Fox Williams LLP

Commerce and technology

Partner

Stephen specialises in advising on the entering into variation and termination of supply chain agreements, in particular in the supply chains of fashion, tech, and life sciences clients. Much of Stephen’s work is international as he works with overseas clients and law firms around the world.

Stephen established and leads Fox Williams’ agentlaw team, dedicated to agency agreements and distribution agreements involving suppliers and distributors.

Stephen is involved in advising many of Fox Williams’ fashion clients. Stephen drove forward the creation of www.fashionlaw.co.uk and chairs our Fashion Law Group. He is a member of the team which has advised Superdry since it was created. He has twice acted as a judge for the Drapers Awards.

A specialist area of Stephen’s practice concerns the international development of a number of leading independent schools and education companies including North London Collegiate School, Wellington College, and King’s Group. Advice has been given by Stephen and his team in respect of the establishment and operation of schools throughout Asia and the Gulf as well as in Europe and West Africa.

Stephen also heads the ESG Group at Fox Williams.

Over the years clients and partners have given Stephen the nicknames of “The Barracuda” and “The Rottweiler”.

Articled Fitzhugh Eggar and Port, Brighton 1979-81; qualified 1981; Norton Rose 1981; Herbert Oppenheimer, Nathan & Vandyk 1984, associate partner 1988; partner elect Denton Hall Burgin & Warrens 1989; founder partner Fox Williams 1989 to date; partner responsible for firm’s marketing 1989-2001; Oppenheimers’, Denton Hall Burgin & Warrens’, and Fox Williams’ liaison officer for City of London Law Society 1988-97; publications: author ‘Product Tampering in the United Kingdom’ (Graham & Trotman, 1993); ‘The General Product Safety Regulations’ (Graham & Trotman, 1996); co-author UK chapter ‘Kulwer’s Commercial Agency and Distribution Agreements’ (2000 3rd); author of UK chapter in ‘Handbuch Moderecht’ (Erich, Schmidt, Verlag 2011); UK author of ‘International Agency and Distributorship Agreements’ (Lexis Nexis 2011); writer of articles, material and book reviews on commercial law which have appeared in national, legal and industry press; regular radio (local and national) and television commentator on commercial law matters; broadcast on ‘Product Safety’ (November 1994) and ‘The Commercial Agents Regulations’ (March 1995, March 1997, April 1998, October 1998, August 2000 and July 2001) on Legal Network Television; attended AIJA annual congress 1991-2001; speaker at the working sessions of the Contract Law Commission at the annual congresses of UIA since 2002

Law Society, Competition Section; Contract Law, Law Firm Management, EU Law and Fashion Law Commissions of the Union Internationale des Advocats (UIA); admitted to the Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Solicitors of the City of London 1987 and liveryman 1998; elected member of The Chartered Institute of Marketing 1996; member of the City of London Law Society Commercial Law Committee since 1987; chairman 1995-99 and deputy chairman 2006 to date; member of the Consumer Law Working Party, Law Society 1995-1999; president of the Contract Law Commission of the UIA 2007-2012; co-director of communications UIA since 2012; Council of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain 2001-05; editorial board of e-commerce Law Reports since 2001.

Westcliff High School for Boys; King’s College, London (1978 Law Hons); London Guildhall University (1984 MA Business Law); solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (1981).

Travel; brand marketing; boating; collecting political cartoons.