Edward Downer
Partner, Business Reorganization & Restructuring
Edward Downer is a partner in the Business Reorganization & Restructuring Department. With extensive experience in international financial restructurings, distressed debt investment and stressed and distressed financings, Edward is a go-to adviser for clients investing or involved in financial distress situations. He has developed a broad restructuring practice in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US, representing distressed debt investors, special situations lenders, distressed companies and other finance parties including bank and non-bank trustee companies.
Edward is recognized for his cutting edge work in credit documentation developments and restructuring techniques. His cross-sector work has focused particularly on technology, oil and gas, retail, shipping, property, infrastructure, financial services, mining, metals and manufacturing.
Edward closely follows developments across the sub-investment grade finance landscape, and frequently works on situations involving private debt and high-yield bonds. He counsels clients through all manner of liability management issues: from liquidity solutions, creditor engagement in amendments and waivers in private and capital markets debt and full-blown balance sheet restructurings as well as bankruptcy/insolvency and secured debt enforcement issues.
Experience
Prior to joining Willkie in 2020, Edward was previously at Morrison & Foerster LLP.
- Recognized as “Up and Coming” for “Restructuring/Insolvency – London” by Chambers UK 2024.
- Willkie's London Restructuring team was shortlisted for "Restructuring Team of the Year" at the 2023 Legal Business Awards.
- Represented GLAS on all aspects of the capital structure of Hema BV leading into and through its €880 million restructuring by way of English scheme of arrangement and Dutch in-court share pledge enforcement.
- Represented Intu. Convertible bondholders in respect of the £375m 2.875% guaranteed convertible notes issued by intu (Jersey) 2 Limited and the ongoing administration of intu Properties plc and other intu group companies.
- Represented SoftBank as a secured lender of OneWeb’s project for a low–earth–orbit constellation of 600 satellites to provide global connectivity and in connection with OneWeb’s chapter 11 filing in the Southern District of New York.
- Represented the successor facility agent, note trustee and security agent on the restructuring of New Look’s £1.3 billion financial indebtedness by way of inter-conditional UK schemes of arrangement and recognition under chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
- Represented the post-restructuring facility agent, note trustee and security agent on the restructuring of the Lecta group’s £665 million financial indebtedness by way of UK scheme of arrangement.
- Represented the facility agent and security agent in connection with the cross-border enforcement of collateral of the OW Bunker group to recover over $700 million of secured debt.
- Ciber Inc.: Represented the debtor in its chapter 11 filing and in the realization of all of its European assets.
- Represented a secured creditor in connection with the cross-border enforcement of collateral (vintage motor vehicles) to recover over €80 million of secured debt.
- Represented distressed debt funds in connection with various European distressed debt situations.
- Represented a private equity house on the financing of its acquisition of a UK consumer business.
- Represented Microport in its acquisition of Lombard Medical Technology by way of a UK pre-packaged administration.
- Representing Toshiba in its “dual track” disposal process of smart-meter leader Landis+Gyr . The transaction was completed through a $2.4 billion initial public offering of Landis+Gyr’s shares on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
* Edward advised on some of these matters prior to joining Willkie.
Credentials
Education
Flinders University (Adelaide), LLB, 2008