Image of Alena Drespe

Alena Drespe

Associate

Alena advises on all aspects of cross-border financial restructurings of stressed and distressed businesses and insolvency law. 

Her clients include creditors, debtors, the management, shareholders as well as distressed debt investors.

Before joining the firm, Alena worked as a trainee lawyer in the restructuring department at a major US law firm in London.

Expertise

Experience

Representative matters

  • A leading German real estate service provider in its restructuring.
  • An international alternative investment firm on the restructuring of a mezzanine financing structure.
  • A bondholder in the course of the financial restructuring of one of the leading German real estate companies.
  • A private debt investor on the restructuring of a direct lending facility for a provider of dental services.

Pro bono

  • Advising voluntary debt counsellors, such as the H-Team.

Published Work

  • Commenting on the decision of the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf dated 8 January 2024 (case no. 12 U 31/23): „Treuwidrigkeit der Insolvenzanfechtung im Kontext durch Ablösevereinbarung aufgegebener Absonderungsrechte“ (Invalidity of clawback in the context of a waived security interest by way of a release agreement with the insolvency administrator), in FD-InsR 2024, no. 4
  • Commenting on the decision of the Federal Court of Justice dated 26 October 2023 (case no. IX ZR 250/22): „Rückabwicklung bei bloßer insolvenzrechtlicher Anfechtung des Verpflichtungsgeschäfts“ (rescission in case of a mere claw back oft he obligational transaction), in FD-InsR 2024, no. 2
  • Commenting on the decision of the Federal Court of Justice dated 18 April 2023 (case no. II ZR 184/21): „Anwendbares Recht bei Sitzverlegung nach Entstehung des Anspruchs aus § 826 BGB wegen existenzvernichtenden Eingriffs“ (The applicable law in the event of a relocation after the accrual of a claim under section 826 of the German Civil Code for annihilating interference), in FD-InsR 2024, no. 1
  • Commenting on the decision of the Federal Labour Court dated 20 July 2023 (case no. 6 AZR 112/23): „Vollstreckungsverbot während des Insolvenzverfahrens trotz fortbestehender öffentlich-rechtlicher Verstrickung“ (Prohibition of enforcement during insolvency proceedings despite persistent public-law entanglement), in FD-InsR 2023, no. 21
  • Commenting on the decision of the Federal Court of Justice dated 13 July 2023 (case no. IX ZB 42/22): „Summe aller zu befriedigenden Forderungen als Obergrenze für den Schätzwert der Insolvenzmasse bei Einstellung des Insolvenzverfahrens“ (Renumeration of the insolvency administrator: The sum of all claims to be satisfied as an upper limit for the estimated value of the insolvency estate in case of a termination of the insolvency proceedings), in FD-InsR 2023, no. 20

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as a German Rechtsanwältin, 2023

Academic

Second German Law Degree, Higher Regional Court of Munich, Germany, 2023

First German Law Degree, University of Munich, Germany, 2021

Languages

English, German
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.