Our Core Team

At Mehigan LLP, we believe that our greatest strength is the efficiency, commitment, and cohesiveness of our team to each other and to our clients.



Managing Partner

Bertie Mehigan has 30 years of international and emerging markets experience in restructurings, distressed transactions, corporate finance transactions and other special situations. He regularly represents companies, owners, shareholders, hedge funds and other stakeholders in emerging markets transactions across the globe. Bertie is frequently engaged to advise on the most complex, cross-border, global restructuring and turnaround situations. He has been commended by clients for his creative thinking and business approach and his enormous dedication to his clients. Bertie also has extensive experience representing investors in syndicated loans, FRNS, convertible or exchangeable bonds, sovereign financings, and sale and leaseback transactions. Creditor clients include senior, mezzanine and junior loan or bondholder groups, white knight financiers and others.

Bertie has been recognised as a leading restructuring lawyer in Asia. He is regularly ranked as a leading lawyer in restructurings by Chambers & Partners and other legal directories. He was the first lawyer to be placed in the “star lawyer” category for restructurings by Chambers for restructuring partners based in Singapore. He is also a regular contributor to restructuring-related publications.

Admissions

Supreme Court of England & Wales

Supreme Court of Republic of Ireland

* Registered Foreign Lawyer (England & Wales), Hong Kong

Experience

  • Asia Pulp & Paper Group: Representing Asia Pulp & Paper Group, as global restructuring counsel, in connection with the ongoing restructuring of approximately US$14 billion in financial indebtedness (including publicly traded debt) owed to local and international creditors. He also represented the Group's principal Chinese operating companies in the restructuring of approximately US$3 billion of debt held by local and international creditors. This restructuring has been described as the world’s largest emerging markets restructuring and one of the most complex workout transactions ever undertaken.

  • PT Berau Coal Energy Tbk: Representing the Berau group as global restructuring counsel in connection with the ongoing restructuring of its US$950 million high yield notes and of the group’s other substantial liabilities with other stakeholders.

  • Asia Resource Minerals PLC: Represented PT Sinar Mas Multiartha Tbk in the financing of Asia Coal Energy Ventures Limited’s public takeover of Asia Resource Minerals PLC which was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

  • Pacific Andes and China Fishery Group: Representing the shareholders of the Pacific Andes group in the ongoing restructuring of the group’s liabilities amounting to more than US$2 billion in funded debt. This restructuring has been one of the most complex in Asia and involves reorganization proceedings under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, a Singapore scheme of arrangement and the INDECOPI process in the Republic of Peru.

  • PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk: Representing the holders of the US$400 million 7.5% guaranteed senior notes due 2014 issued by BLT Finance B.V. and guaranteed by PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk. (BLT) in connection with the restructuring of the US$2 billion indebtedness of PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk., a listed Indonesian shipping company. This restructuring involved multiple restructuring proceedings in Indonesia, Singapore and The United States including the first involuntary Chapter 11 case against an Indonesian entity.

  • Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.: Representing Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Suntech), in connection with the restructuring of its US$575 million 3.00% convertible senior notes due 2013 and with the international investigations and litigation in connection with an alleged fraud perpetuated on the company. Suntech was a Chinese producer of solar panels with respect to the restructuring of convertible bond debt and other claims. This restructuring included legal proceedings in Singapore, a Cayman Islands scheme of arrangement, a bankruptcy process in Wuxi, China and a restructuring process in Switzerland.

  • Jurong Aromatics Corporation: Advising a special situations financier in the provision of super priority rescue financing to the receivers of Jurong Aromatics Corporation.

  • Apexindo: Representing the senior mezzanine noteholders in connection with the restructuring of the US$525 million indebtedness of Mira International Holdings Pte. Ltd., the Singapore parent of PT Apexindo Pratama Duta Tbk., one of Indonesia’s largest national drilling contractors.

  • Blue Ocean: Representing the core bondholder group in connection with the restructuring of the US$325 million indebtedness of Blue Ocean Resources Pte. Ltd., a Singapore subsidiary of PT Central Proteinaprima Tbk., an Indonesian listed company and the largest producer and exporter of shrimp in Southeast Asia by way of a Singapore scheme of arrangement.

  • Canadoil Group: Represented lenders in connection with: (i) the appointment of a bankruptcy Curator in Luxembourg to take control of the group at the holding company level; (ii) the enforcement of security in Spain over intermediate holding companies and the commencement of rehabilitation proceedings in Thailand under the bankruptcy law to take and retain control of the operating entities; (iii) the investigation of potential claims in England, Luxembourg, Spain and Thailand; and (iv) the sale of individual assets located in Canada, Italy, Korea, Japan and Switzerland.

  • Celestial Nutrifoods: Representing various funds managed by BlackRock Global Allocations, as sole international counsel, in connection with the appointment of provisional liquidators of Celestial Nutrifoods Limited. A particularly innovative aspect of this deal was the successful application by the provisional liquidators for cross-border recognition of their Singapore appointment in Bermuda. This was the first occasion on which Singapore provisional liquidators have been granted cross- border recognition by the Bermudan courts.

  • China Milk: Representing a majority bondholder group in connection with the restructuring of the US$150,000,000 convertible bonds issued by China Milk Products Group Limited, a Singapore listed company with operating subsidiaries in the PRC.

  • Davomas: Representing the bondholder working group in connection with the restructuring of the variable rate guaranteed senior secured notes due 2014 issued by Davomas International Finance Company Pte. Ltd. and guaranteed by PT Davomas Abadi Tbk.

  • PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk: Representing the issuer and guarantor in connection with the restructuring of the US$100 million guaranteed secured notes due 2012 issued by Mobile-8 Telecom Finance Company B.V., a Dutch financing vehicle, and guaranteed by PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk., an Indonesian telecommunications provider by way of a UK scheme of arrangement. The deal was named as a “Deal of the Year 2011” by ASIAN-MENA Counsel and shortlisted for “Restructuring Deal of the Year” at the IFLR Asia Awards 2012.

  • Royal Chemie Corporation Limited: Representing Royal Chemie Corporation Limited, in connection with the merger of certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates with Continental Chemicals Corporation Pte Ltd (CCCPL) and its subsidiaries and the concurrent restructuring of the approximately US$380 million outstanding liabilities of CCCPL - including the restructuring of its US$250 million senior secured term facility via a Singapore scheme of arrangement.

  • Representing various corporate groups in the acquisition of strategic interests in Indonesia through leverage buy-outs and various distressed M&A situations.

  • Representing an Indonesian conglomerate in the refinancing of certain facilities relating to a farm-in to the Lemang production sharing contract in Indonesia

  • Representing an Asian-based distressed fund with respect to the restructuring of a major Malaysian steel producer.

  • Representing various credit funds with respect to the structuring of debt and hybrid debt/equity transactions in Indonesia, China, India and The Philippines.

Education

National University of Ireland, LL.B.

National University of Ireland, B.C.L.

Honors and Awards

Bertie is widely recognised as one of the leading restructuring and finance attorneys in Singapore and Indonesia. Chambers Asia ranked Bertie as the only “Star Individual” for Restructuring in Singapore since 2011. They comment that Bertie is “tremendously talented and hard-working” and “needs no introduction in this area” and the “widespread praise from both clients and fellow practitioners grants him near-legendary status in this area.”

Chambers Asia 2012 also adds, “He is just a great legal mind. He has an ability to piece together all the different parts of restructuring matters to bring them to a global resolution – it’s like putting a jigsaw puzzle together.”

IFLR1000 also notes, “Bertie’s very good at getting people to solutions. When you’re dealing in difficult jurisdictions, a pure reading of the law isn’t the best way to get a result. He’s very practical about how to get stuff done and has extensive experience in different jurisdictions.”

Appointments and Memberships

Member, Incorporated Law Society of Ireland

Law Society of England and Wales

Darinne began her career with O’Melveny & Myers LLP. She specializes in restructuring, insolvency, distressed mergers and acquisitions and special situations financing. She has experience in cross-border restructurings involving Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 of the United States Bankruptcy Code and related litigation, and contentious and non-contentious restructuring matters in London, Switzerland, Indonesia, China and elsewhere. Darinne represents companies, shareholders, hedge funds and other stakeholders in emerging markets special situations.

Admissions

New York State

* Registered Foreign Lawyer (New York), Hong Kong

Experience

  • PT Berau Coal Energy Tbk: Representing the Berau group as global restructuring counsel in connection with the ongoing restructuring of its US$950 million high yield notes and of the group’s other substantial liabilities with other stakeholders.

  • Asia Resource Minerals PLC: Represented PT Sinar Mas Multiartha Tbk in the financing of Asia Coal Energy Ventures Limited’s public takeover of Asia Resource Minerals PLC which was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

  • Pacific Andes and China Fishery Group: Representing the shareholders of the Pacific Andes group in the ongoing restructuring of the group’s liabilities amounting to more than US$2 billion in funded debt. This restructuring has been one of the most complex in Asia and involves reorganization proceedings under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, a Singapore scheme of arrangement and the INDECOPI process in the Republic of Peru.

  • Asia Pulp & Paper Group: Representing Asia Pulp & Paper Group, as global restructuring counsel, in connection with the ongoing restructuring of various outstanding financial indebtedness (including publicly traded debt).

  • PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk: Representing the holders of the US$400 million 7.5% guaranteed senior notes due 2014 issued by BL T Finance B.V. and guaranteed by PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk. (BLT) in connection with the restructuring of the US$2 billion indebtedness of PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk., a listed Indonesian shipping company.

  • Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.: Representing Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Suntech), in connection with the restructuring of its US$575 million 3.00% convertible senior notes due 2013 and with the international investigations and litigation in connection with an alleged fraud perpetuated on the company. Suntech was a Chinese producer of solar panels with respect to the restructuring of convertible bond debt and other claims. This restructuring included legal proceedings in Singapore, a Cayman Islands scheme of arrangement, a bankruptcy process in Wuxi, China and a restructuring process in Switzerland.

  • Jurong Aromatics Corporation: Advising a special situations financier in the provision of super priority rescue financing to the receivers of Jurong Aromatics Corporation.

  • PT Bumi Resources Tbk: Representing PT Bumi Resources Tbk. in connection with a structured settlement of its US$1.9 billion debt owed to the China Investment Corporation.

  • Blue Ocean: Representing the core bondholder group in connection with the restructuring of the US$325 million indebtedness of Blue Ocean Resources Pte. Ltd., a Singapore subsidiary of PT Central Proteinaprima Tbk., an Indonesian listed company and the largest producer and exporter of shrimp in Southeast Asia by way of a Singapore scheme of arrangement.

  • PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk: Representing the issuer and guarantor in connection with the restructuring of the US$100 million guaranteed secured notes due 2012 issued by Mobile-8 Telecom Finance Company B.V., a Dutch financing vehicle, and guaranteed by PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk., an Indonesian telecommunications provider by way of a UK scheme of arrangement. The deal was named as a “Deal of the Year 2011” by ASIAN-MENA Counsel and shortlisted for “Restructuring Deal of the Year” at the IFLR Asia Awards 2012.

  • Representing various corporate groups in the acquisition of strategic interests in Indonesia through leverage buy-outs and various distressed M&A situations.

  • Representing an Indonesian conglomerate in the refinancing of certain facilities relating to a farm-in to the Lemang production sharing contract in Indonesia

  • Representing an Asian-based distressed fund with respect to the restructuring of a major Malaysian steel producer.

Education

National University of Singapore

Duke University

Appointments and Memberships

Member, New York Bar

Member, American Bar Association

Admissions

Supreme Court of Singapore

* Legal assistant and not a registered foreign lawyer in Hong Kong

Experience

  • Libra Group Limited: Represented Catalist-listed Libra Group Limited and its subsidiaries in connection with the restructuring of the group's liabilities of more than S$65 million.

  • Represented a leading European financial services group in connection with the restructuring of Singapore-based commodity trader Agritrade International Pte Ltd with total debt of S$1.55 billion.

  • Represented a Dubai-based aviation company in respect of its exposure to a company which filed for protection under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States.

  • Represented a claimant bank in arbitration proceedings against a prominent credit insurance company, in respect of claims valued at approximately US$34 million due under a trade credit insurance policy taken out on a receivables purchase facility.

Education

National University of Singapore

Appointments and Memberships

Amelia is our business coordination officer for South East Asia and head of the firm’s human resources department. She is responsible for all administrative and business coordination functions relating to our clients in South East Asia and the Americas, and for all human resource functions of the firm.

Doris is our business coordination officer for North Asia. She is responsible for all administrative and business coordination functions relating to our clients in North Asia and Europe.