Lead counsel in numerous financial restructurings, cross-border private placements and other financings in Europe over the last 20 years.
Consistently named as a leading individual by Chambers, Legal 500, IFLR1000 and The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers.

Representing noteholders, bondholders and other creditor groups, Barry Russell is a leading force in the cross-border financial restructuring and institutional private placement markets. For more than 30 years, he has advised on many of the most significant cross-border workouts and financial restructurings—some involving complex political and economic issues—of European companies.

Insurance companies, pension funds, investment funds and other institutional investors in private and public debt rely upon Barry’s highly commercial, pragmatic approach and his ability to reach mutually beneficial and successful outcomes for his clients.

He is consistently named as a leading individual by Chambers, The Legal 500, IFLR1000 and The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. Barry has also been named to the “Fifty Most Influential Lawyers 2023” list by Financial News. In Chambers UK, he is lauded as an “outstanding practitioner” by clients who regard him as “simply the best”. He is also referred to by some as a “battle-hardened veteran who achieves great outcomes for his clients”.

Representative Work

Nordic Aviation Capital: Counsel to the private placement noteholders in relation to a waiver and deferral arrangement implemented through an Irish scheme of arrangement, and on the restructuring of more than $6 billion of the group’s debt through a chapter 11 plan.
Noble Group: Counsel to an ad hoc committee of unsecured creditors on the $3.5-billion financial restructuring of Noble Group, a worldwide commodities supply chain and trading company, most recently in a financial restructuring of Noble’s commodities trading business through security enforcement and the amendment and extension of Noble AssetCo’s notes.
Three Icelandic banks: Led the team advising the holders of more than $33 billion in bonds and other debt issued by three major Icelandic commercial banks (Glitnir, Kaupthing and Landsbanki), which failed in 2008, in successful negotiations with the Icelandic government and in the restructurings of the failed bank estates under Icelandic law composition agreements.
Interserve: Counsel to the private placement noteholders on the financial restructurings of Interserve plc, a U.K.-based support services and construction company, through a consensual debt restructuring and the eventual balance sheet restructuring of the group through a pre-packaged administration sale.
Premier Oil: Led the team advising a group of private placement noteholders and other creditors in the $3.5-billion financial restructuring of Premier Oil involving a contested scheme of arrangement in the Scottish court and the eventual reverse takeover of the group.

ED&F Man: Counsel to private placement noteholders on the restructuring of more than $1 billion in debt, including the grant of new security instruments in various jurisdictions, of ED&F Man Treasury Management, one of London’s oldest commodities brokers. Restructuring Deal of the Year (IFLR Europe Awards).
Quinn Group (now called Mannok): Counsel to the private placement noteholders on the complex €1.3-billion debt restructuring of Quinn Group, one of Ireland’s largest manufacturing companies.
Royal Imtech: Counsel to the private placement noteholders on the restructuring and subsequent insolvency of Royal Imtech NV, a Dutch technical services provider.

"The doyen of the bankruptcy market and the ultimate client man and strategist. Straight as an arrow, impeccable judgement and a steadying hand in a crisis. Brings gravitas and experience to very difficult and opaque situations.”

Legal 500, 2023

Education
J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law, with highest honors, 1988
B.A., Le Moyne College, cum laude, 1985

Bar Admissions
Connecticut
Registered Foreign Lawyer in England and Wales

Recognitions

Financial News, Fifty Most Influential Lawyers 2023.
Chambers UK, Restructuring/Insolvency, 2017-2025.
Chambers Global, Restructuring and Insolvency and Capital Markets: Debt.
Chambers Europe, Restructuring/Insolvency, UK and Capital Markets, UK.
The Legal 500 UK, Hall of Fame: Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency; Leading Partners: Debt Capital Markets.
IFLR1000 UK, Market Leader, Restructuring and Insolvency and Capital Markets: Debt.
Who’s Who Legal, Thought Leader: Global Elite, Restructuring & Insolvency, 2019-2020.
Best Lawyers UK, Insolvency & Restructuring Law.
Euromoney, Expert Guides, Best of the Best Global, 2022.
Euromoney, Expert Guides, World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers.
The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, Insolvency and Restructuring.
Legal Experts, Best of the Best – Top 30 Insolvency Practitioners in the World.