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Stephen is a partner in the litigation and arbitration team and leads the global fraud team.
His practice focusses on international asset freezing and recovery cases, heavyweight commercial litigation and regulatory disputes and Stephen is particularly adept at drawing on the firm's tax expertise in such cases to obtain a strategic advantage. More recently, his practice has also developed to encompass tackling fraud involving digital finance, digital assets and cryptocurrency.Stephen also often acts for family offices, successful families, entrepreneurs and their businesses on a broad range of commercial disputes and heads up our family office first group, which is an innovative approach to finding positive solutions for family conflicts.
Recent recognition
Me in a minute
I love this challenge of my specialist area
I own a small vineyard in Somerset and working there at the weekends helps blow away the cobwebs from a week of international fraud litigation and often gives me time to ponder on the right strategy for a case. Producing wine does not pay the bills, so it is lucky that I always wanted to be a lawyer and a litigator at that. In my career at Withers, I soon became drawn to large scale international disputes, mostly involving allegations of fraud or dishonesty.
When clients are affected by a fraud or drawn into 'bet the farm' litigation in several countries, you have to treat the matter like a game of three dimensional chess and plan each move in each jurisdiction accordingly. I love this challenge of my specialist area. In the run up to a big trial I tend to be tee-total, which is challenging when you own a vineyard and frustrating given that I have regularly been involved in some of the largest fraud trials in the English Courts over the last decade.
Track record
Family business dispute involving fraud and professional negligence
We successfully represented a UK company over a complex and highly litigious dispute arising out of a family business. Spanning over many years, there were findings of professional negligence against our client's former solicitors and findings of forgery against one of the respondents. Various teams across our firm worked on this case including corporate, trusts and litigation to fully service our clients needs under one roof.
Professional negligence and conspiracy
Barrowfen Properties Limited v (1) Girish Patel; (2) Stevens & Bolton LLP; (3) Barrowfen Properties II Limited [2020[ EWHC 1145 (Ch) . Acting in a successful claim involving allegations of professional negligence and conspiracy.
Removal of confidential information and conspiracy
Marathon Asset Management LLP v Seddon and others - Successfully defending a three year £30m claim concerning the removal of confidential information and conspiracy. After a long battle, our client was ordered to pay only £1 in nominal damages and negotiated the recovery of his legal costs.
Saudi Algosaibi Group fraud claim
Acting for the Saudi Algosaibi Group in relation to a US$9.2 billion fraud claim.
£100 million fraud claim
Defending a £100 million claim for fraud brought by a hedge fund against a former employee.
Family shareholder dispute
Acting on a multimillion pound family shareholder dispute in Barbados on appeal to the Privy Council.
Employee fraud
Advising an internet gaming company on employee fraud and coordinating the arrest of the culprit and seizure of his computers within 24 hours.
Saudi Family Office
Helping a Saudi Family Office recover the proceeds of a large fraud.
Insight
Admissions
England and Wales, 2001
Education
London School of Economics, B.A. (Hons) Philosophy
Languages
- English
Memberships
Commercial Fraud Lawyers Association
Key dates
- Year joined: 1999
- Year became partner: 2015