Specialist London Law Firm for Restructuring, Insolvency & Banking Matters
Truly independent counsel for directors, funds, trustees and insolvency practitioners facing financial distress.
Independent. Experienced. Focused on you.
About Us
FreiLibertas is an independent, SRA-regulated law firm in London specialising in restructuring, insolvency and banking, founded by Stephen Phillips.
Founded by industry-recognized restructuring expert Stephen Phillips, FreiLibertas brings over 25 years of global legal experience across financial crises, distressed investments, and insolvency matters.
Who We Are
We advise on banking, restructuring and insolvency matters. We work collaboratively with other legal providers to ensure our clients have access to a wider selection of legal services, including employment, property, bank regulatory, disputes, capital markets, and corporate advice.
What We Do
"Since tackling some interesting cases in the Asian currency crisis in the late '90s, and the GFC a decade later, I've been fascinated by financial restructuring — thriving on solving complex problems. I want to help my clients not just survive, but flourish."
— Stephen Phillips, Founder of FreiLibertas
We aim to redefine legal value by staying small, focused, and entirely client-driven. By removing the burden of firm politics and billable pressure, our vision is to remain a legal partner known for agility, clarity, and unwavering integrity in financially distressed environments.
Our Ethos
Our Services
We act for funds, corporates, trustees, directors and insolvency practitioners — bringing senior expertise and a commercial, practical approach to every matter.
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We advise clients on all aspects of financial distress, from corporate workouts to formal insolvency proceedings. Whether acting for stakeholders, directors, or practitioners, we provide strategic legal solutions designed to protect value and manage risk during periods of financial uncertainty.
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We handle complex banking, leveraged finance and distressed debt, including syndicated loans, private credit, high-yield bonds and structured finance. We are regularly instructed on special situations and stressed investments.
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We support board members, trustees, and fiduciaries facing personal or professional risk in times of corporate stress. Our advice focuses on duties, liabilities, and options available during critical decision-making moments—helping clients navigate legal pressure with confidence.
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With a track record in international restructurings and insolvency mandates, we advise on cross-border legal matters including UK schemes of arrangement, recognition issues, and complex jurisdictional coordination. We often collaborate with international counsel to deliver cohesive, multi-jurisdictional solutions.
Our Track Record
The Turnaround Podcast
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![Title slide for a podcast called 'The Turnaround' with a focus on uncovering financial misconduct and promoting market transparency, featuring Fraser Perring and Stephen Phillips. The background includes a large stone sculpture, with headshots of Fraser Perring and Stephen Phillips, and social media icons at the top right corner. The logo for FreiLibertas Law Solicitors is at the bottom right.]()
Uncovering Financial Misconduct & Promoting Market Transparency with Fraser Perring
In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks with renowned short seller Fraser Perring, founder and researcher at Viceroy Research, an international investigative financial research group.
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![A graphic for The Turnaround Podcast featuring Stephen Phillips and Zip Jila, with a background of stones and a cloudy sky, and social media icons in the top right corner.]()
Breaking Down Special Situations with Zip Jila of Warwick Capital Partners
In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks with Zip Jila, Partner at Warwick Capital Partners LLP, a global special situations investment firm, addressing complex capital needs across equity and debt.
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![Podcast cover featuring the title "The Turnaround: Unlocking Success in Troubled Times with Andrew Pepper" on a background of stacked stones with a cloudy sky. It includes photos of Stephen Phillips and Andrew Pepper, and logos for Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and FreiLibertas Law Solicitors.]()
Unlocking Success in Troubled Times with Andrew Pepper
In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks to Andrew Pepper, Head of Special Situations and Restructuring at the newly relaunched professional service firm, S&W, a top 10 accountancy and advisory firm.
Contact us
Tell us briefly what you're facing and what you'd like to achieve, and we'll come back to you promptly. Every enquiry is treated as confidential.