Georgina Peters - Commercial Barrister

Major restructuring plans and schemes of arrangement under Part 26/Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006 include:

Kington SARL v Thames Water Utilities Holdings Ltd[2025] EWCA Civ 475; [2025] EWCA Civ 1003

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel and advocate for Thames Water Limited (TWL), the sole shareholder and subordinated creditor of TWUHL with debts of £3.6 billion, in leading Court of Appeal authority on Part 26A and restructuring plans generally. Subsequently appeared as sole Counsel for TWL before the Court of Appeal on the untested question of the proper approach to costs of unsuccessful challenges on appeals under Part 26A (instructed by Freshfields).

Re Project Lietzenburger Straße Holdco S.à.r.l [2023] EWHC 2849 (Ch) (“Aggregate”)

Acted for high-profile investment management firm Fidera and majority senior lenders on a Part 26A plan concerning a German company. The contested plan gave rise to untested issues of cross-border insolvency law and recognition in Germany and Luxembourg. Appeared as sole Counsel at convening hearing (before Miles J), persuading the Court to expedite the hearing as a result of the company’s imminent insolvency; and subsequently appeared as Junior Counsel at sanction hearing (instructed by Sullivan & Cromwell).

Re Lamo Holding BV Limited [2023] EWHC 1558 (Ch) (“Vroon”)

Acted for large group of well-known global banks, including Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, in a Part 26 scheme. Appeared as sole Counsel for the banks (before Leech J), persuading the Court at a part-heard sanction hearing to expedite the hearing in the face of late opposition, on the basis of the specific enforcement actions likely to be pursued by the banks (instructed by Norton Rose Fulbright).

Re Prezzo Investco Limited [2023] EWHC 1679 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for well-known casual dining chain Prezzo on a Part 26A plan, which was the first case in which a challenge to a restructuring plan by HMRC (based on the compromise of preferential liabilities) was dismissed (instructed by Greenberg Traurig).

Re Fitness First Clubs Limited [2023] EWHC 1699 (Ch)

Advised and appeared for as Junior Counsel for well-known gym business Fitness First on its Part 26A plan, which was the first case in which the “Relevant Alternative” was directly challenged and tested by cross-examination of expert witnesses (instructed by DLA Piper).

Re Hong Kong Airlines Ltd [2022] EWHC 3210 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for well-known airline Hong Kong Air on its Part 26A plan, in a first of its kind parallel English restructuring plan/Hong Kong scheme. The plan gave rise to a number of important cross-border issues on recognition and the English test for a “sufficient connection”, the Court deciding for the first time that there was no hard numerosity requirement when relying on English law-governed debt to establish jurisdiction (instructed by Latham & Watkins).

Re Virgin Active Holdings Ltd [2021] EWHC 1246 (Ch); [2021] EWHC 911 (Ch); [2021] EWHC 814 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for ad hoc group of landlords (including British Land) in the first major contested Part 26A restructuring plan. The case gave rise to novel and untested issues at an early stage in the developing English “cram-down” jurisdiction, including as to the proper approach as a matter of law to “out-of-the-money” creditors, from which the Court of Appeal has now departed in Thames Water (instructed by Sullivan & Cromwell).

Re PGS ASA [2020] EWHC 3622 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for leading Norwegian oil and gas company, dealing in seismic survey and seismic data, on an amend and extend debt rescheduling relating to some $1bn of debt (instructed by Ashurst).

Re Hertz UK Receivables Ltd [2020] EWHC 3649 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for the international division of the well-known Hertz vehicle rental group, on a restructuring of over €700m of debt instruments. The scheme adopted a “Codere structure” and gave rise to new money/elevation issues (instructed by White & Case).

Re NN2 NewCo Ltd; Re Politus BV [2019] EWHC 1917 (Ch); [2019] EWHC 2532 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for two companies within the Nyrstar group, a global market-leading multi-metals business, on a restructuring of over €900m of debt instruments. The scheme adopted a “Codere structure” and gave rise to Judgments Regulation issues.

Re Instant Cash Loans Ltd [2019] EWHC 2795 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as sole Counsel for an interested party impacted by the scheme.

Re EnQuest plc [2016] EWHC 3734 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for the LSE- and NASDAQ-listed oil and gas company on a rescheduling of over $700m of New York law-governed high yield notes and English law-governed retail notes. The scheme gave rise to Judgments Regulation and class issues (instructed by Ashurst).

Re PHS Group plc [2014] EWHC 4849 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for the company, the leading UK washroom management service provider, on a rescheduling of over £940m of debt. The scheme gave rise to capital markets and consent fee issues (instructed by A&O Shearman).

Re European Safety Vehicle Spain 1, 2013

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for the company, a major Spanish motor vehicle inspection provider, on a rescheduling of over €350m of debt. The scheme gave rise to Judgments Regulation issues (instructed by A&O Shearman).

Re English & American Insurance Company, 2013

Advising on set-off and interpretation issues under an insurance and reinsurance scheme (instructed by Holman Fenwick Willan).

Re German Residential Asset Note Distributor, 2012 (“Deutsche Annington”)

Appeared as sole Counsel for ad hoc group of noteholders on a scheme to reschedule some €4 billion of debt held by six noteholder classes in the context of a residential mortgage backed securitization. The scheme gave rise to Judgments Regulation and class issues (instructed by Freshfields).

Re Highland Crusader Fund II, 2011

Advised in connection with an application for costs under a scheme before the Supreme Court of Bermuda (instructed by Freshfields).

Other significant cases include:

National Iranian Oil Company and Retirement, Saving and Welfare Fund of Oil Industry Workers v Crescent Gas Corporation Limited [2025] EWCA Civ 1211

Acted for successful respondent (CGC) on post-hearing written submissions, on an appeal before the Court of Appeal concerning the issue whether the transfer by NIOC to the Fund of a valuable property in London had been a transaction at undervalue made for the purpose of putting assets beyond CGC’s reach under section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (instructed by Reed Smith).

Prax/State Oil, 2025 (Chancery Division)

Advised and appeared as sole Counsel for the Official Receiver on several applications to appoint special managers (FTI Consulting) over a number of entities in the Prax Group, and advising the Official Receiver on an ongoing basis. The Prax Group’s collapse was widely publicized in the UK media, having operated an oil refinery in North Lincolnshire which provided 10% of the UK’s petrochemical supply (instructed by Slaughter and May).

Shetty & Ors v NMC Healthcare [2024] ADGMCA 0001

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for Bank of Baroda (Indian State-owned bank), the defendant to fraudulent trading claims brought by the joint administrators of the NMC Healthcare Group before the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Court. The preliminary issues hearings at first instance and before the ADGM Court of Appeal (the panel including Lord Hope and Dame Elizabeth Gloster DBE) gave rise to untested conflict of laws issues arising out of the ADGM’s re-domiciliation regime and application of ADGM insolvency law to pre re-domiciliation activities (instructed by Baker McKenzie).

PT Ventures, SGPS, S.A. v Vidatel Ltd, BVIHC (COM) 2021/0174

Acted for Portuguese telecoms company (PTV) in two sets of long-running, consecutive liquidation proceedings before the BVI Commercial Court against Vidatel (a company owned by Isabel dos Santos), relating to a net debt of over $400 million. Appeared as Junior Counsel at numerous hearings in 2021-2024, and appeared as sole Counsel before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Court of Appeal (Full Panel of Three Justices of Appeal) in successful security for costs application in January 2025, which resulted in Vidatel’s appeal against the liquidation order being dismissed (instructed by White and Case).

Carillion Group, 2024-2025 (Chancery Division)

Acted as sole Counsel for special managers (PwC) of Carillion plc and the Carillion Group, in their remuneration applications in 2024 and 2025 arising out of the highly-publicized collapse of this British multinational construction and support services company (instructed by Freshfields).

Thomas Cook, 2023-2025 (Chancery Division)

Advised and appeared as sole Counsel for the Official Receiver and special managers (AlixPartners and Interpath) of Thomas Cook plc and the Thomas Cook Group, in numerous court applications under the Insolvency Act 1986 arising out of the highly publicized collapse of this global travel company (instructed by Ashurst).

White Oak Commercial Finance (Non-levered) Ltd v Liberty Commodities Ltd, 2023-2025 (Chancery Division)

Advised and appeared for US fund White Oak in winding-up proceedings against LCL, a GFG Alliance entity, arising out of White Oak’s claims of over $200 million under complex receivables purchase agreements, in connection with the high-profile receivables supply programme operated by Greensill Capital prior to its widely-publicized collapse. Appeared as sole Counsel at a number of hearings including against Leading Counsel (instructed by Taylor Wessing).

Re Oi S.A., 2023 (Chancery Division)

Advised and appeared as sole Counsel for foreign representative of Oi S.A., in an application to recognise Oi’s widely-publicized 2023 Brazilian reorganisation proceedings as foreign main proceedings under the UNCITRAL Model Law (instructed by White & Case).

Re Nero Holdings Ltd [2021] EWHC 2600 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for nominees of company voluntary arrangement (CVA) for well-known Caffè Nero group, defending a challenge over a seven-day trial arising out of an attempt by the owners of Asda to acquire Caffè Nero (instructed by Travers Smith).

Calon Energy, 2021

Advised the Calon Energy group, a UK independent power producer, on proposed company voluntary arrangements (CVAs) (instructed by White & Case).

Valaris Group (Chancery Division)

Advised and acted for Valaris Group, a leading offshore drilling contractor headquartered in Texas, US, in relation to Chapter 11 proceedings and English pre-pack administration (instructed by Slaughter and May).

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.

Advised the Group in relation to Chapter 11 proceedings of Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., a leading offshore drilling contractor headquartered in Texas, US, and issues arising under the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency (instructed by Slaughter and May).

Re Beaufort Asset Clearing Services Limited [2020] EWHC 3627 (Ch); [2020] EWHC 2309 (Ch); [2018] EWHC 2287 (Ch)

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for special administrators (PwC) of investment bank Beaufort Asset Clearing Services Limited (PwC) on one of the first major distribution plans under the IBSA Rules to return client assets exceeding £570 million, and directions on various issues relating to the distribution of client assets and client money (instructed by Linklaters).

Re Reyker Securities Plc [2020] EWHC 3286 (Ch)

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for special administrators of investment bank Reyker Securities Plc on the sanction of a distribution plan under the IBSA Rules to return client assets exceeding £900 million (instructed by Foot Anstey).

Toys “R” Us, 2019 (Chancery Division)

Acted and appeared for Wilmington, the Delaware-incorporated collateral trustee in connection with proceedings concerning the Chapter 11 DIP financing of the well-known Toys “R” Us Group, giving rise to a dispute over the validity of fixed and floating charges (instructed by Dentons).

Re Strand Capital Ltd [2019] EWHC 1449 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as sole Counsel for special administrators of investment bank Strand Capital Limited, on the sanction of a distribution plan under the IBSA Rules to return client assets exceeding £245 million (instructed by Foot Anstey).

Re BrickVest Ltd; Lumineau v Berlin Hyp AG [2019] EWHC 3084 (Ch)

Advised and appeared as sole Counsel for directors of four tech start-up companies in the BrickVest Group on administration applications, raising construction issues relating to internal articles of association and shareholder agreements (instructed by CMS).

Fédération Française de Tennis (Roland-Garros), 2019 (Chancery Division)

Acted and appeared for the Fédération Française de Tennis (Roland-Garros) in connection with the liquidation of its commercial counterparty to a broadcasting distribution rights agreement (instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer).

K. Bennett, 2018

Advised liquidators of three L.K. Bennett entities, companies within the L.K. Bennett Group (instructed by Fieldfisher).

Lehman Waterfall Proceedings, 2017 (Chancery Division)

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel in the Waterfall III proceedings for administrators of Lehman Brothers Europe Limited (PwC), an investment banking services provider within the Lehman Brothers Group, in connection with intra-group disputes relating to set-off and interpretation of service agreements (instructed by Linklaters).

Re Phones 4u Ltd [2016] EWHC 1932 (Ch)

Acted for administrators of well-known P4U Group (PwC) and appeared on numerous applications in connection with the administration, both as sole Counsel and Junior Counsel, including various issues relating to the correct VAT treatment of receivables under mobile network operator contracts (instructed by A&O Shearman).

Rafidain Bank, 2016 (Chancery Division)

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for administrators (PwC) of the largest Iraqi bank, Rafidain Bank, in relation to a disputed point of interpretation under its long-running scheme of arrangement, and appeared as sole Counsel in an alternative service application (instructed by Norton Rose Fulbright).

The Sanko Steamship Co, Ltd, 2014 (Chancery Division)

Acted and appeared as sole Counsel for the Japanese foreign representative of The Sanko Steamship Co, Ltd on an application relating to his appointment under the UNCITRAL Model Law (instructed by DLA Piper).

Re Återförsäkring Ab Luap, 2014 (Chancery Division)

Acted and appeared as sole Counsel for the English provisional liquidator of a Swedish insurance company, Re Återförsäkring Ab Luap, on an application concerning his remuneration (instructed by Clifford Chance).

Heritable Bank plc v Landsbanki Islands hf [2013] UKSC 13; [2013] 1 WLR 725; [2013] 2 All ER 355; [2013] 1 All ER (Comm) 1257 [2013] 1 BCLC 465

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for Heritable Bank in Supreme Court proceedings concerning previously untested governing law issues relating to set-off and recognition of judgments under the European Directive (instructed by Freshfields).

Nortel Networks Corporation, 2013

Advised Canadian officeholders of the multinational telecommunications manufacturer, Nortel Networks Corporation, in relation to letters of request and directors’ powers and duties (instructed by Freshfields).

Gizmondo Europe Ltd, 2013 (Chancery Division)

Acted and appeared as sole Counsel for an individual on disclosure applications in connection with claims under section 238 of the Insolvency Act 1986 brought against him by liquidators of Gizmondo Europe Ltd, the failed gaming company (instructed by Mishcon de Reya).

Joint Administrators of Capitol Films Ltd v Cobalt Pictures Ltd [2010] EWHC 3223 (Ch); [2011] 2 BCLC 359; [2010] EWHC 2240 (Ch)

Acted and appeared as sole Counsel for Fortress Value Recovery Fund LLC and a number of other US investment funds in a dispute concerning fixed charge asset sales in administration, directors’ duties and officeholders’ remuneration and expenses. The case re-affirmed the modern test for depriving officeholders of their ability to recoup remuneration and expenses from the estate (instructed by O’Melveny & Myers).

Picard v FIM Advisers LLP [2010] EWHC 1299 (Ch); [2011] 1 BCLC 129

Advised and appeared as Junior Counsel for FIM Advisers on application to disclose documents under Article 21 of Schedule 1 to the UNCITRAL Model Law in connection with its role as consultant to Kingate feeder funds concerned in the Bernard Madoff fraud (instructed by Simmons & Simmons).

Connock v Fantozzi (Re Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiane SpA) [2011] EWHC 15 (Ch); [2011] 1 WLR 2049; [2011] Bus LR 926; [2011] BCC 579; [2011] 1 BCLC 606; [2011] I L Pr 31

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for liquidators of flagship Italian airline Alitalia in a cross-border dispute relating to the proper governing law for the distribution of assets (instructed by Addleshaw Goddard).

Serious Organised Crime Agency v Szepietowski [2010] EWHC 2570 (Ch); [2011] 1 BCLC 458; [2011] Lloyd’s Rep FC 81; [2011] 1 P & CR DG12

Acted and appeared as sole Counsel for National Westminster Bank plc, in a case considering the differences between subrogation and the equitable doctrine of marshalling (instructed by Addleshaw Goddard).

Sparkasse Hannover v Korffer [2011] BPIR 768

Appeared as sole Counsel in trial to establish the location of the debtor’s COMI in connection with his bankruptcy (instructed by Schultze & Braun).

Bank of Scotland plc v Targetfollow Properties Holdings Ltd [2010] EWHC 3606; [2013] BCC 817 (Ch)

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for Bank of Scotland in administration applications contested by a substantial property development company, the former owner of the Centre Point building (instructed by CMS).

Immigration Advisory Service, 2012 (Chancery Division)

Acted for administrators of a well-known charity, Immigration Advisory Service, on an application relating to administration expenses (instructed by Freshfields).

Stanford International Bank Ltd, 2010 (Court of Appeal)

Acted for US Receiver of the Caribbean bank Stanford International Bank Ltd in proceedings before the Court of Appeal relating to conflict of laws issues (COMI) and issues arising out of a POCA restraint order (instructed by Baker Botts).

Britannia Bulk plc

Advised a number of commercial counterparties to an international dry transportation provider, Britannia Bulk plc, in relation to trust claims and various administration issues.

Baugur Group

Advised the liquidators of a substantial Icelandic retail company, Baugur Group, in relation to a commercial dispute arising under its retail agreements.

Major cases include:

Advised the German branch of a well-known US bank in its claim against a major Swiss bank, arising out of securities lending transactions (instructed by Stewarts Law).
Advised a global producer of fertilizer and industrial products in relation to the financing of a high-value and complex project finance transaction (instructed by Dentons).
Advised a leading New York investment firm in connection with a dispute relating to conversion rights and competing redemption rights under convertible bonds (instructed by Shearman & Sterling).
Advised an investment fund in connection with the large-scale RMAC securitisation transaction (instructed by CMS).
UBS AG, London Branch v GLAS Trust Corp Ltd [2017] EWHC 1788 (Comm)

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for UBS in a dispute arising out of a major securitisation transaction to challenge the note trustee’s purported payment of third party expenses (instructed by Gibson Dunn).

Canary Wharf Finance II Plc v Deutsche Trustee Company Ltd [2016] EWHC 100 (Comm)

Acted and appeared as sole Counsel for Deutsche Bank to defend the issuer’s claim that a Spens payment, amounting to some £170 million, was not payable under a major notes issue relating to the financing of the Canary Wharf properties (instructed by A&O Shearman).

Acted as sole Counsel for Citibank in the Pine River proceedings before the Commercial Court concerning allegations of share price manipulation in connection with a major bond issue (instructed by Hogan Lovells).
Acted for an international investment bank in connection with a dispute relating to alleged LIBOR manipulation (instructed by Gibson Dunn).
Advised an international investment bank in connection with the close-out of ISDA-governed derivatives and the application of FVA/CVA adjustments to the Cash Price calculation (instructed by Gibson Dunn).
Advised and acted for a leading Italian oil and gas industry contractor in connection with its claim against a bank for payment under on-demand performance bonds and raising issues as to the necessity of pleading fraud (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted and appeared for LBI hf in its Commercial Court proceedings against Rabobank International to challenge an ISDA close-out determination concerning foreign exchange trades in the context of a fast depreciating currency (instructed by Slaughter and May).
Acted for LBI hf in connection with close out disputes concerning GMRA-, GMSLA- and ISDA-governed derivatives against various international investment banks (instructed by Stewarts Law).
Acted for officeholders of insolvent financial services companies within the Tiuta group concerning the operation of a collective investment scheme and related lending operations (instructed by SJ Berwin).
Advised the largest privately-held Trinidadian company CL Financial Ltd on insurance and bank resolution issues (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for special administrators of Dunfermline Building Society in relation to a dispute involving allegations of mis-selling equity release mortgage loans (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for Cattles Group in relation to alleged mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI) (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for the Financial Services Authority in relation to the special administration of MF Global, the major financial derivatives broker (instructed by Ashurst).
Acted for Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Ltd in connection with a dispute arising out of its consent and exchange offer for subordinated notes relating to a major note issue (instructed by Freshfields).
Advised ABN AMRO in relation to the framework prescribed by the Banking Act 2009 (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for the Bank of England on bank resolution

Major cases include:

National Iranian Oil Company and Retirement, Saving and Welfare Fund of Oil Industry Workers v Crescent Gas Corporation Limited [2025] EWCA Civ 1211

Acted for successful respondent (CGC) on post-hearing written submissions, on an appeal before the Court of Appeal concerning the issue whether the transfer by NIOC to the Fund of a valuable property in London had been a transaction at undervalue made for the purpose of putting assets beyond CGC’s reach under section 423 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (instructed by Reed Smith).

India v CC/Devas Mauritius Ltd [2025] EWHC 1738 (Comm)

Acted and appeared as Junior Counsel for successful intervener/respondent on an application to be joined to an arbitration claim under section 45 of the Arbitration Act 1996. The application gave rise to issues about the court’s jurisdiction to determine an application under section 45 on a point of law; namely, the proper law to be applied when determining who had authority to instruct lawyers to act on behalf of Mauritian companies in an arbitration (instructed by Gibson Dunn).

Advised the government of a former Soviet republic on points of English law in connection with pending litigation before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (instructed by White & Case).
Advised defendants to a claim based on implied representations, deceit and unlawful means conspiracy, giving rise to issues of forum non conveniens and Article 34 of the Brussels I Regulation Recast.
Phones 4U Limited v EE Limited [2018] EWHC 49 (Comm); [2018] 2 All ER (Comm) 315; [2018] Bus LR 574; [2018] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 204

Acted for administrators of Phones 4U Ltd (PwC) successfully defending (on summary judgment) claims brought by EE, the leading network provider, founded on repudiatory breach of mobile network operator agreements (instructed by A&O Shearman).

Advised the government of a former Soviet republic in connection with the recognition of a substantial foreign judgment and its interaction with the enforcement of an arbitration award, giving rise to limitation and set-off issues (instructed by White & Case).
Acted for international investment bank in connection with a dispute relating to alleged LIBOR manipulation (instructed by Gibson Dunn).
Advised a leading Italian oil and gas industry contractor in connection with its claim against a bank for payment under on-demand performance bonds and raising issues as to the necessity of pleading fraud (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for LBI hf in its Commercial Court proceedings against Rabobank International to challenge an ISDA close out determination concerning foreign exchange trades in the context of a fast depreciating currency (instructed by Slaughter and May).
Acted for a substantial property investment company on a summary judgment application relating to the interpretation of joint venture agreements (instructed by CMS).
Acted for special administrators of Dunfermline Building Society in relation to a dispute involving allegations of mis-selling equity release mortgage loans (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for court-appointed receivers of Mukhtar Ablyazov in connection with proceedings arising from the alleged multi-billion dollar fraud committed against BTA Bank (instructed by Freshfields).

Significant cases include:

Advised a statutory corporation in connection with Brexit-related company law issues (instructed by Eversheds).
Re BrickVest Ltd; Lumineau v Berlin Hyp AG [2019] EWHC 3084 (Ch)

Acted and appeared for directors of four tech start-up companies on administration applications, giving rise to construction issues relating to internal articles of association and shareholder agreements (instructed by CMS).

Serious Organised Crime Agency v Szepietowski [2010] EWHC 2570 (Ch); [2011] 1 BCLC 458; [2011] Lloyd’s Rep FC 81; [2011] 1 P & CR DG12

Acted and appeared for National Westminster Bank plc in proceedings to determine marshalling claims arising under various lending arrangements (instructed by Addleshaw Goddard).

Nortel Networks Corporation, 2013

Advised Canadian officeholders of the multinational telecommunications manufacturer, Nortel Networks Corporation, in relation to letters of request and directors’ powers and duties (instructed by Freshfields).

Advised the CEO of a major sporting event management company in relation to share transfer regimes under articles of association (instructed by Freshfields).
Advised a well-known luxury Italian fashion house in relation to share transfer regimes under articles of association (instructed by Freshfields).

Significant cases include:

PT Ventures, SGPS, S.A. v Vidatel Ltd, BVIHC (COM) 2021/0174

Acted for Portuguese telecoms company (PTV) in two sets of long-running, consecutive liquidation proceedings before the BVI Commercial Court against Vidatel (a company owned by Isabel dos Santos), relating to a net debt of over $400 million. Appeared as Junior Counsel at numerous hearings in 2021-2024, and appeared as sole Counsel before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Court of Appeal (Full Panel of Three Justices of Appeal) in successful security for costs application in January 2025, which resulted in Vidatel’s appeal against the liquidation order being dismissed (instructed by White and Case).

Advised the largest privately-held Trinidadian company CL Financial Ltd on insurance and bank resolution issues (instructed by Freshfields).
Advised in connection with an application for costs under the Highland Crusader Fund II scheme before the Supreme Court of Bermuda (instructed by Freshfields).
Acted for court-appointed receivers of Mukhtar Ablyazov in connection with proceedings arising from the alleged multi-billion dollar fraud committed against BTA Bank (instructed by Freshfields).

Georgina is ranked as a Leading Junior in the following areas in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500:

- Restructuring/Insolvency: Band 1 (Chambers and Partners and Legal 500).
- Banking & Finance: Band 1 (Legal 500) and Band 3 (Chambers and Partners).
- Commercial litigation: Band 5 (Legal 500).

She has been described in the legal directories as “exceptionally clever and did an extraordinary job”, an “intellectual powerhouse” who “identifies what really matters in a case”.

Comments from 2026 include:

- “She shows exquisite attention to detail and writes extremely clearly and persuasively” (Chambers, 2026)
- “A very strong advocate who works well on her feet” (Chambers, 2026)
- “Georgina is a thoughtful and effective advocate, putting points across in a clear and persuasive manner” (Chambers, 2026).
- “She is very clever, a really nice person to work with and is very good at sticking to her guns in the presence of more tricky counsel” (Chambers, 2026).
- “Georgina is intellectually rigorous and excellent technically with an astonishing ability to get on top of the most complex issues quickly” (Chambers, 2026).
- “A delight to work with. Her written work is excellent, as is her advocacy” (Legal 500, 2026).
- “Really knows her stuff on tricky and detailed issues of insolvency law, responsive and really nice to work with” (Legal 500, 2026).

Very early in her practice, she featured in an article for The Lawyer (2010) as one of five “barristers to watch”, with clients noting that she “has the skills and personality to move up the ranks.”

2022	Called to the Bar of the British Virgin Islands
2011	Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (6-month secondment)
2005	Called to the Bar of England and Wales (Denning Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn)
2005- 2006	European Court of Justice, Luxembourg (Réferendaire to Judge Uno Lõhmus; Stagiaire to Advocate General Francis Jacobs)
2003-2004	JeantetAssociés, Paris, Stagiaire/translator (Corporate Finance team)

2005	Bar Vocational Course (Outstanding), ICSL
2004	Postgraduate Diploma in Law, City University
2001	Christ’s College, Cambridge University, MA History, First Class

J P Warner Award (Lincoln’s Inn)

Lord Haldane Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn)

Lord Mansfield Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn) Sir J.H.

Plumb Award (Christ’s College)

Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR); Member of Executive Committee of COMBAR from 2022 to 2025; Co-chair of COMBAR’s Offshore Committee from 2022 to 2025
Chancery Bar Association (ChBA)
London Bar Association (LBA)
Insolvency Lawyers’ Association (ILA)
INSOL International
IWIRC (International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation)

Recent articles and podcasts:

Journal of International Banking & Financial Law (JIBFL), Co-Author with Lindsay Hingston (Freshfields) of “Waving not drowning: Thames Water clarities approach to out-of-the-money creditors”(June 2025).
JIBFL, Co-Author with Freshfields of “Liability Management Exercises in England: Where are we?” (January 2025).
Debtwire podcast, 9 September 2024: appeared with Professor Sarah Paterson on “Restructuring plans: Discretion, distribution of benefits and bargaining”.
Freshfields “No Worse Off” podcast, 28 October 2024: appeared alongside Lindsay Hingston and Alex Thomson (Freshfields) on “LMEs in England”.

Textbooks:

Contributor to Company Directors: Duties, Liabilities and Remedies (OUP, 2009; second edition, 2013; third edition, 2017; fourth edition, 2024)
Contributor to Cross-Border Bank Insolvency (OUP, 2011) (contribution cited in Heritable Bank v Landsbanki [2011] CSIH 61)
Contributor to The EC Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings (OUP, 2009; third edition, 2016; fourth edition, 2023)

International speaking engagements:

INSOL Hong Kong 2025: Chaired panel on “Third-party releases: global perspectives after Purdue Pharma”, with panelists Professor Anthony Casey, Madam Justice Linda Chan and Rob van den Sigtenhorst.
London International Disputes Week (LIDW) 2025: Speaker on panel alongside Sir William Blair, Mr Justice Foxton, Charles Thomson and Ben Ko (Baker McKenzie), on “The Rise of International Commercial Courts: What it means for the Rule of Law, English lawyers and the standing of English law worldwide”.
Mourant/South Square Litigation Forum, September 2024: interviewed Justice Nick Segal for a fireside chat.
INSOL International Cayman Islands Seminar, November 2023: Winner of the “Let Battle Commence” panel, for speaking on the “Most important case of the year”.
III’s 23rd Annual Conference, Amsterdam, 2023: Speaker on panel “Creditor-on-creditor violence”, chaired by Federica Pietrogrande (The Brattle Group), alongside Jamie Srayregen (Hilco Capital) and Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara (WongPartnership).
RISA/South Square Cayman Islands Conference, November 2022: Chaired panel on “Duties and decision-making by directors in restructurings”, alongside Caroline Moran (Maples), Shelley White (Walkers) and Alex Lawson (Alvarez & Marsal).
Regular speaker at COMBAR North American Meeting (NAM): New Orleans (2019); Boston (2023) Stockholm (2024); Montreal (2025).

UK speaking engagements:

GRR Live: Contentious Insolvency & Restructuring November 2025 conference: Speaker on panel “Beyond creditors and debtors: evolving stakeholder perspectives” addressing US, European and English approaches to restructurings.
GRR Live: Contentious Insolvency & Restructuring November 2024 conference: Chaired panel “Guerrillas in our midst: International actions to thwart UK restructurings”.
Regular speaker at ILA conferences/seminars, including chairing panel at 2022 conference on “Valuation disputes in restructuring”, with panelists Lord Justice Snowden and Joanne Hewitt (FTI Consulting).

Pro bono Recognition List 2025.
Member of Equality and Diversity Committee of the Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR) from 2019 onwards, and Chair of Women’s Equality Working Group (2023 onwards).
Led COMBAR’s response to the Bar Standards Board’s consultation on amendments to the equality rules (December 2024).
Led COMBAR’s Best Practice Guidance for Chambers: Fair Work Allocation, Earnings Monitoring and Reporting, Parental Leave and Retention and Progression (published November 2025), and chaired a panel on 19 November 2025 to launch guidance/model policies, attended by over 80 barristers and practice managers.
Currently working with the Bar Council for COMBAR on earnings monitoring by reference to sex.