Sign in Sign up
Distress & Recovery · 🔧 Restructuring Lawyer

A distress signal published. The window for restructuring closes when insolvency begins.

In restructuring, the mandate goes to whoever reaches the directors while options still exist. That window opens the moment a distress notice appears in the SHAB — before formal proceedings are filed, before a trustee is appointed, before every option collapses into one. Being early is not a coincidence. It is a system.

Sign up See all 27 roles →
The timing advantage

Be the first to know. Be the first to call.

Most distressed companies enter formal insolvency not because restructuring was impossible, but because no one reached them in time with a credible alternative. The restructuring lawyer who wins is the one who had the conversation before the filing — when the directors were still in control of the outcome.

1
The pre-insolvency window is 0–30 days

Once a distress signal appears in the SHAB, the clock starts. Directors have a legal obligation to act, but they rarely know all their options. Informal creditor negotiations, a moratorium, an asset sale — each of these requires a lawyer with distress experience. That lawyer needs to be in the room before the options expire, not after.

2
Directors are personally exposed — they need advice now

When a distress notice is filed, the directors of that company face personal liability risks if they continue trading wrongfully. They are not thinking about vendor selection. They are thinking about survival. A restructuring lawyer who reaches them with specific, credible guidance — not a brochure — becomes indispensable immediately.

3
Liquidation filings are a second window, not a closed door

A voluntary liquidation filing signals that shareholders have decided to wind down — but the process is not yet underway. The company still needs a lawyer to manage the liquidation correctly, deal with creditor claims, and minimise liability. Reaching the directors within the first week of a liquidation filing puts you in position before they retain anyone else.

Your signals

Which SHAB events matter for Restructuring Lawyers

Founders & Movers monitors the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SHAB) in real time and scores every event for restructuring relevance. Two signal types define the highest-urgency mandates.

⚠️ Distress Signal
HIGH SIGNAL
A SHAB distress notice means the company has publicly acknowledged financial difficulty. The directors are legally on notice — and personally exposed. This is the highest-urgency signal for a restructuring lawyer. The company may still have viable options: informal negotiations, a debt-for-equity swap, a managed asset disposal, or a moratorium. All of those options require legal counsel now, not in three weeks.
🏚️ Liquidation
HIGH SIGNAL
A voluntary liquidation filing is a decision already made — but it is also the start of a legal process that needs to be managed correctly. Creditor priorities, asset distribution, regulatory filings, director liability — these are not administrative tasks. A restructuring lawyer who reaches the company in the first days of a liquidation filing can shape how the process unfolds, not just follow it.
Real scenario
Distress signal — Solaris Group AG, Zurich — Day 1 vs Day 30

This is what the same event looks like depending on when you act.

8:04 AM
The SHAB publishes. Solaris Group AG has filed a distress notice. The filing is public. The directors have not yet retained a restructuring lawyer.
8:15 AM
Your Founders & Movers brief lands. Restructuring Lawyer score: 94. AI angle attached: "Distress notice filed this morning. Pre-insolvency window open. 3–4 legal options still viable before formal proceedings."
9:30 AM — Day 1
You identify the distress signal and reach out to the company's directors immediately. Pre-insolvency restructuring options are still on the table. You can be the lawyer who helps them avoid formal proceedings.
Day 30 — Too late
The company filed for insolvency. The restructuring window is closed. Now it's an insolvency proceeding, not a restructuring.
Why the window closes

Day 1 vs Day 30 — the difference is the deal

Day 1
Day 1 — You call today
  • The directors haven't retained anyone yet. You are the first restructuring lawyer in the conversation.
  • Informal creditor negotiations, moratorium, asset sale, and operational restructuring are all still viable options.
  • The outreach has a specific, verifiable trigger — the SHAB notice — which establishes immediate credibility with directors under pressure.
  • You define the frame: restructuring advisor, not insolvency executor. That distinction determines both the mandate and the outcome.
Day 30
Day 30 — You call next month
  • Formal insolvency proceedings have likely begun. The restructuring window is closed by law, not by choice.
  • A trustee has been appointed. The directors no longer control the process — and no longer need a restructuring lawyer.
  • Any remaining legal work is insolvency administration, not pre-insolvency advisory. A different mandate entirely.
  • Another lawyer who moved early may already be advising the directors on the insolvency process itself.
Reach out with reason

Not 'I help companies like yours.' A specific reason to call.

SHAB events give you a real, specific, verifiable reason to reach out. That changes the conversation from cold outreach to warm intelligence. Directors under financial pressure respond to precision, not volume. A message that shows you know what happened this morning is a different category of contact entirely.

❌ Generic cold outreach
Subject: Corporate restructuring legal services

Hi,

I specialise in corporate restructuring and distressed situations. If your company is facing financial challenges, I can provide expert legal guidance on the options available.

Best regards
✅ SHAB-triggered with AI angle
Subject: Solaris Group AG — distress signal today, options worth discussing

Solaris Group AG filed a distress notice in the SHAB this morning. Before that becomes a formal proceeding, there are usually 3–4 legal options worth reviewing: informal creditor negotiations, moratorium, asset sale, or operational restructuring. I work on exactly this window. Would a call today or tomorrow make sense?
Your Restructuring Lawyer feed, scored and delivered every morning.
Sign up and be live in under 3 minutes.
Sign up →
Other roles

See similar role presets

Founders & Movers has 27 pre-configured roles. These work similarly to Restructuring Lawyer.

⚖️ Bankruptcy Lawyer → 🔄 Turnaround Consultant → 📊 Interim CFO →
See all 27 role presets →
Back to roles
← All 27 role presets
Ready to start?
View plans & pricing →