Legal options when financial distress needs attention.
Financial distress affects different people in different ways. An individual debtor, company director and creditor may need entirely different advice. HRA assists with personal insolvency, company liquidation, business-rescue advice and rehabilitation applications, subject to the circumstances and available legal routes.
The initial telephone discussion is free and helps us understand whether the firm can assist. A paid consultation is arranged where appropriate. We aim to respond within one working day after receiving your enquiry.
Which issue brings you here?
An individual considering formal insolvency
Assessing formal insolvency options and consequences.
View serviceA director or company facing distress
Early advice on a distressed company and available options.
View serviceA creditor assessing recovery options
Advice for affected companies, directors and creditors.
View serviceA person seeking rehabilitation advice
Assessing eligibility and the route to an application.
View serviceInsolvency and restructuring services
Personal Insolvency & Sequestration
Assessing formal insolvency options and consequences.
Corporate Insolvency & Liquidation
Advice for affected companies, directors and creditors.
Business Rescue
Early advice on a distressed company and available options.
Rehabilitation Applications
Assessing eligibility and the route to an application.
Assess the facts before choosing a label
Personal financial distress, company distress and rehabilitation after sequestration are different assessments, not steps every client follows. The right route depends on who you are and what has already happened; an enquiry does not establish eligibility or a formal appointment.
| Issue | Route to assess | Key qualification |
|---|---|---|
| An individual cannot meet personal debts | Personal insolvency / sequestration, against alternatives such as debt review. | No automatic debt write-off or protection of every asset. |
| A company cannot meet its obligations | Company liquidation or business rescue, depending on viability. | The firm advises a party; it is not appointed liquidator or practitioner by advising. |
| A creditor wants to recover from an insolvent party | The claim, security and the insolvency process. | Recovery depends on available assets and the process. |
| A previously sequestrated person seeks to rehabilitate | Eligibility and the statutory route from the estate records. | A court order, not commercial credit repair; no universal early date. |
The correct starting point is not a promise to erase debt or save every business. HRA helps identify the legal issue, the people affected and the information needed to assess possible steps. A rescue enquiry, a liquidation application and an individual's sequestration involve different considerations.
Where company governance, property, employment or a commercial claim is involved, the firm's other practice areas may also be relevant. Advice and formal appointments are distinct; do not assume HRA or a named attorney is appointed as a business rescue practitioner, liquidator or trustee merely because the firm advises on these matters.
A decision map, not an eligibility calculator
Individual financial position
Personal insolvency advice.
Company financial position
Compare available company-law and restructuring routes.
Creditor position
Assess the claim, evidence and enforcement options.
Prior sequestration
Assess rehabilitation requirements.
These are orientation branches, not an automatic recommendation. No numerical scores or legal eligibility are derived from form answers.
Prepare a useful summary
A broad picture of assets, debts, security, current proceedings and important dates will help. Directors should identify the company, their role, available financial records and immediate operational concerns. Creditors should identify the claim and relevant supporting agreement.
Common mistakes to avoid
Avoid transferring assets, preferring a course of action or relying on an online eligibility statement without advice. Do not wait for the website response if a court deadline requires immediate attention from a legal practitioner.
Attorney authority
Hugh Raichlin
Principal Attorney & Accredited Mediator
Full-service crosslinks across commercial, property and insolvency work.
View profileAdvice about financial distress is separate from a formal appointment in rescue or liquidation proceedings.
Frequently asked questions
Is sequestration the same as debt review?
Does a business-rescue enquiry mean the business qualifies?
Do you assist creditors?
Can you tell me the consequences before I decide?
Related practice areas
From the Insights archive
When liquidation is inevitable: a bad-faith business rescue application backfires
Read articleUnderstand the options before taking the next formal step.
A short confidential enquiry can identify the appropriate discussion.