Richard Thomas is one of the founding Partners at DTM Legal, Richard is Head of Business Recovery & Insolvency as well as our Trusts & Estates team. He brings over 30 years of experience to the firm. Richard advises clients on complex contractual disputes and is an Insolvency Practitioner, specialising in technical insolvency work, acting for businesses, individuals and office-holders.
Richard graduated with a degree in Law from Aberystwyth University and completed his Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the College of Law, Christleton. He trained in-house at a UK PLC., arming Richard with the ability to bring added commerciality to the legal analysis he provides.
As head of Business Recovery & Insolvency and Trusts and Estates at DTM Legal, Richard Thomas plays a pivotal role in overseeing and delivering comprehensive services across two major practice areas.
In his capacity as Head of Business Recovery & Insolvency, Richard provides expert guidance on complex matters, including Administrations, insolvency options and advice, Creditors’ and Members’ Voluntary Liquidations, Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVAs), Bankruptcy, Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) and director disqualification. His wealth of knowledge also extends to handling partnership disputes, director/shareholder disputes, and highly technical commercial disputes.
As Head of Trusts & Estates, Richard specialises in contentious trusts and probate matters, advising individuals during very traumatic and distressing periods of their lives.
Additionally, Richard contributes his expertise to complex client cases in the Dispute Resolution team. His experience spans many sectors and he has gained significant experience dealing with disputes within the agricultural sector, which has been developed working with farmers and rural business owners and acting for utility companies in damage claims and supply disputes
Richard has advised on several high-profile cases, including the receivership of the UK’s one-time largest private forestry owner involving cross-jurisdiction assets, advising Typhoo Tea as they entered Administration and issuing the petition for the Administration of Wrexham Football Club, the first Football League club to enter Administration after the points deduction regime was introduced. From start-up to PLC Richard has assisted businesses in achieving the best possible outcome when faced with serious disputes and financial instability.
Richard is a non-executive director of Merseyside Special Investment Fund which supports a wide range of programmes to assist small and medium-sized businesses across the North West, predominately in the Liverpool City Region, and works to develop a business ecosystem in which SME’s can flourish.
Richard has previously been Chair of The North Wales Chamber of Commerce and Vice-Chair of the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Richard is a trustee of Nightingale House Hospice and has undertaken numerous fundraising activities to support the hospice.
Richard is a regular contributor of articles to DTM Legal’s insight page, including an explanation of the role of a solicitor during business insolvency and a Guide to Understanding Insolvency Options as a business owner. He has also been featured in Solicitors Journal and Cheshire Life Magazine in addition to successful client cases receiving national press coverage.
Richard has been recognised in the Legal 500 for his expertise in Commercial Litigation, Contentious Trusts and Probate, Property Litigation, Charities and Not for Profit, and Insolvency and Corporate Recovery.
‘My focus is on delivering practical and commercially driven solutions that help my clients achieve their objectives efficiently.’
Outside of work, Richard has survived seeing his two children into adulthood, lives with the pain of being a Welsh rugby fan and takes Jack the German Shepherd on long walks in the countryside, avoiding rabbits if possible! When he gets a chance Richard also likes to ride his motorbike like he stole it!
“Richard Thomas is one of the best technical insolvency lawyers in the region and we work together on my insolvency cases – corporate and personal. I do recommend work to the firm as a whole wherever I can.”
Jean Ellis, Insolvency Practitioner at Duncan Sheard Glass
