Malcolm Niekirk
Head of Insolvency and Restructuring, Frettens Solicitors

Malcolm Niekirk is a solicitor who has been trying to keep insolvency practitioners out of trouble for more than three decades.  

He joined south coast solicitors Frettens in March 2020 as a partner, to set up an insolvency team there.

He brought with him his own ‘Insolvency.Guru’ consultancy practice, a name which he had then used for a number of years during which he worked with national insolvency training organisation NTI and as a director at Peter Hall, a boutique insolvency practice.  In that role he learned at first hand just how irritating solicitors can be.

Earlier in his career he was a partner heading insolvency teams, at other law firms and set up successful insolvency teams at four offices (on the south coast and in London) at those law firms.  He also spent several years seconded to a bank’s recoveries department.

He qualified as an insolvency practitioner twenty-five years ago, but with the firm intention of never taking office.  So far he has succeeded, but there have been some close calls.

He is still trying to keep insolvency practitioners out of trouble, offering advice on specific cases and generally.  He offers technical advice, drafts documents, negotiates, and helps sell stuff.  He also is an occasional conference speaker and offers training.  He sometimes represents others – creditors, company directors and debtors – involved in the insolvency process.