KWM EUME collapse could cost creditors £33.5m

Barclays, which has both secured and unsecured debt, stands to lose the most

KWM EUME collapse could cost creditors £33.5m
Various unsecured creditors are set to lose £33.5m (about $54m) due to the demise of the Europe, UK, and Middle East partnership of King & Wood Mallesons, administrator Quantuma said in an initial report.

Unsecured creditors are owed £37m, but only £3.5m was at hand last 17 January, reported Legal Week, which has seen the report. With both secured and unsecured debt, Barclays is said to have a valid claim of more than £16.5m, £13m of which is unsecured.

Trade creditors are owed £6.8m. Among them, owed the most money are administrators AlisPartners, property consultants Knight Frank and Mace Macro, Ukrainian law firm Lexwell, and LexisNexis.

The legacy SJ Berwin partnership is also said to owe just over £3m for premises, £985,000 to HM Revenue and Customs, and £12.6m to former members of the LLP.

It is still unknown how much of these debts can be recovered.

The offloading of parts of the business has resulted in recoveries of £6.7m, while administration costs is said to now be at £1.6m.

Quantuma was paid £255,172 between 17 January and 10 March. The restructuring and recovery firm expects their bill to be £1.3m.


Related stories:
‘No termination clause’ at KWM
Former KWM EU partners urged to back ‘undue hardship’ fund for staff

Recent articles & video

MinterEllisonRuddWatts assists AgriZeroNZ with sustainable agriculture-focused JV

High Court denies extension for long-delayed family protection claim

Government to introduce inaugural RMA Amendment Bill

Oranga Tamaraki faces lawyer shortage in Gisborne and Southland

Queen City Law elevates three to directorship

Winton corporate services GM wandered around the UK doing 'random jobs'

Most Read Articles

New judges join the High Court, Court of Appeal benches

Winton corporate services GM wandered around the UK doing 'random jobs'

Holland Beckett expands partnership with two

Anderson Lloyd, Dentons Kensington Swan back NZLS membership initiative