- Overview
Bowmans offers a comprehensive restructuring service from informal work-outs to formal insolvency measures such as liquidation.
We have experience advising on a wide range of transactions throughout Africa and have advised on many of the continent’s ground-breaking corporate transactions and significant corporate reorganisations.
Our expertise extends to cross-border restructurings that involve simultaneous insolvency filings in multiple jurisdictions and advising on pan-European and coordinated US/ Europe restructurings.
We have extensive knowledge of financing and re-financing requirements. We understand the litigation tactics often required in restructurings. We draw on in-house expertise in other specialist areas of law that may be required to provide a comprehensive service.
Our clients include large national clients in African jurisdictions as well as multinationals and international law firms acting on their behalf, non-government entities, governments, state-owned entities and financial institutions.
Specialist Services
- Contingency planning
- Cross-border restructurings, particularly cross-border group restructurings that involve simultaneous insolvency filings in multiple jurisdictions
- Dealing with auditor concerns regarding ‘going concern’ status and related issues
- Debt restructuring and rescheduling – both creditor-led and debtor-led
- Directors’ duties during periods of financial distress and restructurings
- Distressed M&A transactions
- Equity capital raising and restructuring
- Formal restructuring procedures such as schemes of compromise, schemes of arrangement and debt for equity swaps, exchange offers, business rescue and liquidation
- Investigation, asset tracing and insolvency litigation
- Refinancing of finance facilities
- Standstill and forbearance arrangements
Specialist Services
- Contingency planning
- Cross-border restructurings, particularly cross-border group restructurings that involve simultaneous insolvency filings in multiple jurisdictions
- Dealing with auditor concerns regarding ‘going concern’ status and related issues
- Debt restructuring and rescheduling – both creditor-led and debtor-led
- Directors’ duties during periods of financial distress and restructurings
- Distressed M&A transactions
- Equity capital raising and restructuring
- Formal restructuring procedures such as schemes of compromise, schemes of arrangement and debt for equity swaps, exchange offers, business rescue and liquidation
- Investigation, asset tracing and insolvency litigation
- Refinancing of finance facilities
- Standstill and forbearance arrangements
Related Expertise
African Legal Awards
Restructuring Team of the Year, 2024
Restructuring Team of the Year, 2021
IFLR Africa Awards
Restructuring Team of the Year, 2023
Chambers
Bowmans fields a strong restructuring group with expertise across a diverse range of areas.
The team handles a variety of restructuring mandates for some of the region’s largest manufacturers, telecoms companies and financial institutions.
The firm is additionally active representing business rescue practitioners, assisting with post-commencement documentation, the structuring of transactions, and disputes resulting from counterclaims.
Regularly acting for creditors and bondholders, the firm frequently plays a pivotal role in the sale of subsidiaries and other assets as part of formal restructuring processes.
Bowmans is extremely experienced in managing complex transactions and advising the appropriate solutions to be implemented legally.
Bowmans has strong expertise, is commercially minded and provides the considerations of options and potential risks thereof.
The firm is additionally active representing business rescue practitioners, assisting with post-commencement documentation, the structuring of transactions, and disputes resulting from counterclaims.
Regularly acting for creditors and bondholders, the firm frequently plays a pivotal role in the sale of subsidiaries and other assets as part of formal restructuring processes.
Legal 500
Bowmans has an outstanding record in bulge-bracket M&A and corporate restructurings.
Their collective skills and expertise worked seamlessly together, enabling them to effectively handle our queries and concerns throughout the transaction.
Key Contacts
Juliette de Hutton
Head of Restructuring
Ulrike Naumann
Head of Finance
Richard Harney
Senior Partner, Kenya
Tobie Jordaan
Partner





