Business Restructuring and Insolvency Solicitor
Location: Leeds City Centre
Career Level: Senior Associate to Legal Director
Salary: £60,000 - £90,000 + Bonus (dependent on experience)
Join a Market-Leading, Award-Winning Insolvency Team
Are you an experienced insolvency specialist looking to advance your career with a market-leading team? Our client, a highly regarded full‑service law firm with over 300 employees based in Leeds city centre, is seeking a Business Restructuring and Insolvency Solicitor at Senior Associate to Legal Director level to join their award‑winning team.
This is an exceptional opportunity to join a firm recognised as one of the "Top 10 Big Companies to Work For" by the Sunday Times. The Business Restructuring and Insolvency team is ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Band 1 in Chambers, with multiple team members recognised individually across both guides. The team is renowned for its commercial, pragmatic, and solutions‑focused approach.
The Team
The Business Restructuring and Insolvency team is a highly skilled, commercial, innovative, and responsive team with excellent connections in the restructuring, insolvency, and lender markets. The team is uniquely placed to provide tailored and effective solutions to restructuring and insolvency needs.
The team is ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Band 1 in Chambers, with four members of the team recognised individually across the two guides. The team has extensive experience working with management, shareholders, and other stakeholders to restructure and rescue businesses facing financial difficulty.
The team acts not only for insolvency practitioners but also management, guiding them through the process, as well as potential purchasers who may look to buy a business and its assets.
The firm is a full‑service law firm offering Banking and Finance, Corporate, Real Estate, Employment, Family, Intellectual Property, Private Wealth, Commercial Dispute Resolution, and more, meaning clients' corporate and business needs, as well as their own personal matters, can be managed in one place by a collaborative, connected team.
The Role
As a Business Restructuring and Insolvency Solicitor at Senior Associate to Legal Director level, you will be an insolvency specialist working on high‑value and complex matters for insolvency practitioners, management, lenders, and purchasers. You will be based in the firm's Leeds city centre office.
Your key responsibilities will include:
* Advising insolvency practitioners on formal insolvencies including administrations, liquidations, receiverships, and voluntary arrangements
* Advising management and directors on their duties and responsibilities in insolvency situations
* Advising lenders on distressed businesses, funding, and security matters
* Advising purchasers on buying businesses and assets in distress
* Handling insolvency disputes and litigation
* Advising on business restructuring solutions including restructuring plans, CVAs, and informal arrangements
* Advising on creditor recovery and asset tracing matters
* Providing commercial, pragmatic, and solutions‑focused advice to clients
* Managing a high‑quality caseload of insolvency matters with autonomy
* Supervising and mentoring junior team members
* Building and developing client relationships with insolvency practitioners, lenders, and corporate clients
* Working collaboratively with colleagues across the firm's full‑service offering (Banking and Finance, Corporate, Real Estate, Employment, Commercial Dispute Resolution, etc.)
* Providing exceptional client service with commercially focused advice
* Contributing to business development activities and thought leadership
* Staying current with developments in insolvency law and practice
About You
Essential Requirements:
* Senior Associate to Legal Director level (typically 5‑10+ years' PQE)
* Qualified Solicitor in England and Wales
* Insolvency specialist with extensive experience in corporate insolvency matters
* Strong technical knowledge of insolvency law and practice including Insolvency Act 1986, Insolvency Rules, and relevant case law
* Proven experience advising insolvency practitioners on formal insolvencies (administrations, liquidations, receiverships, CVAs)
* Experience advising on business restructuring solutions
* Experience with insolvency disputes and litigation
* Strong relationships with insolvency practitioners, lenders, and corporate clients
* Excellent drafting and legal research skills
* Strong client care skills with ability to build and maintain relationships
* Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal
* Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously
* Commercially focused with pragmatic and solutions‑focused approach to problem‑solving
* Strong leadership skills with ability to supervise and mentor junior team members
* Team player who thrives in a collaborative environment
* Commitment to delivering exceptional client service
* Ambitious and driven with desire to develop career in insolvency
Highly Desirable:
* Experience advising lenders on distressed businesses, funding, and security
* Experience advising purchasers on buying businesses and assets in distress
* Experience with creditor recovery and asset tracing
* Experience advising management and directors on duties and responsibilities
* Experience with restructuring plans and CVAs
* Experience working in a full‑service law firm environment
* Strong business development track record
* Experience working collaboratively across multiple departments (Banking and Finance, Corporate, Real Estate, Employment, CDR)
* Membership of R3 (Association of Business Recovery Professionals) or similar professional body
Key Attributes:
* Insolvency specialist with deep technical expertise
* Commercial, pragmatic, and solutions‑focused approach
* Strong leadership and mentoring abilities
* Hardworking and self‑motivated with strong work ethic
* Proactive and enthusiastic approach to work
* Client‑focused with commitment to exceptional service delivery
* Strong team player who works well in a collaborative environment
* Commercially astute with excellent problem‑solving abilities
* Strong attention to detail and accuracy
* Adaptable and flexible approach to work
* Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships
* Innovative and responsive to client needs
* Passionate about insolvency and restructuring
What's On Offer
Our client is committed to recognising and rewarding great work, with rewards and benefits that are among the best in the business.
Benefits include:
* Competitive salary: £60,000 - £90,000 + Bonus (dependent on experience)
* Bonus scheme
* Award‑winning firm: "Top 10 Big Companies to Work For" (Sunday Times)
* Business Restructuring and Insolvency team ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Band 1 in Chambers
* Four team members recognised individually in Legal 500 and Chambers
* Clear progression pathway to Legal Director and Partner level
* Full‑service law firm with over 300 employees
* 18+ years of established reputation in Leeds
* Work with highly skilled, commercial, innovative, and responsive team
* Excellent connections in restructuring, insolvency, and lender markets
* Market‑leading team advising on formal insolvencies
* Excellent relationships with leading national and regional insolvency practitioners
* Supportive and collaborative team environment
* Partner‑led firm with unique structure that embraces each individual's passions and strengths
* Culture you won't find anywhere else: authenticity, openness, and collaboration
* Strong growth mentality and naturally inclusive culture
* More client contact, more autonomy, and more development
* Create your own influence and shape your own fate
* Excellent training and professional development opportunities
* Work on high‑value and complex insolvency matters
* Access to full‑service firm resources (Banking and Finance, Corporate, Real Estate, Employment, Family, IP, Private Wealth, CDR, and more)
* Modern Leeds city centre office location (close to Leeds train station, excellent transport links)
* Flexible working arrangements available
* Strong focus on employee wellbeing
* Firm that propels you to the front and puts you in control
* Opportunity to supervise and mentor junior team members
* Thought leadership and business development opportunities
About Our Client
Our client is a full‑service law firm based in Leeds city centre with over 300 employees and 18+ years of established reputation. The firm has been recognised as one of the "Top 10 Big Companies to Work For" by the Sunday Times and is widely regarded for its award‑winning culture.
The firm is built around authenticity, openness, and collaboration, with a partner‑led structure that embraces each individual's passions and strengths.
The Business Restructuring and Insolvency team is ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Band 1 in Chambers, with four members of the team recognised individually across both guides. The team is highly skilled, commercial, innovative, and responsive, with excellent connections in the restructuring, insolvency, and lender markets.
The team has extensive experience working with management, shareholders, and other stakeholders to restructure and rescue businesses facing financial difficulty. Where businesses fail, the team has excellent relationships with – and routinely works for – leading national and regional insolvency practitioners. The team is a market leader in advising on formal insolvencies.
The firm offers a full range of legal services including Banking and Finance, Corporate, Real Estate, Employment, Family, Intellectual Property, Private Wealth, Commercial Dispute Resolution, and more, meaning clients' corporate and business needs, as well as their own personal matters, can be managed in one place by a collaborative, connected team.
The firm's approach starts by listening and understanding a client's needs, so that legal advice and support can be tailored specifically to them. The firm invests the time needed to develop relationships with substance and goes above and beyond to inspire change.
The firm is committed to creating opportunities for its people and clients, with a culture that means everyone succeeds together. The firm gives its people more client contact, more autonomy, and more development, allowing them to create their own influence and shape their own fate.
Location
This role is based in the firm's Leeds city centre office, located close to Leeds train station with excellent transport links (only 0.3 miles from Leeds train station by foot). The office is in the heart of Leeds' legal and business district with access to the city's amenities, restaurants, and cultural attractions. Paid parking is available nearby at Wellington Street Multi‑Storey Car Park.
How to Apply
If you're an experienced insolvency specialist at Senior Associate to Legal Director level looking to advance your career with a market‑leading team ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Band 1 in Chambers, we'd love to hear from you. Click apply now or contact lee.hawthorne-finch@h-fts.com or 0333 996 2882
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