Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (‘Freshfields’) is advising Geoffrey Rowley and Alastair Massey of FRP Advisory, as Joint Administrators of Debenhams Retail Limited (in administration) on the sale of the Debenhams brand to Boohoo Group PLC.

The transaction, which was announced earlier today, comprises the global rights to the Debenhams brand and sub-brands, together with all associated intellectual property rights. Boohoo intends to relaunch the Debenhams online platform following the conclusion of the ongoing stock liquidation and store closure program.

Freshfields has been a longstanding adviser to the Debenhams business, including having advised on its new money facilities and change of ownership in 2018/2019, CVAs to restructure its store portfolio in 2019/2020 and the light-touch administration entered into at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

The cross-practice Freshfields team is being led by restructuring partners Ken Baird and Lindsay Hingston.