Expertise

Craig has significant experience in advising a variety of stakeholders and debtors (and their officers) in complex international restructurings where substantial amounts of debt is being restructured through cross-border elements. Craig also regularly advises insolvency practitioners and office holders (examiners, receivers and liquidators) in the discharge of their duties and in disputes arising in the insolvent estate or on the disposal of assets. He also advises secured creditors in significant security enforcements including receiver appointments across some of the largest and complex real estate development portfolios in the State. Craig also has extensive experience in complex commercial litigation and shareholder disputes. 

  • Advising Irish headquartered aircraft leasing group, Nordic Aviation Capital, in the restructuring of $6.8bn debt ultimately through a Chapter 11 process in the US with a complex capital structure across various lender groups and in numerous jurisdictions. 
  • Advising Grant Thornton as examiner of Irish headquartered multinational oil drilling company Weatherford International plc in the global restructuring of $8bn debt across the group through the first ever Irish examinership and US Chapter 11 parallel proceedings.
  • Advising PwC as receiver and manager of significant commercial development property and as Plaintiff in Irish Commercial Court proceedings relating to the interference in the disposal of that  property by the chargor.
  • Advising the newly appointed Boards of an Irish headquartered international aircraft leasing group on duties and contentious matters regarding the borrower following a secured lender share enforcement and following their nomination and appointment to the boards of the parent and subsidiaries of the group by the share receiver as part of the share enforcement.
  • Advising a prominent Irish hotelier in the successful defence of a high-profile shareholder dispute in the Commercial Court.
Publications

https://www.addleshawgoddard.com/en/insights/insights-briefings/2024/employment/significant-changes-to-irish-collective-redundancy-law-impacting-management-of-insolvency-proceedings/

Testimonials

"Craig Sowman's extensive knowledge of the law and commercial acumen means that as his client we are assured of receiving well-thought-out, robust legal advice that can be relied upon"- Legal 500 EMEA 2023 

"Craig Sowman is calm in a crisis, gives great confidence to his client" Legal 500 EMEA 2023

"Craig Sowman is calm and focused. He is a very responsive and commercial lawyer. He is excellent at progression negotiations, building relationships and finding solutions with difficult counterparts" Chambers Europe 2023 

 

Education
  • University of Galway -BA 1999-2002
  • Technological University of Dublin – PG Dip law-2002-2003
Professional Memberships
  • INSOL Europe 
  • Restructuring & Insolvency Ireland (RII)