Dan Smith > Stephenson Harwood > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Stephenson Harwood Offices
1 FINSBURY CIRCUS
LONDON
EC2M 7SH
England
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Dan Smith
Work Department
Commercial litigation
Position
Dan regularly represents financial institutions, corporates, issuers, banks, bondholders, lenders, shareholders, investors, trustees, and related parties in major cross-border disputes, with a focus on High Court litigation, and on contentious regulatory and enforcement matters.
Dan also advises clients outside litigation, on risk prevention strategies, pre-dispute counselling and analysis, and internal and external investigations into fraud and other wrongdoing.
Dan has advised clients on a large range of cross-border disputes involving nearly two dozen jurisdictions throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Dan is adept at formulating litigation and dispute-resolution strategies involving disputes in multiple jurisdictions.
Dan is a member of the LSLA and Transparency International, and has written numerous articles and commentary on leading cases and trends in litigation. He also co-authored the UK section of the inaugural Insolvency Litigation guide published by Lexology’s Getting The Deal Through.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
Stephenson Harwood fields a ‘excellent team with a relentless focus on getting clients results’, with particular strength in private enforcement and group litigation. Its client roster consists of hotel groups, leading retailers and universities, and technology companies. The practice is led by Genevieve Quierin, described as a ‘brilliant litigator, a savvy strategist and a superb communicator‘. The team continues to expand, with the arrival of Dan Smith from Latham & Watkins in June 2022, Michael Bywell from Hausfeld & Co LLP in January 2023, and Peter Dalton from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in February 2023. Ben Sigler sustains a focus on the financial and technology sectors.
London > Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
The widely lauded team at Stephenson Harwood is described as ‘really experienced and technically excellent’ by one client, with the practice fielding particular strength in cross-border disputes. Large corporate, joint venture, and partnership disputes across the energy, financial services, shipping, aviation, and real estate sectors are mainstays of the practice. At leadership level, ‘knowledgeable’ head of team Richard Garcia routinely ‘seeks to go the extra miles for his clients’. ‘Force of nature’ Sue Millar is a key name to note, as are ‘absolute star’ Genevieve Quierin and ‘extremely clever and astute’ Stephen Ashley, with Millar recognised for her impressive sanctions-related expertise. The team has grown significantly with the arrival with Dan Smith from Latham & Watkins in June 2022, Michael Bywell from Hausfeld & Co LLP in January 2023, and Peter Dalton from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in February 2023.
Comparative Guides
United Kingdom: Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters | September 2023 | This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters laws and regulations applicable in United Kingdom. |
Lawyer Rankings
- Commercial litigation: premium London > Dispute resolution
- Group litigation: Claimant London > Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Private client > Art and cultural property
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Transport > Rail
Firm Rankings
- Transport > Aviation
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Employment > Employers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Employment > Senior executives
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Real estate > Property finance
- Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Investment fund formation and management > Private funds
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers