Mark Stephens > Howard Kennedy LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Howard Kennedy LLP Offices
NO.1 LONDON BRIDGE
LONDON
SE1 9BG
England
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Mark Stephens
Work Department
Dispute resolution
Position
Specialising in international, appellate and complex litigation, Mark Stephens has undertaken some of the highest profile cases in the country and abroad.
Mark is a solicitor with an expertise in constitutional, human rights, IP, media and regulatory work, defamation, privacy, media, art and cultural property, data protection and freedom of information, trusts litigation, intellectual property and international arbitration disputes.
Mark has created a niche in international comparative media law and regulation. He acts in judicial reviews, Privy Council cases- Ultimate Appeal Court for parts of the Commonwealth, as well as, regulatory cases and inquiries.
Mark practices before every level of court in England and Wales and also abroad before international tribunals and courts. He is also a Privy Council agent regularly working with a range of overseas lawyers. Mark is a qualified mediator.
He can also assist clients in jurisdictions outside of the UK and has been retained by a number of governments to advise and to represent their interests including, Republic of Cyprus, Jamaica, Libya, Mauritius, and the Russian Republic.
He has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary to the FCO Free Expression advisory board and the Lord Chancellor to be a Champion for the Community Legal Service. Mark became board chair of Internews Europe, an international charity dedicated to freedom of expression and trusted media in 2018.
Mark chairs a number of bodies including, Internews, the Management Committee of the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy Wolfson College, Oxford Centre for Socio Legal Studies and the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. He is former chair of the Contemporary Art Society, Global Network Initiative, Global Witness the University of East London the Design Artists Copyright Society. And former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
Mark is responsible for innovating the Business & Human Rights portfolio of Cygnet Healthcare in his role as Non-Executive Director. Cygnet is the UK arm of UHS, the largest and most respected healthcare provider in the USA, and provides a wide range of services for individuals with mental health needs, autism and learning disabilities within the UK.
He additionally sits on the board as a Trustee of Index of Censorship, the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Council of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and Human Dignity Trust.
Mark regularly appears in print, on radio and television. Mark also lectures at Universities and Higher Education Institutions around the world.
Mark has contributed to seven books, Miscarriages of Justice: a review of justice in error (1999), International Libel and Privacy Handbook all four editions (2005), (2009), (2013), (2016) published by Bloomberg Press, La Presunción de Inocenicia Y Los Juicios Paralelos (2013) published by Wolters Kluwer (Spain) for the Fundación Fernando Pombo/Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo., Media Law & Ethics in the 21st Century (2014) published by Palgrave MacMillan, This is not a book about Gavin Turk (2014) published by Trolley Books, Media Law and Policy in the Internet Age (2016) published by Hart an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, Media Law International (3rd Edition) – Specialist Guide for Global Leaders in Media Law Practice (2016) published by Media Law International.
He is also on the editorial boards of Communications Lawyer, Copyright World and European Intellectual Property Review.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Private client > Art and cultural property
(Leading partners)Mark Stephens CBE
heads ‘the very strong team‘ at Howard Kennedy LLP. It works with artists and estates, as well as galleries, auction houses, and dealers. Other key clients include collectors, museums, and public collections. In addition, the group receives a steady flow of instructions from charities and foundations, public art organisations, governments, and nation states. With its ‘strong reputation‘ in this sector, it is well-placed to advise on a broad spread of matters, from art litigation to looted art. Daniel McClean is another key figure, and Jon Sharples covers an array of issues in the creative industries and the museum sector, including advising on intellectual property, commercial contracts, and disputes.
London > Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
(Leading partners)Commended for its ‘breadth of expertise and experience’, Howard Kennedy LLP is best known for its mastery of media and human rights law in balancing the knife’s edge between free speech and privacy. The team focuses on high impact, precedent-setting cases, including advising international bodies, charities, and NGOs on the use and misuse of internet platforms, and visiting accountability on states non-compliant with basic human rights norms. The practice is overseen by Mark Stephens CBE, whose ‘experience and aplomb’ is unmatched in the international sphere, frequently defending the freedom of expression and a range of other human rights before the ECtHR, the Privy Council, and the UN Human Rights Committee. Elizabeth Morley complements her work on the competing interests of Articles 8 and 10 with expertise on the right to a fair trial. Matthew Gill has left to Good Law Practice.
London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Theatre, publishing and other media
(Hall of Fame)Broadcasting and publishing matters are a key pillar of the media and entertainment practice at Howard Kennedy LLP, which is well positioned to handle an array of mandates – from contractual issues to IP law and disputes – on behalf of magazines, newspapers, book publishers and authors. Practice head Mark Stephens CBE, a specialist in international comparative media law, leads on disputes. Robert Lands assists publishing and broadcasting clients with IP matters, while Colin Sawdy focuses on copyright and design issues. With extensive experience in litigation involving freedom of speech and the media, Elizabeth Morley handles defence strategies for media organisations, journalists, bloggers and publications. Matthew Gill has left to Good Law Practice.
London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
Howard Kennedy LLP is a go-to firm for HNWIs and large corporates from the sports, media, broadcasting, politics, and publishing sectors seeking advice on sensitive reputation management matters. With extensive experience in international free speech and privacy cases, the team is often instructed in matters where there are conflicts of law between jurisdictions. Practice head Mark Stephens CBE has a proven track record in managing significant and complex mandates for corporate and media clients. Key support is offered by Elizabeth Morley, who frequently advises media organisations and publications.
Lawyer Rankings
- Hall of Fame London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Theatre, publishing and other media
- Leading partners London > Private client > Art and cultural property
- Leading partners London > Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
- Art and cultural property London > Private client
- Civil liberties and human rights London > Public sector
- Media: Theatre, publishing and other media London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
- Reputation management London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Private client > Art and cultural property
- Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Theatre, publishing and other media
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Private prosecutions
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general
- Private client > Family
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Film & TV
- Corporate and commercial > Partnership
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)
- Real estate > Property litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management
- Real estate > Residential property
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Employment > Employers
- Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure
- Real estate > Planning
- Dispute resolution > Professional discipline
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Real estate > Property finance
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Industry focus > Retail and consumer
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Employment > Immigration