King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) paid £1.2m in fees to financial adviser AlixPartners ahead of the administration of its European arm, it has emerged, with this figure expected to rise as the process continues.

AlixPartners was engaged by KWM and its main lender Barclays last year and was initially put forward as the firm's proposed administrator. However, it withdrew due to concerns about funding, prompting restructuring boutique Quantuma to step in as administrator.