Frank Grell chairs the German Restructuring & Special Situations Practice and the German Finance Department. His practice focuses on insolvency and restructuring, including corporate reorganizations, debt restructuring, and out-of-court and in-court representation of creditors of distressed companies and investors in such companies, including, in particular, protective shield/insolvency plan proceedings and loan-to-own strategies.
Mr. Grell advises:
- Companies, management, and shareholders in a financial or operational crisis
- Creditors in all phases of financial restructurings, including debt-equity swaps, share pledge enforcements, and insolvency plan proceedings
- Investors on the acquisition of distressed companies and on restructuring, rescue financing, and refinancing transactions
- Insolvency administrators on M&A, restructurings, and disputes
JUVE 2018/2019 names Mr. Grell as a leading advisor and frequently recognizes him as a recommended lawyer for Restructuring and Insolvency as well as Corporate Law. Mr. Grell is described by his competitors as “extremely competent, assertive, and tactical."
Mr. Grell is one of a select group of lawyers inducted to The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, which recognizes leading practitioners “who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence.”
Handelsblatt Best Lawyers 2018 considers him among the best lawyers of the year for Restructuring and Insolvency in Germany.
He is regularly listed in Chambers Europe Germany as a “key individual” for Restructuring/Insolvency. Clients “endorse him for his 'hands-on expertise, clear focus, and excellent network,' whilst another client mentions: 'He is a very good coordinator, with the ability to get all stakeholders involved, and always looks for solutions.'” (2018)
Mr. Grell is also listed as leading lawyer for Restructuring in Germany by IFLR1000 2019 and The Legal 500 EMEA 2018. The latter also comments: “that he is recommended for his comprehensive and strategic thinking.”
Mr. Grell is a member of the Board of TMA Germany e.V. and of Norddeutsches Insolvenzforum e.V. (Insolvency Forum of Northern Germany).
Mr. Grell’s experience includes advising:
- Anchorage and Goldman Sachs on the investment in Stabilus
- HayFin as lender in connection with the restructuring of A.T.U
- Strategic bidder Chiho-Tiande Group in the acquisition of Scholz Group, acquiring the target by way of a debt-to-equity swap out-of-court
- Carlyle in the acquisition and restructuring of Klenk Holz as well as in the insolvency of Kettler
- Commerzbank as agent/security agent on HC Starck
- H.I.G. Europe and Anchorage as investors in the debt to control restructuring, protective shield/insolvency plan proceedings, and sale of walter services group
- Private equity investors on the intended acquisitions of MIFA Mitteldeutsche Fahrradwerke AG, Scherer & Trier, and Weltbild
- Senior lenders in the insolvency and sale of DruckChemie Group
- Senior lenders in the protective shield proceedings and subsequent sale of the Neumayer Tekfor Group
- UniCredit as agent/security agent in the loan-to-own restructuring of Klöckner Pentaplast Group
- Senior lenders in connection with the restructuring of battenfeld-cincinatti group