Rowena Page

Insolvency work makes up the core of Rowena’s practice. Her work embraces a wide range of personal and corporate insolvency litigation, including disputes involving directors’ duties/misfeasance, antecedent transaction avoidance claims, winding up and bankruptcy petitions, applications to challenge or remove officeholders, property/TLATA disputes and administration applications. Rowena has particular experience in insolvency cases with a cross-border or international element, including applications for recognition and associated relief under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulation 2006. Rowena was first ranked as an “up and coming” junior in Restructuring/Insolvency in 2019 and has been consistently ranked in the directories since then. She has recently been described as “extremely knowledgeable”, “hugely commercially minded” and “unflappable on her feet’.

• Re Marotiri West End Ltd [2022]. Sole counsel, acting for the liquidator in misfeasance proceedings brought against Michael Flatley of Riverdance fame.
• Hinton v Wotherspoon [2022] EWHC 2083 (Ch). Sole counsel in proceedings brought pursuant to s423 Insolvency Act 1986 and/or claimant a beneficial interest in property.
• Re Swan Campden Hill Ltd [2021] EWHC 2470 (Ch). Sole counsel in heavily contested winding up proceedings.
• Re PJSC Bank Finance and Credit [2021] EWHC 1100 (Ch). Sole counsel. An application for recognition of a Ukrainian bank’s liquidation under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006.
• Re Goremsandu (a bankrupt) (2021). Sole counsel. A two-day trial concerning an application for possession and sale of jointly owned property in exceptional circumstances.
• Re New World Resources PLC (2021). Sole counsel. A substantial remuneration application in which Rowena acted for the liquidators.
• Re S.J. Henderson & Company Ltd [2019] EWHC 2742 (Ch). Sole counsel. An application to regularise an out-of-hours appointment of administrators.
• Amin v Redbridge London Borough Council and others [2019] BPIR 1. Sole counsel. Acting for the petitioning creditor in an appeal regarding liability for bankruptcy expenses and costs following rescission of the bankruptcy order.
• Re Electric Trucks Ltd (in liquidation) (2019). Sole counsel. Rowena acted for the liquidators of Electric Trucks Ltd in successful misfeasance proceedings against its former directors.
• Re Brique et Mortier Ltd. Sole counsel. Acting for a contributory in contested contributory’s winding up proceedings.
• Re JP Dunn Construction Ltd. Sole counsel. Rowena successfully restrained advertisement of a winding up petition presented in respect of alleged service charge arrears.
• Abdulrida and others v Al Najar and others: sole counsel. Acting for the trustee in bankruptcy of a defendant in substantial fraud proceedings. The claimants allege that millions of pounds of their money was diverted into property purchased in the name of the defendants. The case is currently proceeding in the Chancery Division.
• Zinc Hotels (Investment) Ltd and another v Beveridge and others [2018] BCC 968. Led by Stephen Davies KC. Acting for the applicants in proceedings seeking the appointment of additional administrators.
• AIB Group (UK) Plc v Constantin Nicholas Peridakis. Sole counsel. Rowena acted for the petitioning creditor in disputed bankruptcy proceedings arising from a director’s liability under a personal guarantee.
• Skelwith (Leisure) Ltd v Depa (UK) Ltd. Led by Christopher Parker KC in proceedings brought by the liquidators of Skelwith (Leisure) Ltd against a charge-holder.
• Skelwith (Leisure) Ltd v Armstrong and others. Led by Christopher Parker KC in a claim seeking to avoid sale of a property at an undervalue by a mortgagee under its power of sale.

Rowena’s work frequently comprises and includes aspects of company and partnership law, including acting for both the petitioner and the respondent in unfair prejudice petitions, misfeasance claims and claims alleging breach of fiduciary duties, claims for dissolution of partnerships and associated accounts, amongst other things.

Her recent work has included:

• Re Jackup Ltd. Sole counsel for the respondents/cross-petitioners in heavily contested unfair prejudice proceedings and associated interlocutory applications.
• A v B. Proposed proceedings disputing the shareholding of a substantial company, including allegations that shares are held on trust for the proposed claimant.
• Newland v Southern Commercial Trucks and Trailers. Acting as sole counsel in ongoing proceedings for a declaration as to the existence of a partnership, together with associated relief (including the taking of an account).
• A v B. Ongoing proceedings for a declaration as to the true beneficial ownership of shares held by the Defendant.
• Re Marotiri West End Ltd [2022]. Sole counsel, acting for the liquidator in misfeasance proceedings brought against Michael Flatley of Riverdance fame.
• Re Briqueet Mortier Ltd. Sole counsel. Acting for a contributory in contested contributory’s winding up proceedings
• Re Fiddlesticks Games Ltd v Curve Digital Publishing [2019] 6 WLUK 461. Acting as sole counsel for the directors of a company in a successful application to strike out proceedings issued in a company’s name by a former director without authority.
• Taparis v Siddiqi. Acting as sole counsel for the claimants seeking specific performance of a share sale deed.
• Acting for both petitioners and respondents in winding up proceedings relating to both partnerships and LLPs.

Rowena has extensive experience in commercial disputes.

In recent years she has acted as part of a large counsel team in multi-million and multi-billion pound claims proceeding in the High Court, in addition to acting in cases in her own right.

Recent work has included:

• 4VV Ltd & Others v Spence & Others. Acting as junior to Matthew Collings KC for defendants to a multi-million pound claim brought by 435 claimants alleging unlawful means conspiracy and fraudulent misrepresentation, amongst other things.
• WWRT Ltd v Carosan Trading & Boris Kaufman BVIHCMAP 2022/0002. Led by Richard Morgan KC, Rowena acted for Mr Kaufman in a successful appeal to the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal to challenge an order granting permission to serve Mr Kaufman out of the jurisdiction.
• Re Jackup Ltd. Acting as sole counsel in an on-going unfair prejudice petition and associated interlocutory applications.
• Municipality of Mariana and others v BHP Billiton Plc and others. Acting as part of a counsel team for the claimants in a c.£5bn class action against BHP Biliton Plc over the collapse of an iron tailings dam (and ensuing environmental disaster) in Brazil in 2015.
• ActingaspartofacounselteamforBrazilianclaimantsinasubstantialcartelclaim.
• Wilson James SPRL v MSL Recruitment Ltd. Acting as junior to James Pickering KC for the claimants in substantial Commercial Court proceedings concerning the supply of workers in mainland Europe.
• Sullivan v Royal Bank of Scotland. Sole counsel. Acting for the Bank of Scotland in a claim brought by a former director against RBS alleging that it improperly distressed a property portfolio following the financial crash of 2007/8.

Rowena’s work regularly comprises or includes disputes in respect of which allegations of fraud are central. Her experience in this area extends to include fraud claims that are both national and international in nature with recent work including:

• Acting as junior to Christopher Parker KC and advising BVI liquidators regarding an extensive and high value fraud on a multi-jurisdictional level.
• 4VV Ltd & Others v Spence & Others. Acting as junior to Matthew Collings KC for defendants to a multi-million pound claim brought by 435 claimants alleging unlawful means conspiracy and fraudulent misrepresentation in a property investment scheme, amongst other things.
• WWRT Ltd v Carosan Trading & Boris Kaufman BVICMAP 2022/0002. Acting as junior to Richard Morgan KC in a successful appeal to the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal to challenge an order granting permission to serve proceedings out of the jurisdiction in fraud proceedings.
• Chander & Others v Vale & Others. Acting as sole counsel in proceedings alleging dishonesty and fraud in the context of a property investment scheme.
• Re PJSC Bank Finance and Credit[2021]EWHC1100(Ch). Acting as sole counsel for the Ukrainian liquidator of a bank in a cross-border recognition application (brought under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulation 2006), and as junior to Charles Samek KC in related proceedings.
• Acting as part of a junior counsel team in proposed proceedings relating to a Brazilian cartel claim.

Rowena was called to the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, British Virgin Islands in 2021. In addition to a generally international practice, her recent offshore work has included:

• WWRT Ltd v Carosan Trading & Boris Kaufman BVICMAP 2022/0002. Acting as junior to Richard Morgan KC in a successful appeal to the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal to challenge an order granting permission to serve proceedings out of the jurisdiction in fraud proceedings.
• Acting as junior to Christopher Parker KC and advising BVI liquidators regarding an extensive and high value fraud on a multi-jurisdictional level.
• Acting for liquidators in Nevis & St Kitts in respect of property proceedings brought in England and Wales.
• Acting as part of a counsel team in respect of proposed proceedings arising from an alleged Brazilian cartel.

She also has extensive experience in recognition applications (both common-law and under the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulation 2006) and associated applications. Her work has included:

• Acting for the insolvency administrator of a German bank seeking disclosure of documents in the jurisdiction.
• Acting for the insolvency administrator of a Ukrainian bank in a CBIR recognition application and associated relief.
• Advising on recognition applications generally.