"Stephen O'Grady leverages the firm's broader venture capital credentials to good effect on tech-related mandates, including in the crypto space."
Stephen is a partner in the Restructuring & Insolvency team. He advises lenders, corporates, boards, turnaround directors, investors, insolvency practitioners and other key stakeholders in a range of domestic and cross-border restructuring and insolvency circumstances. He has a mixed contentious and non-contentious practice, specialising in the technology, financial services and real estate sectors.
He is regularly called upon by boards to provide advice in their most sensitive of financial circumstances, developing novel work-out strategies as well as contingency planning to maximise value in distressed circumstances. He also serves on the board of the Turnaround Management Association (UK), for which he is a regular contributor to turnaround industry events.
A significant part of Stephen's practice is advising both lenders and investors in distressed real estate transactions: both on complex enforcement and realisation strategies, as well as consensual work-outs and distressed investment opportunities.
Stephen is also a leader of the firm's initiatives that support clients with interests in blockchain and crypto assets, with specialist expertise of many of the challenges facing business operating in this space. He is a regular speaker at conferences on blockchain and crypto-related topics, and advises clients on both front-end structuring issues related to crypto-assets, as well as distressed investments and crypto-insolvencies.
Turnaround Management Association
INSOL International
INSOL Europe
Insolvency Lawyers' Association
"Stephen O'Grady leverages the firm's broader venture capital credentials to good effect on tech-related mandates, including in the crypto space."
"The firm's overarching technology sector strength and IP expertise also informs a considerable amount of work within the insolvency space. In this context, Stephen O'Grady is particularly adept at advising crypto/blockchain participants on risk management and distressed opportunities".
Corporate restructuring & insolvency - Ranked: Stephen O’Grady is one to watch – he is calm and astute.’
Corporate restructuring & insolvency - Ranked: The team is also well regarded for its insolvency-related work for tech and IP rich businesses, an area in which 'calm and astute' senior counsel Stephen O’Grady has a particular strength, including for crypto market participants on risk management to ensure client assets are protected in the event of an insolvent event.
Acted on the novel restructuring of a Global Cleantech 100 business (and formerly one of the FT's fasting growing companies in Europe) operating through off-grid areas of West Africa in its complex financial restructuring across multiple lender channels, to provide a stable financial platform for the business to pivot its model.
Acted for the administrators of a portfolio of Four Seasons care homes across the UK and Northern Ireland, including continued operations and ultimate sale of the various care homes in multiple tranches.
Acted for the administrators of the UK operations of the largest bridalwear retailer in the US following its Chapter 11 filing.
Acted for the majority creditors in the pre-packaged sale out of administration by way of part-credit bid of a multinational crypto mining business.
Acting on the restructuring and CVA of the Arcadia group (including Top Shop, Top Man and Miss Selfridge).
Press releaseActing for Beaufort Securities as creditors' committee member for the special administration of this financial services business.