HomeInsolvency practitionersAdministration

The specialist insolvency team at Francis Wilks & Jones are highly experienced in all aspects of the administration process.

The introduction of a plethora of new regulatory amendments and restrictions in recent times has made the landscape increasingly difficult for insolvency practitioners.

Our expert team is on hand to provide commercial and expert guidance on a range of matters to enable allow to allow insolvency practitioners to take administration appointments with confidence and navigate complex and sometimes unfamiliar legal challenges now faced in the performance of their duties. 

How our team can help

Our experienced team regularly assists our Insolvency Practitioner clients in taking office including

Appointment advice

Our team can assist with

  • the preparation and drafting of out-of-court appointment documentation; or
  • more extensive, wholesale applications for a creditors’ administration application.

Not only that, our insolvency practitioner clients can benefit from our broad client base and status as a panel firm for many prominent invoice financiers, meaning that we can often provide reciprocal work and appointments to office-holders when borrowers under these facilities fall in default.  

Post appointment assistance

Our specialist team can help guide and assist you in all aspects of a matter post appointment including

  • a bespoke, tailored approach based on finance available to the administration estate; and
  • making assessments on the feasibility and proportionality of any potential applications or causes of action. 

Investigatory assistance

We understand that gaining control of the company’s books and records post appointment can be a challenge in and of itself, particularly in hostile appointments involving potential wrongful trading or misfeasance claims where directors are often concerned with protecting their own interests.

Our team have extensive experience helping our administrator clients to assert their investigatory powers in order to unravel these challenging situations and realise funds later down the line. 

Cyrptocurrency

Where there is, or may be, Cryptocurrency steps need to be taken to identify, recover, take control, insure, or realise the asset. Our expert team can assist you with the practical steps required to maximise the return to creditors and lower your personal exposure to criticism that the correct practical steps were not taken in relation to the asset. Our guide for Insolvency Practitioners on Cryptocurrency and Insolvency can be accessed here. For advice on dealing with estates containing Cryptocurrency, Non-Fungible Tokens or non-tangible assets, please contact our specialist team.

Dealing with creditor claims

Towards the end of a case we can assist you with adjudication, and where necessary rejection, of creditor claims and distributions of dividends, and our team is experienced in bringing applications for the redaction or non-disclosure of confidential details and identification information in an administrators’ proposals and statement of affairs where such disclosure is of potential concern and may result in harm to a company’s creditors.  

Help with closing strategies and court applications

Finally, we can assist you with closing strategy and make any applications to court in that regard and regularly guide our insolvency practitioner clients on strategy for a potential move to liquidation if this proves advantageous on the basis of the particular company’s asset position.


Contact our team of administration and insolvency specialists today to talk over the options for your appointment and strategy.

Working with FWJ is always a pleasure. They make us feel very comfortable when we’re uncertain as to the best way forward and provide us with the confidence to strike out and go about our job, knowing they have our back.

Brian Baker, Partner at Moore Kingston Smith & Partners

Key contacts

James Roberts

James Roberts

Partner

Sydney Austin

Sydney Austin

Associate (NZ Qualified)

Tim Francis

Tim Francis

Partner

View full team

Case studies

View all case studies

Contact us in confidence