehired partner Sue Moore in London from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath to lead its restructuring and insolvency team for the UK, Ireland and the Middle East.  

Moore has spent the past three years at Faegre Drinker, where she led on much of the insolvency litigation cases handled by its team. Before that she was head of the global finance practice and the restructuring and insolvency team at Stephenson Harwood, having joined the firm in 2012 from the partnership of legacy firm SNR Denton.  

Dentons partner Louisa Caswell, who leads the disputes division in the UK, said: “This year, forecasters are predicting the highest levels of restructurings and insolvencies since the 2008/09 crash. Sue’s expertise as well as her reputation as an exceptional restructuring and insolvency lawyer will enhance our offering to clients who may be facing a difficult, complex road ahead.”

Moore advises on all aspects of financial distress, restructurings, corporate insolvencies and insolvency litigation. Her past work has included advising the administrators of collapsed fintech company Greensill Capital on litigation brought by its creditors and advising the group of lenders on Cineworld’s restructuring through US Chapter 11 proceedings and UK administration proceedings.  

Alongside her legal practice, Moore acts as mentoring co-chair for the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation in London and is also a former member of the Insolvency Rules Committee, a body that gives recommendations to the UK Lord Chancellor in connection with secondary insolvency legislation.

Dentons has added several partners in recent months to its 450-lawyer restructuring and insolvency practice, which forms a core part of the firm’s five-year strategy. Lawyer and business mediator Hans Beyer joined in Frankfurt in January from K&L Gates, the same month that Clay Taylor came aboard in Dallas from local boutique Bonds Ellis Eppich Schafer and Jones. Last September Duco Postma also joined in Amsterdam from Allen & Overy.  

Large US firms have also been strengthening their restructuring and insolvency teams in London over the past year as rising interest rates and tougher economic conditions increased the risk of companies running into financial difficulties.

In January Quinn Emanuel hired Lehman Brothers bankruptcy advisor David Ereira from Paul Hastings, just a few months after Paul Hastings recruited William Needham from investment giant KKR to co-chair its European restructuring practice.  

Late last year Willkie Farr & Gallagher also secured partner Simon Baskerville from Latham & Watkins as co-chair of its European restructuring group.