Clifford Chance
Melissa Coakley advises a broad spectrum of stakeholders on consensual and non-consensual cross border and domestic restructurings, work outs, reorganisations and formal insolvencies.
Melissa's commercialism, high level of technical knowledge and strategic thinking has seen her acting across sectors (including infrastructure, retail, transport, telecommunications, manufacturing, oil and gas, financial services, commodities), across geographies, engaging with differing regulatory environments and legal systems (including 5 years spent on secondment in the Middle East), and for a wide variety of stakeholders: corporate borrowers, funds, banks, insolvency officeholders, government, private equity sponsors and material trade creditors.
- Advising a prominent UK alt-net on a substantial capital raise and associated corporate governance structure amendments
- Advising private credit lenders to the EnerMech Group (multinational oil and gas services) in relation to the restructuring of its financial debt
- Advising UK retailer Matalan on its 2023 comprehensive recapitalisation and on its 2020 £50m CLBILS liquidity raise and associated English scheme of arrangement
- Advising Communisis Group in relation to the Ch11 of its parent company and the subsequent pre-packaged administration sale of its UK and European business
- Advising a leading UK sponsor in relation to the complex private credit restructuring of a UK aerospace group
- Advising certain key senior lenders to Vroon, a Dutch shipping group, in relation to the group’s cross border restructuring process, including via a Dutch WHOA and English scheme
- Advising the Official Receiver and Special Managers in relation to the trading liquidation of a UK power station and associated litigation, a national interest case
- Advising Chrysoar/Harbour Energy in relation to its reverse takeover and associated restructuring of Premier Oil PLC, utilising a part 26A restructuring plan
- Advising the Department for Transport on the COVID-19 impact on the airline and airports sector, including in relation to the Virgin Atlantic part 26A restructuring plan, the first such plan implemented in the UK
- Advising a prominent European hedge fund in relation to the $1bn court-based UAE restructuring of JBF RAK, a multinational plastics manufacturer
- Advising the coordination committee of senior secured lenders in relation to the $2bn Nyrstar restructuring implemented via a mix of consensual arrangements and English schemes of arrangement
- Advising the liquidators of a tier one regulated DIFC investment bank and deposit taking institution on its complex wind down and associated cross border litigation, as part of the collapse of the Espirito Santos Financial Group
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, London
- +442070061963
- Email me
- Practice area Global Financial Markets, Restructuring & insolvency
- Sector Consumer goods & retail, Banks, Sovereign wealth
Career and qualifications
- University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (LLB) 2001
- Joined Clifford Chance 2003
- Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 2005
- Secondment to Bank of England 2007
- Secondment to Clifford Chance Dubai 2010-2015
- Partner since 2020
Professional bodies
- Council Member and director of the Insolvency Lawyers Association
- Member of R3, IWIRC and INSOL
Awards and citations
- Ranked in Band 6
Chambers UK 2024: Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency (Tier 1) (3 years ranked) - "Melissa Coakley is extraordinary. She is hands-on, user-friendly and authoritative - a super impressive lawyer." "She is exceptional - she is all over the facts and the law in a way that makes you feel safe." "Melissa is a very clear communicator and a very commercial practitioner."
- "She is creative, works extremely hard and uses her contacts and experience to overcome challenges and get the deal done. "Melissa is bright, effective and robust."
- Ranked as a Next Generation Partner
Legal 500 UK 2022, 2023 and 2024: Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency (Tier 1) - “Melissa Coakley is very technical and on top of the detail, while also retaining a pragmatic approach.” "Melissa Coakley displays a 'high level of technical knowledge and strategic thinking"
- Recognised in the Global Restructuring Review “40 under 40”