Addleshaw Goddard has invested in its cross-border restructuring and contentious insolvency offering with the hire of Paul Fleming, one of the City's recognised restructuring specialists who has joined as a partner in the firm's London restructuring practice from Dechert.

With a practice focussed on creditors, including institutional lenders, bondholders and special situations teams Paul arrives fresh from working on the Dubai based Abraaj Holdings private equity failure, and continues his work for the Administrators of Lehman Brothers Limited.

Paul is highly regarded for his cross-border work on both restructuring and contentious insolvency matters and joins a team already regarded as one of the largest in the UK, totalling over 42 dedicated lawyers noted for their work on high profile matters such as Carillion and British Steel with significant coverage of the UK clearing banks. The team has been involved in key mandates for most of the recent retail insolvencies including Evans Cycles, Karen Millen, HMV, American Golf, Conviviality and Jones the Bootmakers.

Ged Barnes, Head of BSR, Addleshaw Goddard, said:

"This is the start of an ambitious strategy for the team which will help us to capitalise upon our international offices, particularly in the UAE, and our preferred firm network which provides a best in class product for global mandates. Paul's expertise in cross border insolvencies, funds recovery work and complex, high value insolvency litigation is a great fit with our existing practice and we are delighted to welcome him to the team."

Paul joined Dechert in 2016 from DLA where he was made a partner in 1999 and most notably acted as conflict counsel for PwC on a range of issues related to the Lehman Brothers limited estate including on claims of up to £7bn.