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Portrait of John Adams

Profile

John is an experienced insolvency and civil fraud partner in the commercial dispute resolution team who advises on proceedings at all levels of the English courts. He has significant experience in both domestic and cross-border insolvencies, and has developed a particular specialism in contentious cases arising out of fraud. John has advised on a number of complex, high value matters involving concurrent criminal or regulatory investigations, including the US trustee of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, and the estate of Bernard L. Madoff.

He advises on all aspects of asset investigation and recovery, including corporate and personal insolvency, and has assisted in the recovery of all types of assets, from bitcoin and other crypto assets to racehorses and overseas properties. John is an active member of the professional insolvency community and has spoken at the INSOL Europe Anti-Fraud Forum and the International Symposium on Economic Crime at Jesus College, Cambridge.

He ‘excels on insolvency/fraud cross-over issues’ and is a ‘calm and clear thinker, who is able to take a long view of difficult contentious and non-contentious matters’. He has also been described as ‘fiercely intelligent, hardworking and a fantastic advocate’. 

Recent work highlights

  • Acting for Irving Picard, the trustee in bankruptcy of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC and the estate of Bernard L. Madoff, including the provision of ongoing advice to the trustee in relation to his U.S. and global claims.
  • Advising Kroll in the bankruptcy of Michael John Stanley and the liquidators of the bankrupt’s four companies to recover substantial assets including Bitcoin, silver bullion, cash, UK and Spanish properties and 23 racehorses.
  • Advising an investment company on the investigation and strategy for the recovery of substantial funds misappropriated by a payment services provider, including obtaining a Norwich Pharmacal order.
  • Acting for the board of Paperchase in relation to putting the company into administration.
  • Advising on the purchase of HMV from the administrators.
  • Advising the winding-up board of Landsbanki Islands hf (now LBI hf) on various matters including a £4.5 billion claim submitted by the FSCS; claims in the sum of £905 million submitted by the administrators of Heritable Bank (a Scottish subsidiary) and an appeal to the Supreme Court in relation to the set-off of the administrators’ claims and the applicability of Icelandic law.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP