James Nicholls

Expertise

James is a very experienced insolvency and restructuring lawyer with over 26 years’ expertise in the ‘insolvency industry’. He has advised stakeholders from all aspects of insolvency — from banks, insolvency practitioners and suppliers, to victims of financial misfeasance and directors with serious financial problems. Over the last 8 years James has had a particular focus on advising SMEs, directors and individuals in proceedings against banks, insolvency practitioners and The Insolvency Service. Since Insolvency Law is so varied, James also has experience of advising businesses on their corporate set up, financing, structure, acquisitions and protecting assets. In addition, he advises on issues relating to contractual disputes, litigation, intellectual property and shareholder disputes. James also advises a number of businesses generally relating to corporate and commercial matters.

James Advises

• SMEs and shareholders and directors thereof
• Investors, venture capitalists and turnaround professionals on acquisitions
• Directors of companies in financial difficulty
• Directors threatened with disqualification
• Insolvency practitioners taking action against banks and asset based lenders
• Debtors, bankrupts and their partners

Experience Highlights

• Advising shareholders and directors in a leisure group restructuring.
• Advising the Trustees of a £60m charity on emergency administration.
• Advising venture capitalist investors on the acquisition of an internet gaming platform.
• Resisting claims by Trustees in Bankruptcy against the assets of a family business.
• Advising a farming family on the major restructuring and refinancing of their land.
• Advising the directors of numerous retail groups on claims made against them by liquidators.

Career History

Previous Law Firms

• Specialist insolvency law boutique — Nicholls & Co. (2008–14)
• Partner at Shoosmiths (2005–08)
• Associate at Gateley Wareing (now Gateley) (2000–05)
• Associate at Freshfields (1997–2000)
• Insolvency Administrator at BDO Stoy Hayward (1992–97)
• Insolvency Administrator at KPMG (1990–92)

Education

• Added to Roll of Solicitors — 2000
• Called to the Bar — 1997
• Harmsworth Scholar, Middle Temple — 1996
• Inns of Court School of Law — 1996
• Law CPE, North London University — 1994–96
• BA (Hons) in Sociology, University of Kent