Emma is a Managing Associate in our Restructuring and Insolvency Team. Emma deals primarily with contentious matters and has significant experience in claims brought in the both the County and High Courts including complex multi-week trials and appeals. Emma is also an experienced investigator having acted for the Insolvency Service in directors disqualification and bankruptcy restriction matters for over 20 years.

Due to her experience, Emma has dealt with some of the Insolvency Service's most high-profile and complex instructions. Emma has particular experience in matters involving misconduct such as Missing Trader Intra Community (MTIC) fraud and investment scams. She has also dealt with cases involving de facto and/or shadow directors, breaches of FCA and consumer regulations, and directors disqualifications arising out of criminal proceedings.

Whilst Emma is based in our Newcastle office, she regularly works alongside colleagues in our other UK offices including providing specialist directors disqualification support to our Edinburgh office.

Emma qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2012 and cross-qualified as a solicitor in 2024.

Experience

Examples of experience include:

  • Secretary of State for Business and Trade - an application which raised a novel issue of whether the maxim "fraud unravels all" applies to disqualification undertakings and to prohibited names restrictions
  • Secretary of State for Business and Trade - proceedings against the former directors of a debt management company concerning the failure to ring fence client monies
  • Official Receiver (as liquidator of Carillion Plc) - an application by the FCA as to the interpretation of "action or proceeding" under s130(2) Insolvency Act
  • Secretary of State for Business and Trade - proceedings concerning the facilitation of the fraudulent evasion of VAT in the context of wholesale trading in alcohol.