Rob Lyons

Senior Associate

Emailrob.lyons@dlapiper.com

Call+44(0) 7802 719 510

Manchester

About

Areas of FocusConsumer Goods, Food and Retail Industrials Restructuring

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

Acting for Duff & Phelps as administrators of the British Home Stores (BHS) group of companies, dealing with the closure of stores, surrender and assignment of leases and provision of general advice on trading issues including essential supplies. BHS represents one of the largest retail insolvencies of the last decade with the group employing 11,000 people at 164 stores across the UK.
Advising the directors of Conviviality Plc (an AIM listed supplier to drink industry servicing more than 23,000 outlets) in relation to insolvency risks during the period of uncertainty for the business following the discovery of financial issues resulting in the suspension of trading. Rob led the appointment of administrators over a number of companies within the Conviviality group, subsequently acting for PwC as administrators of the group. Rob acted on the sale of the retail business to the grocery wholesaler Bestway, a transaction which saved approximately 1,700 jobs. Rob also advised on the sale of Conviviality’s wholesale divisions to the C&C Group, a transaction that saved nearly 2,000 jobs.
Acting for Duff & Phelps as administrators of Calvetron Brands Limited – a leading concession based retailer of ladies clothing and accessories. The company operated out of 350+ locations (including over 60 located outside the UK and Ireland) and employed circa 1,500 employees.
Acting for Ernst & Young as administrators of one of the largest independent plant hire business in the UK. Rob advised the administrators on the multi-million pound disposal of certain business and assets of the group and the sale of a significant number of plant assets at auction, trading and retention of title issues and advice regarding the group’s security and invoice finance facilities.
Acting for a number of creditors of a construction and facilities management group, including Government entities and a key IT services supplier, advising creditors on their rights in the liquidation and supporting the businesses throughout the trading liquidation.
Working as part of the team advising Alvarez and Marsal following their appointment as joint administrators of NMC Health PLC, a former FTSE 100 healthcare company in administration that has been the subject of a multi-billion USD fraud, with outstanding creditor liabilities in excess of USD6.5 billion. NMC Health Plc is the holding company of the largest healthcare group in the Middle East with 200 hospitals, clinics and other sites in 19 countries.
Advising PwC as administrators of certain of the Caparo Industries group, comprising UK steel and associated engineering businesses, as part of the global Caparo network of businesses. Rob acted for PwC in relation to the successful disposal of the Caparo Wire business out of administration. The Caparo Wire business specialised in the manufacture of galvanised and engineering steel wire.
Acting for Ernst & Young LLP as administrators of a number of companies within the AIM listed Outsourcery group. The group provided cloud-based IT, infrastructure and business communications solutions to a range of corporate customers.
Advising an asset based lender in relation to the restructuring and refinancing of a recruitment business with an annual turnover of GBP1.2 billion, which saw over 45,000 jobs protected.
Advising a major UK bank in connection with a multi-jurisdictional, EUR90 million refinance, delivering an enhanced security package across several European jurisdictions, and thereafter advising the syndicate of lenders on the EUR115 million disposal of the customer.

Education

College of Law, Manchester, Legal Practice Course

The University of Leeds, LLB, Hons Law Degree

Awards