Edward Downer is a solutions-oriented advisor on corporate financial distress. He has over 15 years experience across the full range of liability management, balance sheet restructuring and insolvency proceedings in the UK, Europe, US and APAC. Edward is a go-to adviser for credit investors and others when corporates encounter financial distress.
Edward is recognised by Chambers UK 2025 as Up and Coming in the Restructuring/Insolvency category and by The Legal 500 UK 2025 as a Next Generation Partner in the Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency category. Clients described him as “highly intelligent and always provides sophisticated commercial advice. He is a go-to adviser, particularly with complex legal issues that require urgent commercial advice” and “a great commercial strategist when it comes to insolvency and restructuring matters.”
Edward has worked on the financial distress of corporates across a raft of regulated and unregulated sectors including insurance, aviation, financial services, asset management, real estate, chemicals and materials, oil and gas, retail, shipping, infrastructure, mining, metals and manufacturing. He closely follows developments across the sub-investment grade finance landscape, and frequently works on situations involving private debt, broadly syndicated loans and high-yield bonds.
Edward also has a keen interest in insolvency matters and is an advisor on complex cross-border contentious and consensual situations. He is a creative problem solver adept at managing enforcement of security interests on all manners of collateral as well as optimising outcomes in administrations, liquidations and other procedures worldwide.
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