Stephenson Harwood

Feroze (Fez) Abbas is partner in our London real estate practice group and heads the planning and environment team. Fez is uniquely qualified to advise on the complexities of all the planning and environmental aspects of redevelopment and regeneration projects. Fez acts regularly on all sides of the development fence, for developers, public authorities, statutory bodies, institutional investors and hotel, office and mixed-use operators. This enables him to anticipate the demands of the other side and to provide pragmatic commercial advice. Fez is often sought out for his proactive approach to planning and for his ability to engage with multiple stakeholders to secure development consent; as well as his ability to negotiate and draft statutory agreements on complex developments which give rise to bespoke issues. Fez also provides pragmatic commercial advice on regulatory compliance issues in respect of both planning and environmental law, including statutory challenges, planning appeals, planning enforcement, contaminated land, environmental permitting, decarbonisation and environmental reporting requirements. He advises on large-scale regeneration (both public sector and privately led), infrastructure delivery, viability review, urban redevelopment, strategic planning and national and cross-border transactional work, providing necessary planning and environmental support for real estate and corporate acquisition, disposals and refinancing.

Jide is a partner in our international arbitration team. Jide's practice is focussed on arbitration and litigation, across a broad range of sectors including: share purchase agreements, asset acquisitions, shareholder disputes and offshore oil and gas. Jide specialises in complex cross border international arbitration and litigation. His practice covers a broad range of sectors including various aspects of energy, banking, commodities. In these sectors, he has undertaken arbitrations and litigations arising out of petroleum agreements, share and asset purchase agreements as well as shareholder disputes. Born and raised in Nigeria, Jide has particular valuable insight in African disputes and is frequently involved in disputes of economic and strategic importance across Africa, including in Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia. He has acted as counsel in arbitral proceedings under various institutional rules including in particular LCIA and ICC, as well as in ad hoc proceedings. The breadth of Jide's practice has seen him acting in recent years in matters ranging from representing an African state oil company in a dispute arising out of a petroleum agreement; acting for a state oil company in a dispute arising out of drill ship daily rates; acting for a leading African bank in a cross border dispute arising out of a share purchase agreement and acting for an American chocolate manufacturer in a dispute arising out of cocoa supply agreements with an Ivorian supplier. He is dual-qualified as a solicitor and barrister in both England and Nigeria, where he spent a year working in the arbitration practices of a leading Nigerian law firm. Jide also worked for two years at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, providing legal support to arbitral tribunals in disputes involving states and state entities. He has been recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2024 as a Next Generation Partner. They comment that "Jide Adesokan is a new and energetic partner with excellent strategic sense" and that he "has significant experience in Africa-related claims." He is on the panel of arbitrators of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa. During 2023 Jide became an Officer of LCIA African Users' Council and also a Member of the Investment Arbitration Subcommittee of the International Bar Association. Jide is recognised by colleagues and clients for his unique expertise in resolving disputes arising in Africa.

Ngowari Adikibi

Ngowari Adikibi acts for management companies and GPs, as well as institutional investors, in the domain of international funds creation and cross-border corporate/private equity transactions. Ngowari’s practice involves delivering innovative solutions for the structuring, creation, negotiation and marketing of different forms of funds investing predominantly in Europe and Africa (including French fund structures, Luxembourg vehicles, English, Scottish and Channel Islands limited partnerships, Mauritius funds and hybrid structures). Ngowari also creates carried interest structures and regulated portfolio management entities for management teams. She advises fund managers on regulatory matters relating to their authorisation and their marketing, operation and management of funds. She equally assists management companies with the process and contractual framework for the distribution of fund interests. In addition, she advises private equity houses on international investments and divestments of portfolio assets in general, and secondary transfers of interests in portfolio funds. Prior to joining Stephenson Harwood, Ngowari was a lawyer in the International Funds department of a leading global law firm in international funds. Having previously obtained solid experience of complex and high-end cross-border M&A/ private equity transactions within the corporate/ private equity departments of several US law firms in London and Paris, Ngowari also gained significant emerging markets experience working in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, where she advised European investors regarding foreign investment in the Mercosur.

Diwakar Agarwal

Saif Almobideen

Managing Associate

Daniel is a partner in the finance group in London, specialising in the financing and restructuring of special situations in the private capital and funds market. He brings a unique perspective gained from recent senior in-house roles at Triton, RoundShield and KKR Credit to help his clients achieve their commercial goals. Daniel has over 15 years’ experience advising sponsors, debtors and creditors on the origination and restructuring of debt and equity financings. He has a focus on advising flexible capital providers, often in the real estate space, with respect to real estate finance and real estate private equity transactions. He advises on the full lifecycle of primary and secondary investments, and on instruments across the capital structure. He adopts a creative approach to help his clients maximise risk-adjusted returns and ensure downside protection. Daniel is qualified in the UK and Hong Kong, and has been involved in a number of high profile cross-border transactions, in Europe and Asia.

Navpreet is a partner in Stephenson Harwood’s real estate and projects group. She specialises in non-contentious work across a broad range of construction engineering and energy projects. Her clients include developers, ultra-high net worth individuals, trustees, family offices, companies, owners, contractors, consultants, private equity investors, and institutional lenders across the globe. She provides holistic advice in the construction context from procurement issues to project support services including pre-dispute and settlement advice. Her experience spans a broad range of sectors including commercial, retail, high-end residential, hotel, leisure water, wastewater and energy. She works regularly with industry standard form contracts including the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), NEC, Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT), Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) as well as drafting bespoke forms of contract.

Dani has more than 20 years’ experience representing and providing strategic advice to clients, including governments, sovereign investment funds, international and national oil companies and government agencies on participation in investment funds and large-scale infrastructure and energy projects, public private partnership, crisis management and government response. Dani has at various times been involved in structuring and managing major international and sovereign- backed wealth funds and their underlying investments and joint ventures. Dani is also a director of a private investment holding being part of a sovereign family office based in the Gulf State and Hong Kong. Based in London, Dani splits his time between the UK, the Middle East and the Far East.

Evelyne Bagdassarian

Kuljeet has over 20 years' experience of advising leading UK property companies, real estate investors and funds, developers and public bodies. She specialises in investment and development transactions. Kuljeet has advised on a range of transactions from leasing, development, forward funding to investment sales and acquisitions. Her wealth of experience has ranged from high quality offices in the City of London, shopping/leisure complexes, mixed use schemes to regeneration sites.

Graeme uses his experience across a wide range of sectors within the construction industry to develop innovative bespoke solutions to client needs. His clients enjoy commercial practical advice and whole life support throughout their projects. Graeme has a client base which covers developers, sponsors, contractors, funders and public sector bodies. He advises on domestic and international engineering, construction and infrastructure projects across all sectors including energy and renewables, education, waste, transport and accommodation. His energy practice includes energy from waste, solar, district energy schemes and advising on the incorporation of new clean technologies into existing projects. Graeme provides clients with whole life support from the initial bid strategy and procurement stage through to the construction and operational phases of a project. Graeme regularly works with clients on real estate development and investment projects to create innovative bespoke contractual solutions tailored to the complexities of the project and its funding structure. He also works with JCT, NEC, FIDIC, MF/1, IChemE, RIBA, ACE and RICS standard forms of construction contract and appointment. He has a particular interest in the hotels and leisure sector and in advising inward investors into the UK on structuring development and forward funding arrangements. He also advises public and private sector bodies on procurement of public sector contracts.

Stuart Beadnall

Stuart is a leading specialist in shipping and energy, with particular expertise in dispute resolution and negotiating contracts relating to offshore oil and gas, shipbuilding, shipping, floating production and LNG/FLNG. He has relevant industry expertise, having worked as in-house counsel at BHP Petroleum and North West Shelf LNG Shipping. Stuart has been lead adviser on numerous FPSO projects in the North Sea, various West African states, Australia and Brazil, negotiating EPIC and production contracts and resolving disputes. He has a leading reputation in shipbuilding and offshore construction contracts, representing a number of top shipbuilders and assisting owners and their banks. He is a co-author of "Offshore Construction: Law and Practice" published by Informa. Stuart has advised on numerous LNG projects and disputes, being one of few lawyers with expertise in FSRU projects, the emerging floating LNG sector and LNG voyage charters. He has been a member of the BIMCO sub-committee advising on the production of LNGVOY, Intertanko LNG documentary committee.

A banking and finance partner with a focus on acquisition, real estate and structured finance, Yann has also developed a strong expertise in alternative financings such as private placement (EURO PP, unitranche and mezzanine), factoring and leasing transactions. His previous experience working as an in-house lawyer at CCF (now HSBC France) has given Yann a particular insight on the issues his banking and institutional clients are facing. Yann has extensive experience in a wide range of national and cross-border secured financing transactions. He advises on general banking transactions, including acquisition and real estate finance, factoring and cash-management transactions and debt restructurings. Yann has experience of both the negotiation of these transactions and their restructuring. He also advises on their transfer and related French regulatory issues. Yann has developed extensive experience in funds finance, including equity bridge and net asset value financing. His clients include international banks and financial institutions, corporates, sponsors, private equity, private debt and investment funds. Yann speaks French, English and German and is a member of the Paris bar.

Mat is an insurance specialist, with a particular focus on complex disputes under marine policies. He acts for insurers and reinsurers over a broad range of classes of business, including hull & machinery, war risks, cargo, loss of hire, MII as well as P&I and other marine liabilities.

Ian advises domestic and international clients on all aspects of restructuring and insolvency matters. He is known for his cross-sector experience advising a variety of stakeholders. Ian has significant multi-sector experience (including real estate, hospitality, leisure & retail, financial services, automotive and healthcare). He has worked extensively on business turnarounds and both creditor and debtor led restructurings. He regularly acts for lenders, distressed investment funds, insolvency practitioners, trade creditors, landlords, directors, sponsors and foreign lawyers. Ian is listed as a 'Next Generation Partner' in The Legal 500 UK 2023, is ranked in Chambers & Partners UK 2024 and is a "Recommended Practitioner" in Lexology's Who's Who Legal: Restructuring & Insolvency 2024.

Peter specialises in international litigation and arbitration as well as commercial contracts focusing on the energy, commodity and international trade sectors. He is recognised as a leading individual in his area and is the partner advising the international commodity trading group Mercuria in the Qingdao metals fraud case of Mercuria Energy Trading Pte v. Citibank N.A. Peter's clients include trading groups, power utilities, mining and industrial groups, captive insurers, oil and gas companies and banks. He has advised on many different legal issues arising from those clients' operations in many different jurisdictions. Peter has represented clients in arbitrations in London and internationally under ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA, SCC, DIAC, SIAC, HKIAC, LME, CIETAC, FOSFA and GAFTA; undertaken litigation at all levels in England as well as international jurisdictions and advised on regulatory issues and OFGEM investigations. Peter is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His clients value both his years of litigation experience and his skill and expertise in drafting and negotiating financial and physical trading and supply agreements used in the energy, commodity, and metals industries. These have covered LNG, LPG, gas, coal, oil and petroleum products, biomass, minerals, steel, and precious metals.

Catriona Berman

A real estate lawyer with interests in investment, development and asset management, Catriona acts for domestic and international clients including developers, investors, landlords, tenants, and operators. She has an appetite for complex transactions and structures and enjoys being able to solve a problem. Catriona has acted on a broad variety of matters, from the acquisition and development of luxury hotels to advising through the full life cycle of Central London office properties. She has experience dealing with out-of-town business parks and with the repurposing of big-box stores and vacant industrial premises; she has taken a portfolio of logistics and industrial warehouses from site assembly through finance, development and leasing, and on to disposal. She enjoys handling transactions through the use of corporate structures (domestic and offshore), including joint ventures and corporate acquisitions & disposals. She has assisted with turning television studios into residential developments, and has worked on airports, refineries, pipelines, office towers and holiday parks. She deals with regeneration and development projects, acting for private investors and for sponsors in conjunction with public bodies and institutional lenders. She has also advised parties within the rail industry in connection with developments of, and around, rail depots and stations. Catriona also regularly advises on the real estate aspects of private equity investments, and assists companies in taking up office space, moving offices and other aspects of their occupational needs.

Helena heads up the pensions disputes practice at Stephenson Harwood and continues to be a leading player in pensions litigation – both in terms of the cases she has worked on, but also in her role on the Pensions Litigation Committee of the Association of Pensions Lawyers. Helena has almost 30 years' experience in dealing with pensions disputes, which cover a broad range of subject matter and acting for a variety of clients. Her clients include financial institutions, professional service consultancies, lawyers and regulatory bodies, as well as companies, trustees and high net worth individuals. Helena has also built up a significant body of cases acting for representative beneficiaries, most recently in relation to the BT Pension Scheme and the BBC Pension Scheme – both in the High Court and Court of Appeal. These cases require careful management, both in terms of the complexity of the legal issues involved and the high profile nature of the work and size of the employer involved, the latter two of which often come with a complicated communications exercise with members as well substantive interaction with various unions. Helena's practice includes, amongst her 'bread and butter work', acting for both claimants and defendants in complex professional negligence claims involving pension schemes and the advice given in relation to these by a range of professionals, and her work has also expanded further into claims for negligence involving both the regulated and unregulated investment consultancy field. She is acting on various cases arising from the LDI crisis, particularly where pooled funds have caused losses, with claims against investment consultants and asset managers for breach of contract and professional negligence. Helena has also regularly dealt with cases involving rectification and construction in a pensions context, as well as acting for trustees and companies in assisting with resolving such cases, where possible, without the need for risky and expensive court applications. Helena's team has, for many years, been highly ranked for pensions litigation in both Legal 500 and Chambers. Helena has herself been ranked in the Chambers' Hall of Fame since 2012 and is a Leading Individual in Legal 500. Over the years, Helena has received a number of accolades from her clients who, amongst other things, describe her as "a force to be reckoned with. She is both measured and fierce at the same time. She is also funny, down-to-earth and very smart…she doesn’t sit on the fence or hedge her bets when advising. This clarity and frankness is refreshing" (Legal 500). Her clients consistently highlight the value of having Helena fight their corner: "She's the quintessential litigator; you always want her in your team" (Chambers); "Helena Berman is a first-rate litigator who any client would want to have on their side" (Chambers).

Managing Associate

Clotilde Billat

Gabriel Boghossian

Gabriel is the head of Stephenson Harwood's market leading secondaries practice. Gabriel has particular market recognition for his work in complex private equity secondaries transactions and has extensive experience advising sponsors and buyers on secondaries transactions designed to provide liquidity to GPs and investors. Gabriel advises on the full range of transactions, including traditional and synthetic portfolio secondaries, preferred equity and GP-led continuation vehicles; his practice includes minority stakes sales, direct co-investments and other transactional matters. Gabriel has been recognised in in Legal Week’s most recent “40 under 40” private equity list and is recommended by The Legal 500 UK 2022 as well as Chambers UK 2022 specifically for his expertise in Secondaries deals.

Estella specialises in pensions and private wealth, including all aspects of UK pensions, the UK tax treatment of overseas pension schemes and complex, private wealth pension matters. Estella has a strong occupational pensions practice, advising employers and trustees on all aspects of work-related pension provision. Estella has extensive experience of advising on benefit design changes, member complaints, automatic enrolment, scheme mergers, liability management exercises, corporate transactions, and general pensions law queries. Estella enjoys working with smaller employers and not-for-profit organisations as well as large corporates. Estella regularly advises employers, trust companies, and individuals on matters relating to overseas pension arrangements including QROPS, QNUPS, EFRBS and IPPs. Estella's private client pensions practice involves advising individuals on all matters related to pensions, and in particular pensions tax in connection with retirement and succession planning. Estella's private clients typically have an international dimension; whether through overseas pension savings, or their own current or intended non-UK residency status. Estella's clients appreciate her ability to communicate highly technical legal concepts in an understandable way, her focus on providing commercial, practical advice, and her personable manner.

Simon is a commercial lawyer with a focus on IT transactions and emerging technologies. He has significant experience advising on complex IT and managed services arrangements, BPO/IT outsourcings, and systems integration and digital transformation projects. Simon also advises on software licensing, data protection compliance, cyber security, and new disruptive technologies, such as AI and machine learning. Simon advises clients in relation to the development, licensing and deployment of technology, both from a supplier and customer perspective. His experience includes advising on business-critical colocation data centre agreements, the provision and procurement of software as a service, cloud computing, and licensing AI and machine learning solutions. Simon also has extensive experience advising on outsourcing arrangements, including critical outsourcings under the European Banking Authority’s outsourcing guidelines (and similar regulatory regimes). Noteworthy experience includes the re-negotiation of business-critical managed services agreements for a financial services company, drafting standard terms for the provision of a credit management platform, and advising a multinational mass media conglomerate on a global framework agreement for outsourced contact centre services. From a data perspective, Simon advises clients on a wide range of data protection issues, from data transfers to the regulatory considerations for new disruptive technology such as automated facial recognition. He also advises on cyber security, and the containment and reporting of cyber incidents and personal data breaches. Simon has gained industry experience from a number of client secondments, including to the technology contracting team of a Big Four accountancy firms and the group legal team of a global telecommunications provider.

Christophe Boucherie

Christophe’s practice focuses on UK/EU financial services and funds regulatory matters. Christophe has 20 years of international legal experience in corporate, financial services and investment management, gained through practice in multiple jurisdictions (France, Luxembourg, UK). His expertise covers UK/EU financial services and funds regulatory matters, including advising asset management firms on licensing issues, product regulations and governance and cross-border distribution/marketing of investment funds (EU/UK/Asia). His broad experience also includes advising on the creation, approval and launch of UK/EU retail investments funds, and some of the regulatory aspects of the restructuring of investment fund businesses. He also previously advised fund sponsors and management companies in their ad-hoc interactions with financial supervisory authorities in connection with product disclosure requirements and regulatory audits/investigations. Prior to joining Stephenson Harwood, he spent over a decade in various senior in-house legal roles as Head of Legal, International Products & Global Fund registrations at a global asset management group and Head of Legal, Fund Services at a large investment bank. Before his in-house experience, he worked for several years as an associate in the investment management group of a magic circle law firm and the M&A/Private equity practice of a leading US law firm.

As a real estate lawyer with a focus on large development, investment and forward funding transactions, Simon is well regarded in the real estate sector for delivering straightforward and succinct advice. He regularly deals with complex transactions involving cross border and corporate elements and has particular expertise in the data centre sector. Simon has broad experience of the full life cycle of development acquisitions and subsequent projects on behalf of developers, forward funders and investment purchasers. This has involved dealing with the initial acquisition of development land, the negotiation of development, joint venture and forward funding agreements, and advising on lettings and subsequent disposals of the completed development and investment package. In the investment market, Simon has acted on many portfolio transactions across the sector, including industrial and office assets and shopping centres. Simon regularly acts for data centre developers, operators and investors. This has included acting on data centre developments, lettings and investment disposals, with experience acting for the developer, seller and investor.

Guillaume Briant

Jonathan Bridcut

Jonathan is a corporate partner who specialises in private M&A, joint ventures and corporate reorganisations within a wide range of sectors, including real estate investment, financial services and healthcare. Jonathan advises a variety of clients, which include corporates, HNWIs, financial institutions and family offices, each of whom appreciates his responsive, commercial and pragmatic approach. Jonathan is listed as a key lawyer in the 2023 Legal 500 legal directory where they describe him as “a prolific advisor in the real estate investment and healthcare arenas, regularly handling high-value sales and purchases for a mix of domestic and foreign clients”. Jonathan's recent transactional experience includes acting for: Tristan Capital Partners on both the acquisition of a high profile office building in central London and the sale of Precision Park business park to abrdn; CLS Group on the sale of Future Climate Info to Dye & Durham Corporation and the sale of CLS Risk Solutions to Specialist Risk Group; the individual selling shareholders of Sutton Winson on the sale of Sutton Winson to Acrisure for approximately £88 million; 3 Step IT on its strategic partnership with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions to create a leading integrated IT leasing business across various European jurisdictions; and Trafalgar Entertainment Group on many transactions, including the recent acquisition of a portfolio of regional theatres across the UK. Jonathan joined Stephenson Harwood in 2015 having previously spent a number of years at a magic circle law firm.

Edyta Brozyniak

Edyta is a partner in the private equity team specialising in the establishment and operation of closed-ended investment funds and the investors' representation. She advises the institutional and high-net-worth investors and family offices on their investments into alternative investment funds and co-investments. Edyta has been advising general partners on the establishment and day-to-day operation of private investment funds and co-investment platforms across multiple strategies. Edyta's practice also involves establishing carried interest schemes.

A partner with an extensive range of shipping litigation and international arbitration experience, Stuart specialises primarily in the handling of shipbuilding, offshore and onshore construction disputes as well as dry shipping and general commercial matters.

Julian is an insolvency and dispute resolution specialist, with extensive experience of proceedings across a broad range of industries and sectors. Julian’s insolvency practice covers both corporate and personal insolvency. He acts for insolvency practitioners, creditors, debtors, directors, and all other stakeholders in the insolvency process, with a focus on court driven and contentious insolvency matters. He is part of Stephenson Harwood’s Chambers-ranked Tier 1 personal insolvency practice (he is also individually ranked by Chambers), which revolves around advising in relation to insolvent individuals with multi-million pound debts and global assets. Julian sits on the technical committee of R3, the trade association for the insolvency and restructuring profession in the UK. Recent instructions include acting for the Liquidators of Rangers Football Club; for Receivers appointed by the Court following an application made by Deutsche Bank, as judgment creditor for US$235 million plus interest, in light of the decision of Mr Justice Cooke in Deutsche Bank AG v Sebastian Holdings Inc; and for the Trustees in Bankruptcy of Boris Becker. Julian also advises in relation to commercial disputes across a broad range of industries and sectors. This includes both domestic proceedings, as well as international and cross-border litigation strategies.

Archie Campbell

Archie is a property lawyer with extensive experience acting on commercial transactions for banks, alternative lenders and borrowers, and on high-value residential matters for both lenders and individuals. Clients appreciate Archie's calm and efficient approach and dedication to finding practical and commercially sensible solutions to enable a transaction to proceed as smoothly as possible. Archie is part of the firm's decarbonisation focus group and has particular specialism in advising lenders and borrowers on green and sustainability-linked loans. Archie has broad experience across the real estate sector, particularly real estate finance and high-end residential. In the residential space, he advises high net worth individuals on all aspects of high-value residential matters including acquisitions, sales, financings and lettings. Archie leads the firm's residential property team. In the finance spectrum he has advised a large number of domestic and international lenders on financings and re-financings (both investment and development) where property is the principle secured asset.

David is a partner in our London office specialising in financial regulatory and banking matters including regulatory investigations and enforcement matters, internal investigations, financial regulatory compliance and advice and representation in relation to complex financial disputes. His experience extends to investment banking product and trading disputes and IBD and research matters. He also has experience in dealing with matters involving alleged fraud, insider dealing and market abuse, complex jurisdictional disputes and injunction issues. He also has extensive experience advising and representing clients in relation to financial regulatory enforcement matters and allied investigations, including interactions with various regulators. He is a recognised expert in relation to UK and EU financial services regulation. David is frequently engaged to carry out or advise upon internal (including whistle-blowing) investigations.

Rebecca is the London managing partner and also leads the firm's real estate and projects group. Rebecca has been advising on energy and infrastructure projects for decades and her work now spans decarbonisation, transport and other infrastructure sectors. Rebecca specialises in energy, infrastructure and construction projects. She advises funders, sponsors, contractors and government at all levels in a wide range of infrastructure sectors, including transport (road, rail and aviation), energy (including renewables), waste, energy from waste, as well as social infrastructure. Rebecca has advised on many forms of project including project financing, including PPP, and PFI, outsourcing, joint ventures and strategic partnerships. Rebecca also advises on construction matters advising developers, contractors, sponsors, funders and public sector bodies on the construction aspects of real estate development and investment projects. Public procurement law is another area of specialism, whether advising procuring authorities or contractors and suppliers who are bidding for public contracts. Rebecca has particular experience of advising suppliers to the NHS in the life sciences sector on public procurement issues, to aid their route to market.

Alexander Chadwick

Alexander has experience in all areas of commercial real estate, advising clients on acquisitions, disposals, asset management and development. He acts for a variety of clients, from institutional investors and major property companies, to corporate occupiers and hotel and leisure operators. Alexander has experience in all types of development projects, ranging from the re-generation of town and city centres to the forward funding of office and industrial development sites. He has experience in taking development projects from initial land acquisition, through the funding, development and asset management phases and ultimately to the disposal of the relevant asset. Alexander provides advice on the full scope of real estate matters for investment clients. He has acted on a number of portfolio transactions in various sectors, including educational facilities, supermarkets and out-of-town retail sites. He has also advised on prominent acquisitions and disposals for institutional and private investors, including the acquisition of mixed-use developments for a London-based REIT. Alexander regularly acts for corporate occupiers. In particular, he advises occupiers based overseas who are looking to establish an office presence in England and Wales, who value his ability to deliver concise advice that is tailored to their needs.

Johnny Champion

Johnny is a commercial litigation partner who advises on disputes across a number of sectors, with particular expertise in aviation litigation and regulation. He has advised airlines and operators, banks and financial institutions on contentious matters arising in the aviation sector, including in respect of the financing and leasing of aircraft, repossessions and redeliveries. Johnny has in-depth experience working on disputes concerning the return conditions of engines and works frequently with powerplant engineers, MROs, and engine experts. In addition, he has experience in advising airlines on regulatory developments at an international, EU and domestic level, including in relation to airport slots, passenger rights and state aid. Johnny also advises and represents banks, corporates and high net worth individuals in relation to a range of matters involving arbitration and litigation. Johnny is a fluent Cantonese speaker, and comprehends Mandarin, and written Chinese.

Anthony is a corporate partner specialising in M&A and corporate finance. He covers a range of sectors, with particular market recognition in life sciences and biotechnology. Anthony advises on a wide range of corporate matters including M&A (public and private), joint ventures and equity capital markets. He has acted on over 20 IPOs in the London market, with a particular bias towards issuer-side mandates. He is well known in the biotech industry and has served for over nine years on the board, and as Vice Chairman, of The Babraham Institute, Cambridge – one of Europe’s leading bioscience research institutes. Anthony is also a board trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research, one of the world's most influential cancer research institutions. Anthony is named as a 'star' in the corporate section of the 2015 edition of LMG Life Sciences and listed in the Top 50 European M&A lawyers 2014 by Global M&A Network (EMEA).

Julie specialises in ship financing. She has extensive experience of advising lenders and borrowers on a variety of transactions and in a variety of sectors. She produces and negotiates sophisticated documentation and structures to reflect the increasing corporatisation of ship financing and the innovative financing techniques now being used. Julie's experience has been gained over a number of years through her involvement in various parts of the shipping cycle. She acts for lenders and borrowers on everything from complex cross-border financial transactions to simple ship sales and purchases in relation to all vessel types. Julie's particular focus is on the cruise sector. She led the consulting editor team for, and is a contributor to, the fourth edition of Stephenson Harwood's leading ship finance industry handbook, Shipping Finance, and is also a co-author of the pre-delivery ship finance chapter of the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management's handbook, Grundlagen der Schiffsfinanzierung.

Richard Coleman

Richard is active across a range of private equity, growth capital and venture capital transactions, advising sponsors, management teams and founders. Richard’s experience includes MBOs, MBIs, minority investments, fundraising rounds and exits. Richard has acted on transactions such as Apposite Capital’s MBO of Summit Medical and minority investment in Mirada Healthcare, Rockpool Investments’ recent buyout of Datum Alloys and investment in Rooftop Cinema Group, and Mobeus Equity Partners on its investments in IPV, Tapas Revolution and Supercarers.

Recognised as a rising star in the aviation finance industry, James delivers commercially astute legal advice across a broad spectrum of asset-backed transactions. James advises financiers, equity investors, arrangers, operators and lessors on a wide variety of deals. His extensive experience includes advising on financing, operating and tax-leasing structures, asset sales, export credit transactions and equity investments. James has worked with clients on many award-winning and high profile transactions. James is commercially focussed and solution driven. He particularly values working collaboratively in partnership with clients to deliver best value. James is qualified in England.

Jonathan Conder

Jonathan is a partner in Stephenson Harwood’s private wealth group and advises UK and international private clients, trustees, foundations, family offices and private banks on all aspects of tax, trust, estate and succession planning, regulatory, immigration and philanthropic issues. He also has significant experience in assisting families and trustees in responding to tax investigations and resolving disputes. Whilst the majority of his clients have some sort of UK connection, a significant portion do not. As a result he is very experienced in complex cross-border estate planning, coordinating matters for clients whose family members and assets are located in or affected by different legal and tax systems. Having spent four years as an in-house counsel to a bank in Bermuda, and many years as a partner in private practice, he puts forward workable solutions to his clients, be they individuals or private banks and corporate trustees, taking into account both perspectives. Jonathan travels widely to see clients in the UK and overseas and regularly lectures or chairs conferences attended by clients and other industry professionals. He also publishes journal articles on topical issues and is frequently quoted in the national and industry press.

Helen is a partner in the intellectual property group. She is skilled litigator of intellectual property disputes with a particular focus on patent litigation in the technology sector. Helen advises on contentious matters across the spectrum of IP rights. She has significant expertise in managing multi-jurisdictional patent litigation and in devising patent litigation strategies for clients on a pan-European and global basis including advising on strategies pertaining to the UPC. Helen has represented clients at all levels of proceedings before the English Courts she also has experience of arbitration and mediation in the context of patent disputes. Helen's practice focusses primarily on clients in the technology sector. Alongside her expertise in patent disputes, and drawing upon her technology experience, Helen also advises on copyright matters and in disputes relating to trade secrets in that sector. She has advised clients on disputes concerning the most complex of technologies, including algorithmic trading software, audio-watermarking in film, and on patent disputes regarding standard essential and non-essential patents including questions of FRAND. She also has considerable experience advising on patents pertaining to medical devices, digital health products and emerging assistive technologies. Helen is highly recommended for Patent Litigation and Strategy (IAM Patent 1000, 2024), she was recognised as a Leader in the World Intellectual Property Review 2024. She was also recognised as an as a Standout Lawyer by Acritas Stars in 2018 and 2019, recognised as a Leader in the Field of Patents by WIPR Leaders since, 2016, and IP Rising Star in the MIP Women in Business Law Awards in 2015. Helen regularly speaks and moderates at conferences on IP law. She is a former Officer of the IP and Entertainment Law Committee of the IBA, a member of the European Patent Lawyers Association and of the International Association of Intellectual Property.

Emmanuelle Corcos

Jonathan Cripps

Jonathan is the head of our firmwide decarbonisation area of focus. He also leads our projects, energy and infrastructure team in London. Jonathan leads the delivery of our strategy to provide a full range of decarbonisation services across the energy, transportation and trade, and the built and natural environment sectors to support our clients achieve their decarbonisation, net zero and sustainability goals. He leads an international team of decarbonisation lawyers from across all the jurisdictions we operate in. He has over 30 years of advising on major energy and infrastructure projects, including within the renewables sector in both the UK and internationally. In renewables and energy transition, Jonathan acts for sponsors, lenders, operators and construction and engineering contractors across the full range of technologies from solar, wind, energy from waste, electric vehicles, geothermal, direct air capture, through to hydrogen and nuclear. Within the broader infrastructure market, Jonathan has advised on every UK government infrastructure programme since the 1990s, including PFI and all its derivative forms. Internationally, Jonathan is active on major projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Tim acts for creditors, debtors, insolvency officeholders and trustees on all (non-litigious) aspects of financial restructurings and formal insolvency proceedings. He has significant experience of complex, cross-border restructurings in addition to having acted on various domestic cases. Tim has extensive restructuring experience across a broad range of sectors (particularly automotive, shipping, real estate, oil and gas, and retail). He acts for stakeholders at all levels of the capital structure – debtors, directors, bank and bond creditors, distressed investors, sponsors, insolvency officeholders and trustees/agents – and has worked on cases covering the full spectrum of restructuring from distressed refinancings through to debt reductions and compositions, and formal insolvency proceedings.

Rebecca Crookenden

Rebecca is a managing associate specialising in dispute resolution with a focus on disputes arising under sale contracts, the international trade of commodities, charterparties and bills of lading. Rebecca's expertise relates to advising in connection with a range of commercial disputes including injunctive relief, breach of contract, negligence as well as disputes arising under insurance contracts.

Adam is a corporate lawyer specialising in private equity and growth capital. Adam advises on a range of private equity transactions, acting for companies, institutions, founders and management. Recent experience includes: advising Bowmark Capital on its investments in Littlefish, WSD and Kubrick group and on the sale of Leaders Romans Group; advising Bestport Private Equity on its investment in Energy Saving Lighting(ESL); and advising the founders of Chartway Group on the sale of a majority stake to Cabot Square Capital portfolio company, Public Sector Plc.

Sean is a partner in the firm's banking team, acting for both lender and borrower clients on a range of debt financings, with particular expertise in real estate financing and corporate lending transactions. He has comprehensive experience advising stakeholders on a range of investment and development property financings. Sean advises lenders and borrowers on a range of secured and unsecured debt financing transactions, frequently with a cross-border element. He acts for an array of clients, including the UK clearers, international banks, alternative lenders, funds, joint venture vehicles and corporates from around the world. His expertise lies in corporate lending and real estate finance transactions. In real estate finance, Sean has been involved in some of the most high profile financings of super prime residential developments in the London market. He has also advised a number of lenders and borrowers on investment financing for a range of assets: retail, industrial, student accommodation, hotels and commercial offices, including large portfolio acquisitions.

Adam is an accountancy professional liability / regulatory specialist (in particular defending FRC cases and all forms of accounting litigation). Previously General Counsel at BDO and a criminal prosecutor, Adam brings a wealth of sector experience and a sharp focus to resolving complex accounting issues. At Stephenson Harwood, Adam handles a range of commercial litigation and professional liability matters with a particular focus on insurance related issues, the accountancy regulators (ICAEW/FRC), and the defence of claims involving tax and audit. Adam offers a client-focussed insight into the full range of accounting services and the pressures they face from regulators and claimants. This allows him to quickly grasp the key issues in accounting disputes and resolve them. His success at BDO helped it remain the only larger accounting firm at the time to avoid sanction by the FRC. Adam is referred to as joining the firm in 2020 within the Legal 500 UK Professional Negligence area, where the team is well regarded for providing "an excellent, all-round legal service with good client management, very able lawyers, with sound judgement." His references from BDO include: "Combines first-class legal knowledge and judgement with a calm and reassuring manner. A pleasure to work with" ( Mark Shaw, Head of Business Restructuring, BDO). His and his team's notable successes in litigation include BDO's win in the recent £250 million One Blackfriars case [2021] EWHC 684, Supreme Court appeal win in regulatory proceedings (Barnes v Eastenders [2014] UKSC 26), the leading recent decisions on administrator's duties: Bernsten & Anor v Tait [2015] EWCA Civ 1001 and Davey v Money [2019] EWHC 997 (which included the recent COA judgment ending the "Arkin Cap" when enforcing costs against the litigation funder), and Green v BDO [2005] All ER on the use of the Insolvency Act against accountants.

Isabelle Dauzet

Registered Foreign Lawyer (England and Wales) Partner, Stephenson Harwood LLP"

Alex is the practice leader for insurance and has extensive expertise in marine insurance. Alex has acted for major London Lloyd’s and company market insurers as well as Continental insurers on a wide range of marine insurance based matters. He regularly advises his clients on complex coverage issues on hull, cargo, war, port risk, shipyard liability, general liability and mortgagee interest policies. He has significant experience of acting primarily for International Insurance markets handling major casualties, collisions, salvage, and wreck removals. He regularly contributes to major publications such as Lloyd’s List on relevant issues and has recently co-presented a paper on marine cyber risk at the IMCC with Rod Johnson. He has particular expertise in relation to NOAs, CTLs and issues arising thereafter having led one of the main cases resulting in the development of the law in this area. He is also a recognised as leading practitioner on mortgagee interest coverage issues. He has advised geo-seismic operators and their insurers on risk management issues and advises the London market on pre-inception risk issues. He is listed as a leading individual in marine insurance in the major legal directories.

Sarah de Ste Croix

Sarah is a partner in the private equity team specialising in the establishment and operation of closed-ended investment funds. Sarah is head of Private funds and a Partner in the Stephenson Harwood Private Funds and Secondaries team. She is unusual in her experience having worked in a GP-focused fund formation practice, in-house as fundraising counsel for Actis, in industry as funds specialist at EY and now as a partner in Stephenson Harwood’s private equity team. She is one of only three Band 1 ranked secondaries practitioners in Chambers UK. Sarah brings this experience to bear in her broad practice, advising on all aspects of private fund formation and transactions, including acting for both general partners on the establishment and day-to-day operation of private investment funds and their continuation vehicles and institutional investors and lead buyers in relation to the successful deployment of capital. Sarah is also an experienced advisor on managed accounts and co-investment platforms as well as fund restructurings, roll-overs, secondaries sales and GP-stake liquidity solutions. For her role in the first GP led secondary in Ukraine as well as the subsequent fundraise of Horizon Capital Fund IV, Sarah was named as one of The Lawyer’s “Hot 100” in the list of the most groundbreaking lawyers of 2023. The deal went on to win the team Funds Team of the Year in 2023.

Nicolas Demigneux

A litigation expert, Nicolas specialises in general commercial and insurance litigation, arbitration and private international law. He has been appointed as the Paris office managing partner. His expertise covers the various fields of civil and commercial law, including construction, project, aviation and corporate disputes, product liability and contracts for large French and international companies. In the insurance sector, Nicolas advises on matters relating to professional or product liability in the areas of aviation, pharmaceuticals, energy, chemicals and construction. Nicolas' arbitration experience involves acting as counsel during ad hoc or institutional arbitrations. In addition, he has experience as an arbitrator in domestic commercial disputes. Nicolas is also well known for his broad expertise in Africa related matters which includes representing several African governments in project disputes and contractual negotiations. Nicolas currently heads the Paris Africa group. Nicolas speaks French and English and is a member of the Paris and New York bars.

Nick is a corporate and commercial lawyer in Stephenson Harwood’s Singapore office. He advises clients on corporate mergers and acquisitions as well as on commercial matters. He advises on cross-border and emerging market transactions in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors with a particular focus on decarbonisation. Nick acts for clients on acquisitions, disposals, corporate restructurings and joint ventures in oil and gas, LNG, solar, wind and conventional power as well as mining and commodities. He also advised clients on carbon trading (both voluntary and compliance markets), carbon capture and storage as well as hydrogen and ammonia related projects. Nick has also advised clients on a wide range of mergers and acquisitions in other sectors including shipping, technology and financial services. He has lived and worked in Auckland, Dubai, London and Moscow and has been based in Singapore since 2014. Recognised as a leader in his field by the main legal directories, Nick is praised by clients for his ‘commercial understanding and industry knowledge’. He is rated as ‘Highly regarded’ by IFLR 1000.

Specialising in corporate acquisitions and disposals and corporate finance, David has broad experience advising both corporate clients and investment banks on equity capital markets transactions (Official List and AIM). David has particular experience in the healthcare and energy and resources sectors. Clients value his responsiveness and his measured approach to complex issues. David advises on a broad range of corporate finance and M&A (public and private) matters. As well as regularly advising private companies, he is a trusted adviser to both listed corporates and investment banks. David has a wealth of experience on flotations and secondary offerings, both issuer and bank-side. David has spent time on secondments in Paris and with the RBS Hoare Govett M&A/Equity Originations teams.

Charlotte Drake

Charlotte works in Stephenson Harwood's finance group. Charlotte supports and promotes the work of the firm's corporate trusts and bond restructuring team and its clients, as well as working on strategic knowledge based projects for the banking and real estate finance team. Charlotte is a senior finance and corporate trusts lawyer with 20 years' experience gained in private practice and in-house roles. As part of her corporate trusts and bond restructuring work Charlotte has advised trustees on a number of high profile restructurings and reorganisations including Railtrack, Marconi, British Energy, TH Global, the merger of Whistlejacket and White Pine (two SIVs), the Battersea Power Station restructuring and the £1 billion restructuring of Fairhold Securitisation Limited's notes and swaps liabilities. Charlotte has co-authored “Corporate Trusts and Bond Restructuring – A Practical Guide”, currently the only dedicated book on corporate trusts and bond restructuring in the market. Alongside her corporate trusts work Charlotte currently supports the partners and fee earners in the banking and real estate finance team by working on and promoting knowledge based projects to help ensure the team's fee earners provide top quality advice to their clients in an efficient manner.

Elise Dufour is a partner in the intellectual property, tech and data practice, specializing in new technology law. Elise advises French and international clients on their digital projects, both in consulting and litigation. Her expertise covers key areas such as data valuation and security (personal and non-personal), IT project management (cloud computing, artificial intelligence, SaaS, open source) as well as digital transformation strategy and the protection of online intangible assets (e-reputation, AdWords policy, domain name strategy and recovery). She also supports her customers in the development of e-commerce projects, whether for websites or mobile applications.

Stuart is the Global co-head of our international arbitration practice. Stuart has drafted complex choice of law clauses and multi-tier and multi-party arbitration and jurisdiction agreements for many transactions, including multi-million dollar M&A deals and international oil and gas projects in the Middle East, Nigeria, India and South America. Stuart has conducted arbitrations under both common law and civil law in England, mainland Europe (including Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic), the Middle East, Africa and Australia. He has acted for and against parties from the UK, mainland Europe, Central Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australia and Africa.

Chris Edwards-Earl

Chris specialises in helping clients to resolve complex contentious issues concerning pension schemes, trust funds, and with their advisors. He has considerable experience acting for trustees and employers, parties acting in an interest-based or representative capacity, and for clients pursuing or defending high-value professional negligence actions. Chris has advised clients extensively on a range of matters concerning: the funding of pension schemes; the Pension Regulator's moral hazard regime; the construction and rectification of trust documents; pension claims in insolvency; cross-border disputes arising out of trusts; and, breach of contract and professional negligence claims. He is experienced in submissions to the High Court and Court of Appeal dealing with the construction of pensions legislation and documentation, as well as working with clients to resolve their disputes through mediation. Chris has particular experience working with clients who have a global presence and international concerns, particularly Canada and the US. Chris is a qualified solicitor-advocate, having attained his Higher Rights of Audience. Chris was elected to the Education & Seminars Committee of the Association of Pension Lawyers in 2020. Chris has been recognised as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 UK 2022.

Mohamed El Hawawy

Partner and Head of Middle East Shipping and Insurance

Mahmoud El-Sayed

Managing Associate

Joanne is a partner in Stephenson Harwood's London office and is the firm's cyber lead, specialising in complex cyber, data and technology related disputes and investigations. She has a wealth of experience in providing clients with strategic advice in relation to data breaches and cyber incidents, and in handling associated follow-on litigation. In particular, she is regularly involved in defending claims brought in relation to alleged breaches or infringement of data protection laws. Joanne is a CIPP/E certified privacy professional and advises both domestic and international clients on various contentious matters pertaining to cyber, data and technology. Joanne's cyber practice includes disputes relating to breaches of cybersecurity laws and the recovery of sensitive data and confidential information, as well as advising on all aspects of data breaches and cyber incidents – from the preventative mitigation of cyber risk to crisis response (including reporting and notification obligations) to follow-on litigation and collective actions. Joanne's data practice includes disputes and investigations (both internal and regulatory) relating to breaches and/or infringements of the UK GDPR and the DPA 2018 (amongst others) and in respect of cookies and adtech. Joanne's technology practice includes all types of disputes arising from the use and misuse of technology, across all industry sectors. In particular, this includes: disputes relating to distressed technology projects, such as IT outsourcing and software development, most often in the context of delays, defects, scope creep and/or failure to meet project milestones; and disputes arising from software/hardware implementation, website designs, payment systems and the use of Artificial Intelligence. Joanne has held her Higher Rights of Audience (enabling her to act as a solicitor-advocate in all English civil courts) since 2016; she has experience appearing in a variety of courts and tribunals. She also has substantial mediation experience. Outside of her fee earning practice, Joanne is passionate about pro bono and DE&I, and is a regular speaker on matters pertaining to diversity in the legal profession.

Trudy Feaster-Gee

Trudy is a barrister with 30 years’ experience advising on all aspects of competition law and competition litigation across a very broad range of industry sectors. She has experience of working on secondment for competition authorities (in Brussels and London) and for household name clients (in the motor vehicle and banking sectors). Trudy’s career has spanned work in Brussels, Leeds and London and for national and international clients. For several years she was listed as a Leading Individual in Chambers and in the Hall of Fame in Legal 500 for Competition Law in the Regions (UK). Trudy joined the firm’s London office in October 2023. She brings a wealth of experience and technical legal knowledge across the full range of competition law matters. Highlights include an action in the Competition Appeal Tribunal for competition law damages arising from the EC Truck cartel, merger clearance of a politically sensitive joint venture between global competitors, successful leniency applications and closing down of cartel investigations into clients’ activities, and advising on commercial strategy for dominant businesses (including in regulated sectors). Examples of client feedback include: “Trudy has developed excellent relationships with client and other stakeholders very quickly impressing both with her subject matter knowledge and experience but also her patience, empathy and trustworthiness” and “In an area of law that can be labyrinthine, Trudy combines an eye for detail with pragmatism. She knows that understanding the client’s business is key to the efficacy of the advice she gives.” (The Legal 500 2022) Trudy also has experience of working as a Non-Executive Director in the National Health Service.

Tom is an Of Counsel in the corporate finance team and specialises in international and domestic mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings, reorganisations and other corporate transactions and advisory matters. Tom's particular focus is UK and cross-border acquisitions and disposals for publicly listed and private clients. Tom has advised a variety of UK and international clients, ranging from large multinationals to start-ups, across a number of business sectors including financial services, insurance, transport, pharmaceuticals and real estate, but with a particular focus on financial institutions and industrial companies.

Darren is an expert in rail regulation, regulated contracts and railway operations, with broad expertise in all areas affecting railway businesses: bidders, infrastructure managers and train operators. He has been named as a Leading Individual by the Legal 500 directory. He works with both the public and private sectors, offering insights on how the railway works in the real world. Darren is known for his deep knowledge of the rail sector, rail regulation and regulated contracts, as well as the rail franchise/concession cycle, offering pragmatic advice on the day-to-day operation of a rail business and its supply chain arrangements. Acting for train operators, infrastructure managers, funders and procurers of railway services, both in the public and private sectors, he offers broad perspectives of how the railway operates in the real world. Deploying his detailed knowledge of industry laws, regulation and practice, working alongside industry stakeholders such as the Office of Rail and Road and the Department for Transport, he has delivered a regulatory regime and suite of contractual documentation for the operation of the new Elizabeth line railway and regularly advises on the operation of Elizabeth line services. Darren's experience extends to the private sector too. He has vast experience acting for private bidders and train operators. Experienced in all aspects of franchises/concessions, he acts from the bid stage, through mobilisation and associated supply agreements and then into the operational phase. He has advised on the impacts of Brexit, Covid-19, the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail and the cost challenges faced by the rail industry. Recognised by clients for his attention to detail and ease to work with, his knowledge of how the railway works in the real world means he can "talk trains" and offer down-to-earth, practical advice to railway businesses. Darren continues to write for various industry publications on some of the latest rail issues – having featured in RAIL magazine, Rail Review magazine and Rail Professional.

Roland is a full time commercial disputes expert with deep experience particularly in the professional services and fine art sectors where he has practised throughout his career. Roland leads our teams in these sectors and is highly ranked in them by the directories. His work covers a broad range of commercial disputes taking place in the High Court and in arbitration. Most of Roland's work has an international dimension and he is also experienced in managing multi-jurisdictional disputes. Much of his work involves management of risk and the avoidance of claims, nipping problems in the bud and working with clients to resolve issues early and cost-effectively and keep them out of court. Roland has a long and extensive experience of acting for and against professional firms, particularly those in accountancy and law sectors and has been closely involved in several leading cases. He has been described as a "very good, very tough litigator," by Chambers UK 2022 in this area. In the fine art sector, Roland advises a broad range of clients from auction houses and dealers to museums and private collectors. His work in this area goes well beyond disputes, for example about title and attribution. He regularly advises on matters ranging from the sale and purchase of fine art to the standard terms of business of major market players to export, looted art and related issues. Roland is a member of the Art, Cultural and Institutions Committee of the IBA and recognised by Chambers & Partners for his experience handling high-value disputes within Art and Cultural Property Law. They describe him as "enormously impressive, a good tactician and knows the area back to front." In Legal 500, Roland is recognised for having "unparalleled experience in the field, with noted leadership and unassailable credibility." Roland is ranked in the Hall of Fame by Chambers in both the Professional Negligence and Art and Cultural Property categories.

Melissa Forbes-Miranda

Ryan is a partner in the construction and engineering team at Shoosmiths. He specialises in drafting and negotiating construction and engineering contracts based on industry standard forms such as FIDIC, ICC, IChemE, JCT, MF/1, NEC3/4 and PPC2000 and bespoke forms including EPC, EPCM (offshore and onshore) and FEED contracts, as well as framework agreements, pre-construction services agreements, professional appointments, security and other ancillary construction and engineering documents. Ryan's expertise includes providing construction procurement and project and transaction advice to developer, contractor, sub-contractor, consultant, landlord, tenant, investor and funder clients across a broad range of sectors including office, hotels, prime residential, retail, mixed use, healthcare, utilities, energy and infrastructure. His recent project experience includes advising: the developer of a of 12,000 sq ft development of commercial and retail space, as well as 111 apartments arranged over 1 to 8 storeys, in Bermondsey, London; a fund manager in their head office relocation to a new landmark office building in central London; the developer of a block of 130 residential flats in Birmingham; a JV developer in relation to various sets of works at two business parks in the Home Counties; the operator on the construction aspects of its adoption and operation of the utilities infrastructure for Google’s new £1bn London headquarters in King’s Cross; and a sub-contractor in its tender negotiations for multiple sub-contract packages on Phase One of HS2. Prior to joining Shoosmiths, Ryan was the head of construction and engineering at Travers Smith.

Richard Freedman

Richard is a partner in our employment team who has acted for clients on a wide range of issues. In particular he has experience in advising employers in the Employment Tribunal in claims for; unfair dismissal, discrimination, harassment, victimisation, whistleblowing and breach of contract. Richard’s litigious experience includes complex TUPE related disputes including acting on a high value multiple claim tri-party matter. In addition to his contentious work he also advises employers and senior employees on service agreements, employment contracts, staff policies and procedures and consultancy agreements. He also regularly drafts, negotiates and advises on settlement (compromise) agreements. Richard has worked with clients in a variety of sectors to provide ‘day-to-day’ employment related advice on a number of issues arising in the course of the employment relationship. This has included disciplinary and grievance procedures and disputes in relation to the recent legal changes on holiday pay. He also has a range of experience in advising and providing support on the employment aspects of corporate transactions including private acquisitions (both share sales/purchases and business asset transfers), management buy outs and IPOs. Richard qualified in England and Wales in 2012.

Justin is a dispute resolution partner that helps clients resolve commercial disputes whether in litigation, arbitration, mediation, or pre-proceedings. He has a strong focus on marine and international trade matters, and also handles non-contentious work in that sector. He is fluent in Mandarin and his matters often bear a Chinese element.

An EU and UK competition law expert, Marta is well-known for advising clients on global multi-jurisdictional merger control, cartel and behavioural investigations. Clients highly value her practical and commercial approach to complicated antitrust issues, and her real ability to provide global insights to increasingly global antitrust issues. Marta also advises on foreign direct investment rules. Marta joined us from international law firm Clifford Chance LLP and prior to this she was at Baker & McKenzie LLP (which included a year-long secondment to their Brasilia office, the capital of Brazil). Marta has significant experience advising companies on merger control issues arising in all different types of corporate transactions both in the UK and EU as well as globally. She regularly advises on jurisdictional and substantive merger control issues, due diligence, data room procedures and clean teams, gun-jumping and information exchange. Marta also has extensive experience advising and defending companies involved in international cartels and abuse of dominance investigations by the European Commission, the European courts and the UK competition authorities. She assists companies on all stages of investigations, from any unannounced inspections through to internal investigations/audits, leniency/immunity applications, preparation of defences, settlements and appeals before the courts. Marta also advises more generally on competition compliance and commercial agreement matters, including the review of commercial arrangements such as distribution, agency, R&D, specialisation, selective distribution and franchising systems, joint ventures and strategic alliances. Marta also advises on foreign direct investment rules, in particular, the UK's new National Security & Investment Act and public interest regime under the Enterprise Act. She has worked with companies across various industries (in particular, shipping, rail, consumer goods and retail, life sciences, energy, financial services and banking, insurance, real estate and funds and asset management) and her work has taken her across the globe (i.e. Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa). Marta is renowned for her extremely knowledgeable, technical yet straightforward and practical approach which is appreciated by clients.

Marta Isabel Garcia

An EU and UK competition law expert, Marta is well-known for advising clients on global multi-jurisdictional merger control, cartel and behavioural investigations. Clients highly value her practical and commercial approach to complicated antitrust issues, and her real ability to provide global insights to increasingly global antitrust issues. Marta also advises on foreign direct investment rules. Marta joined us from international law firm Clifford Chance LLP and prior to this she was at Baker & McKenzie LLP (which included a year-long secondment to their Brasilia office, the capital of Brazil). Marta has significant experience advising companies on merger control issues arising in all different types of corporate transactions both in the UK and EU as well as globally. She regularly advises on jurisdictional and substantive merger control issues, due diligence, data room procedures and clean teams, gun-jumping and information exchange. Marta also has extensive experience advising and defending companies involved in international cartels and abuse of dominance investigations by the European Commission, the European courts and the UK competition authorities. She assists companies on all stages of investigations, from any unannounced inspections through to internal investigations/audits, leniency/immunity applications, preparation of defences, settlements and appeals before the courts. Marta also advises more generally on competition compliance and commercial agreement matters, including the review of commercial arrangements such as distribution, agency, R&D, specialisation, selective distribution and franchising systems, joint ventures and strategic alliances. Marta also advises on foreign direct investment rules, in particular, the UK's new National Security & Investment Act and public interest regime under the Enterprise Act. She has worked with companies across various industries (in particular, shipping, rail, consumer goods and retail, life sciences, energy, financial services and banking, insurance, real estate and funds and asset management) and her work has taken her across the globe (i.e. Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa). Marta is renowned for her extremely knowledgeable, technical yet straightforward and practical approach which is appreciated by clients.

Richard Garcia-Almendros

Richard leads Stephenson Harwood's corporate and commercial disputes group. He specialises in corporate and commercial, financial and fraud disputes. He is regularly instructed by banks, asset managers, sovereign states and large corporates on their most important and complex cases. Richard has particular expertise in banking, funds, structured finance and financial products disputes. Clients value his familiarity and detailed technical understanding of products and structures. Richard is also often instructed on shareholder, joint venture and private equity disputes. He regularly advises on a wide range of commercial disputes and has also advised investors and stakeholders on a number of major fund and institutional collapses. Richard has experience of a broad range of dispute resolution mechanisms including litigation, arbitration and mediation. He has advised on a number of group actions involving multiple claimant groups and third parties and he regularly coordinates large multi-party proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. The largest value cases often involve multi-faceted proceedings including jurisdiction challenges, freezing orders, cross-border evidence gathering and complex enforcement strategies and defences. Richard has been involved in many such cases, including enforcement proceedings arising from foreign judgments, LCIA, ICC and ICSID arbitrations.

Raphaël Gauvain

Sean specialises in shipping, shipbuilding and offshore disputes and also advises shipyards and shipowners on negotiations for new contracts. He is recognised by The Legal 500 as a leading individual and has been praised by both, The Legal 500 and Chambers, for his commercial perspective when advising clients. Sean advises a diverse range of clients, including shipowners and charterers, P&I and defence clubs, shipyards and banks. He has extensive experience of High Court litigation and arbitration (LMAA, LCIA and ICC) in relation to disputes under charterparties, bills of lading, MoAs and shipbuilding contracts covering vessels/superyachts and offshore structures of all types. Sean also advises in contract negotiations relating to newbuildings. He is regularly instructed in matters involving investigation and defending of fraudulent cargo claims made against shipowners, insurers and banks and has spent extensive time in West African countries investigating such claims. As a result, Sean is a specialist in obtaining freezing/inspection/disclosure orders and anti-suit injunctions in the English courts, especially as a part of the asset tracing process. Sean also advises ship finance banks in relation to enforcement of mortgages. This includes the provision of both legal and practical advice on the strategic options available to enforce the lenders’ security. Sean is a core member of the Stephenson Harwood yacht and superyacht team and regularly advises on contentious and non-contentious matters in the sector.

Peter is a Partner in our contentious trusts group with extensive experience in complex, high value trust disputes in the Banking and Financial Services and Private Wealth sectors. Peter advises on a broad range of disputes with particular expertise in representing corporate finance trustees and advising trustees in complex fraud and asset recovery proceedings often involving significant international elements. He regularly acts for corporates, trustees, financial services firms, financial institutions and private individuals.

Jonathan Goacher

Jonathan is a US-qualified partner, known for his corporate and sanctions work in Asia. He has extensive experience of guiding clients through new market entries, complex M&A, joint ventures and corporate closures across eastern Asia. Clients appreciate his responsiveness and commercially-savvy, solutions-orientated advice, and his particular expertise in many highly-regulated business sectors.

Tal is an insolvency and litigation lawyer with an emphasis on matters involving fraud and international asset recovery. Tal is also co-head of commercial litigation. Tal specialises in all aspects of recovery of assets into insolvent estates by receivers, liquidators, administrators and trustees in bankruptcy, usually involving cross-border issues. Tal also advises international clients and advisors on how to best use insolvency processes and powers as part of a wider global asset recovery toolkit. She acts in specialist insolvency proceedings and also has significant experience in related litigation under the Companies Acts and the Proceeds of Crime Act. Tal often acts in matters seeking the appointment of receivers by the court, and separately acts for such court-appointed receivers in the course of the exercise of their powers. In addition to her work for office holders, Tal also provides advice to corporate and individual clients regarding the implications of insolvency for them and members of their supply chain, on the risks associated with acquisitions of businesses and assets from insolvent companies, and on structuring transactions to ensure that they comply with companies and insolvency legislation. This has recently involved a number of significant board advisory and directors' duties engagements. Early in her career Tal spent time working in industry for a market leading asset recovery team, and also completed a secondment in the recoveries team of a clearing bank which gives her a unique understanding of how such clients operate and enables her to better meet their requirements. Tal is a non-practising barrister, went on to cross qualify and was admitted to the Roll in 2009.

Michelle is a partner in the corporate team, specialising in private M&A, joint ventures and equity fundraising (from Series A onwards) within a broad range of sectors, with specific focus on the life sciences, technology and green tech industries. Michelle has a particular interest in the life sciences industry, having spent time on secondment to FTSE 250 company BTG plc (since acquired by Boston Scientific), and Astellas Pharma. Michelle has a broad practice, acting for purchasers and sellers on M&A transactions and both company-side and investor-side on equity investments (ranging from Series A onwards), as well as a wider corporate practice spanning joint venture, corporate reorganisations and general advisory support. Michelle's recent experience includes acting for: Industrial Physics on its acquisition of Manufacturing; e-therapeutics plc on its £12.4million equity fundraise; a life sciences company on its divestment of a legacy product; a seller on their sale of their stake in a London REIT for £436 million; AIM listed Focusrite plc on its acquisition of Linea Research Holdings; Anglia Maltings on their entry into a three way joint venture with Frontier Agriculture and Camgrain; Highview Power on their growth capital round which totalled $70 million; the sellers of Arcola Energy on their sale to Canadian listed company Ballard Power Systems; CLS Group on the sale of Future Climate Info to Canadian listed Dye & Durham; 3 Step IT on its strategic partnership with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions to create a leading integrated IT leasing business across various European jurisdictions; and various early stage companies and VC funds on equity funding rounds (from Series A onwards).

Philip Goodchild

A pension law expert, Philip is well known for his work in a range of sectors, in particular corporate and not-for-profit. He advises trustees and employers on all manner of pension law issues. Philip heads up the advisory practice group at Stephenson Harwood. Philip’s experience in advising trustees and employers ranges from advising on liability reduction exercises such as ceasing accruals and pension increase exchange. After twenty five years in the industry there is virtually no area which Philip has not dealt with. His technical skills and knowledge of general pension issues is of an extremely high level allowing him to provide clients with practical commercial advice regarding their pension arrangements. Philip is a member of the Association of Pension Lawyers and a regular commentator on legal issues affecting pension provision in the press and industry publications. He has sat on the legislation sub-committee of the Society of Pension Consultants and is a founder member of the Pension Lawyers Support Group. He regularly speaks at seminars and workshops on topical legal issues. Philip is an accredited CEDR mediator.

Sam is head of corporate finance in London. He specialises in M&A transactions, joint ventures and equity fundraisings. Sam acts for listed corporates private equity funds, investee companies and management teams. Sam has a broad range of sector expertise across a wide variety of industry sectors but has particular expertise in financial services and technology. He uses his broad range of experience to provide commercial and pragmatic advice and to assist clients not just to get deals done but to achieve success. Clients appreciate Sam's ability to understand their strategic objectives and allow them to focus on the valuable issues at hand. Sam is a core member of Stephenson Harwood's US group and works regularly with US based clients in their strategic activities.

Priya Grigoriadis

Priya is a partner in Stephenson Harwood's market leading fraud and asset recovery team, ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. She advises clients in large scale complex litigation, including tracing and recovering assets across multiple jurisdictions. Priya is recognised in the directories as a leading lawyer for civil fraud, reporting that she is "seemingly able to do a hundred things at once, all to a very high standard." Priya has acted on some of the largest claims to come before the English courts in recent years. Clients praise her ability, with sources reporting: "Priya is one of the best solicitors I've ever come across"; "She manages issues very swiftly and efficiently, knows all the minute details and is so responsive and great with clients". She has significant experience of large-scale, complex fraud and asset recovery cases, including obtaining and defending freezing orders, disclosure orders and search orders. Most of her cases are international often involving parallel litigation in jurisdictions such as the BVI, Cayman Islands, Southeast Asia and the UAE. Priya is currently acting for a leading trading house in a £600+ million cross-border fraud claim. She also represents the former shareholders of Yukos Oil Company in relation to the enforcement in England of a US$54+ billion arbitration award against the Russian Federation, the largest enforcement action in legal history. Priya is also a leading member of Stephenson Harwood's India group and acts for a number of the leading Indian Banks. Her clients include high net worth individuals, major corporates and insolvency practitioners.

Boriana Guimberteau

Guy is a litigator specialising in corporate and finance disputes. He is recognised for his expertise in a broad range of contentious matters, with a particular emphasis on claims arising from the private equity, professional services and fine art sectors. Clients value Guy's tenacity, attention to detail and focus on results. The subject matter of the claims that Guy handles is diverse and includes contractual and shareholder disputes, fraud and professional negligence claims against lawyers. He has a track-record of formulating effective strategies to win multifaceted cases in a cost-effective manner.

Paul Hayward-Surry

Paul is a real estate partner specialising in real estate finance, acquisitions, disposals and landlord and tenant matters acting for lenders, investors, landlords and tenants. Paul also advises on the real estate aspects of restructuring and insolvency work. Paul is part of our highly rated real estate finance team, which offers comprehensive counsel on real estate and real estate finance matters for borrower and lender clients. He specialises in real estate finance, acquisitions, disposals and landlord and tenant matters acting for lenders, investors, landlord and tenants. He also advises on the real estate aspects of restructuring and insolvency work. Paul leads the firm's relationship with HSBC and is a key client service partner for Barings Real Estate Advisers LLP, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and NatWest. Legal 500 ranks Paul as a notable individual for real estate finance.

Katie leads the firm’s data protection practice. She has significant experience advising clients across a variety of sectors, including retail, transport, financial services, analytics and life sciences. She holds AI Governance Professional (AIGP), Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), Certified Information Privacy Professional Europe (CIPP/E) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) accreditations from the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Recently awarded "Privacy Leader of the Year: Legal" (PICASSO Privacy Awards 2022), Katie is recognised as a Next Generation Partner for data protection, privacy and cyber security by The Legal 500 UK 2023, in which she is described as “a valued advisor in relation to EU and UK GDPR matters”. She is also ranked as an Up and Coming Lawyer for data protection and information law in the Chambers and Partners UK 2023 Guide, which states she "has excellent technical knowledge and provides clear, practical advice". Katie has extensive experience leading international GDPR compliance projects and also advises on data protection contracts, transparency issues, international personal data transfers, data sharing, cyber security and personal data breaches. She also advises a variety of clients on direct marketing, ad tech, social media and cookies issues under the e-privacy regime. Katie has also acted for clients facing ICO enforcement action on potential data protection and freedom of information law breaches, winning successful outcomes for her clients in relation to subject access requests, breach reporting and FOIA requests. She has helped clients with the data protection impacts of Brexit and coronavirus and has also advised on the complex legal issues in facial recognition, AI and profiling. Katie is a member of the International Network of Privacy Law Professionals, a not-for-profit international network of qualified professionals providing expert counsel on legal and compliance issues relating to data privacy and associated matters.

Charlotte Heywood

Charlotte is a partner within the commercial litigation team specialising in construction, engineering, PFI and rail disputes. She has extensive experience in adjudication claims as well as litigation, arbitration and ADR. Charlotte advises contractors, employers and subcontractors in resolving disputes arising both internationally and domestically in relation to payment, defects and delay and disruption and has experience in a wide range of sectors including luxury residential, commercial, hotels, health and education, retail, energy and power. She regularly deals with disputes arising out of the JCT, NEC and FIDIC forms of contract, as well as numerous bespoke forms. Charlotte also advises clients in relation to real time project management dispute avoidance over the active construction phase including in relation to dealing with payment applications, contractual notices and extension of time and loss and expense assessments. Charlotte is an active member of the National Association of Women in Construction.

Ben is a corporate senior associate based in Stephenson Harwood’s Myanmar office. He advises on diverse and substantial market entry projects and is experienced in navigating the investment regulatory framework, having advised leading investors on a wide range of projects (notably in the real estate, insurance and telecommunications sectors).

A commercial lawyer with a focus on outsourcing, manufacturing and supply chain issues. Dan has over 25 years' experience in advising on a wide variety of commercial relationships, from day-to-day trading activities to one-off projects and strategic alliances. Dan's practice is broadly split between services and supply chain issues, including manufacturing, procurement and supply at all stages of production, and outsourcing. His practice is particularly focussed on the manufacturing, life sciences, transport and financial services sectors. Dan’s practice covers clients in the UK as well as those based throughout Europe, the Middle East and the US. He is also admitted as an Avocat Communautaire at the Paris Bar.

Paul is a member of our commercial litigation practice and of the firm's professional and management liability and restructuring and insolvency groups. Paul has a particular focus on disputes claims involving professional services firms (including the Big 4), insolvency professionals and insolvent companies. He has spent time on secondment with a Big 4 firm, dealing with a range of litigation, regulatory and risk management issues. Paul's recent work includes: the defence of numerous tax negligence claims (including acting for two Big 4 firms on claims worth over £60 million and £15 million respectively); defending insolvency practitioners in relation to claims for negligence and misfeasance; and acting for a company's liquidators in proceedings before the Supreme Court. Paul also has extensive experience acting in a range of high value commercial disputes for clients across multiple sectors.

Caroline Hooton

Caroline is an expert in rail concession agreements and train services contracts with broad expertise on facilities management, procurement and supply chain management. Ranked as a Leading Associate in the Legal 500 UK in 2025 and 2024 for her rail work, she is well regarded for her pragmatic and commercial approach to contract negotiation. She has considerable experience of project managing complex, multi-tiered transactions and brings ten years of in-house experience to legal risk management. Caroline is currently working with Transport for London (“TfL”) on all aspects of the procurement for the London Overground concession, and having previously worked with TfL on the successful procurement of the Elizabeth Line concession, is now advising on the mobilisation of the same. She has previously advised both train operators and manufacturers on the procurement and negotiation of new rolling stock manufacture and supply agreements, train service agreements and train supply and services agreements (including associated parent support documentation), and advised on variations to the same (including variations to reflect the settlement of disputes for late delivery). She has also advised on the procurement of station and depot facilities management services, ticket machine installation contracts and minor works contracts.

An investment funds specialist providing launch and on-going advice to funds and their managers, with a focus on closed-ended listed funds. Nick is a partner in the investment funds team. He advises on the launch of a range of fund structures as well as on post-launch events including secondary issues, reconstructions, changes to management arrangements and regulatory matters. Nick has a focus on closed-ended funds, both UK and offshore, advising investment managers, funds and brokers. He has advised on a number of high profile and innovative launches and reconstructions. He also acts for funds on public and private investment and divestment work across a range of sectors.

Rachel specialises in maritime decarbonisation helping clients navigate the decarbonisation landscape and respond to the regulatory, commercial, and practical issues arising from emissions reduction and energy transition. Rachel works with clients throughout the maritime ecosystem including major ship owners, charterers, cargo interests, traders and insurers. Rachel's decarbonisation work includes interpreting new and revised emissions regulations for maritime (EU MRV, EU Emissions Trading Scheme, FuelEU Maritime, EEXI and CII), advising on impact, developing contract provisions, adapting corporate responsibility programmes and providing strategic decarbonisation guidance to C-suite. She has written and presented widely on maritime decarbonisation issues and has played an active role in working groups of the IMO, DfT, ZESTA and BIMCO. Rachel has experience in-house as well as in private practise and has handled numerous international maritime disputes throughout her career, including LMAA and ad hoc arbitrations and High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings.

Karima is a corporate partner focussing on private M&A, joint ventures, restructurings and general corporate advice. She advises a wide range of industries. She has a particular focus on healthcare and has also advised clients in other sectors including the maritime sector. Clients value Karima's straight talking, thorough and pragmatic advice and her ability to offer practical solutions. She is well known in the private healthcare sector and has advised numerous operators and investors in the space including, Intriva Capital, HC-One, Apposite Capital, Salutem Healthcare, Circle Health, Clinical Outcomes Solutions LLC and the London Women’s Clinic. Karima also assists other parts of the firm in respect of M&A, corporate advice and restructurings. She led on the cross-border corporate reorganisation by the global conglomerate John Swire & Sons Limited, and its Singapore based subsidiary The China Navigation Company Pte. Ltd of its dry bulk shipping and liner shipping businesses into two distinct corporate groups. She has also assisted the restructuring and insolvency team on transactions including the sales of both Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool football clubs.

Richard is a marine insurance specialist, regularly acting for London market insurance clients on coverage issues, advising on wordings and helping to resolve disputes sensibly. Richard acts for insurers over a wide range of classes of business, with a focus in particular on Hull and Machinery insurers, war and liability disputes. He also advises on salvage, general average and recovery angles, providing legal and practical input. Despite being a seasoned litigator, Richard aims to bring a sensible and commercial approach to disputes to achieve early resolution. He has enjoyed a focus on yacht insurance disputes, advising on multiple coverage issues ranging from design issues, paint damage, engine damage and total losses. A recent highlight includes the Galatea, where he acted for Hull and Machinery insurers, successfully defending a €13 million total loss (by fire) of a 36m Riva yacht. Richard is a core member of the firm's yacht and superyacht team and regularly advises on contentious matters in the sector, with a particular focus on insurance disputes.

Richard is an international infrastructure, rail and bus specialist, experienced in the energy transition and transportation sectors. He has built a strong reputation based on advising financiers, franchise owning groups and government on issues of rolling stock procurement and financing, rail franchising, and third-party investment in rail infrastructure. Richard has a long-established reputation in the transport and transport finance market (ranked in both Chambers and Legal 500). Richard has built long standing relationships with key decision makers in major institutions, including funds/investment firms, banks, asset lessors and asset operators. Richard's experience in the transport sector includes leading the drafting and negotiation in respect of: (i) rolling stock and bus fleet procurements; (ii) franchise and concession agreements for both operators and government; and (iii) depot development and operations. Richard has notable experience on energy transition, including hydrogen and battery power, in rail, bus and facilities management. His work in the energy sector includes implementing the contractual arrangements for the: (i) production and import of hydrogen derivatives into the EU; and (ii) the conversion of coal fired power stations to green fuels. Richard is the go to adviser from one of the world's largest facilities management companies and is an expert in cross jurisdictional facilities management agreements. Richard is recognised for his thought leadership in respect of (i) rail; (ii) financing zero emission vehicles and associated infrastructure; and (iii) Sustainability. Richard's articles have been published in Rail magazine and by third-party publishing platforms, including Lexology and the National Law Review.

Murtaza Hussain

Managing Associate

Rob is a partner specialising in both contentious and non-contentious IP issues with a particular focus on trade mark and copyright matters. He has particular expertise in the life sciences, offshore construction and luxury brands sectors. Rob has a masters degree in Chemistry from Imperial College, London and a post-graduate diploma in IP law and practice. He trained and qualified into the IP team at Clifford Chance before joining Stephenson Harwood in 2009 specialising in all intellectual property matters. Rob acted on DataCard Corporation v Eagle Technologies Limited ([2011] EWHC 244 (Pat)) where the firm successfully argued for the extension of trade mark law in relation to post-sale confusion. His other more recently reported cases include: Glaxo Wellcome UK Limited v Sandoz Ltd [2017] EWHC 3196 (Ch), Parainen Pearl Shipping Ltd v Kristian Gerhard Skipsrederi AS [2018] EWHC 2628 (Pat), Smart Reamer Drilling Systems v NOV Downhole Eurasia [2018] 1265 (IPEC) and Pathway IP Sarl v easyGroup Ltd [2018] EWHC 3608 (Ch). He has also successfully argued that residual goodwill subsists in the NICHOLSON gin brand (UK Decision: Opp 0520-14) and has successfully convinced OHIM's Board of Appeal that the shape of GSK's DISKUS inhaler was distinctive (R2074/2013-2). On the non-contentious side, Rob's highlights include working on the public takeover of Biocompatibles plc by BTG plc, the US$3.8 billion sale of Piramal Enterprises' domestic formulations division to US pharmaceuticals giant Abbott, the acquisition of the worldwide rights to Florbetaben (a pioneering molecular imaging product for the diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease) from Bayer Pharma AG and the US$220 million acquisition of EKOS corporation. Rob is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 UK directory for intellectual property and pharmaceuticals and biotechnology with "notable strengths in trade mark work". Rob has been described as “a very brainy guy who thinks deeply about his cases. He is always stress-testing and playing devil’s advocate to be as well prepared as possible. He is unflappable and his measured manner is very reassuring.” (WTR 1000, 2019) Rob also wrote the intellectual property chapter of the book Offshore Construction Law and Practice published by Informa Law from Routledge.

Sean is a commercial litigation partner specialising in contentious regulatory matters, advising financial institutions and senior executives in connection with all aspects of complex investigations including related litigation and insurance matters. Sean's recent work includes advising a prominent financial institution and an international intermediary on FCA enforcement proceedings and supervisory visits. He has advised a major lender in relation to regulatory, litigation and insurance issues arising from significant accounting irregularities. Sean has broad experience of financial services redress exercises in a range of legal and regulatory contexts. He has advised a leading international financial services business regarding issues with the sale of retail products to approximately two million customers, including using an innovative Scheme. He has extensive experience of advising regulated firms on remedies concerning decisions of authorities and public bodies, including the FCA, PRA, FOS and SFO. Sean has represented a number of international banks in relation to sanctions issues, including in judicial review proceedings against HM Government and in cases in the General Court and the Court of Justice. Sean acted for Vincent Tchenguiz, Robert Tchenguiz and the associated trusts in various litigation and regulatory matters connected with the SFO's 2011 dawn raids, which were successfully challenged in judicial review proceedings. He has assisted directors of financial and other institutions with the consequences of major regulatory and litigation crises. He has particular expertise regarding legal professional privilege and has litigated privilege issues in the Court of Appeal and House of Lords. He worked on the Bank of England litigation defending the claim for misfeasance in public office arising out of the supervision of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI). Sean led the team which won the Legal Week/British Legal Awards litigation and regulatory team of the year for a ground-breaking challenge to a major investigatory and prosecuting authority. Legal 500 describes Sean as "technically strong". Chambers UK describe him as "very knowledgeable, easy to work with…works hard, thinking laterally to achieve the best result for his clients" and "very pragmatic, very intelligent, and an experienced litigator".

Gillian Johnson

Gillian has a wealth of experience advising on the full range of pensions issues for pension schemes, sponsors and individuals in both UK and overseas pension schemes. Gillian builds strong relationships with her clients to provide focussed, clear and commercial advice. Gillian advises employers and trustees on all aspects of occupational pension schemes including funding arrangements, liability management exercises, benefits design, corporate transactions and member complaints. Gillian's clients range from large corporates, master trusts, to charities and individuals. Gillian also advises a large SIPP provider. The variety of her client basis, and wealth of experience, enables Gillian to be flexible and focused in her advice, addressing the specific needs of each client and situation. Gillian is also a qualified Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and provides individuals and offshore trustees with advice on the structuring and taxation of benefits from non-UK pension schemes. This requires cross-border expertise working closely with individuals and their other advisers to consider residence, taxation and double tax reliefs appropriate to that particular client. This advice is often very personal and clients value Gillian's broad knowledge in this highly technical area. Gillian earns her client's trust and confidence through her ability to cut through the detail, providing clear options and solutions for clients.

Gregg is the head of the Singapore based shipping and offshore finance team. Gregg acts on many of the highest profile transactions in the Asia Pacific region and is one of a few "go to" international ship and offshore finance lawyers with a focus on Korea. He acts for major ship financing banks and ship owners and has deep experience in all facets of shipping and offshore finance including syndicated lending, export-credit backed financings, FSRU financing, sale and leaseback transactions, loan portfolio sales, restructuring and workouts and enforcement work.

Suzanne Johnston

Suzanne is a private wealth, trust and UK tax lawyer based in Stephenson Harwood’s Singapore office. She has extensive experience in complex cross-jurisdictional trust and estate planning.

Managing Associate

Managing Associate

Michael is the office managing partner of the Seoul office. He is an expert in litigation including alternative dispute resolution. Michael advises on a wide range of shipping, shipbuilding and offshore, international trade and commercial litigation issues including charterparties, memoranda of agreement, shipbuilding and offshore construction contracts, marine and commercial insurance, agency agreements, letters of credit and commercial notes.

Tim acts for clients on a broad range of commercial disputes and investigations, with particular experience of competition litigation and securities litigation. Tim advises clients in relation to a wide variety of contractual and tortious disputes. He has experience of every stage of competition damages litigation, from the inception of proceedings to trial. He has recently acted for DAF Trucks in individual and collective proceedings arising from the infringement decision of the European Commission in July 2016. Those proceedings have helped to shape the law on certification of collective actions, litigation funding and the quantification of damages in cartel claims. Tim's practice also encompasses securities litigation; by way of recent example, he acted for a former director of Glencore plc in relation to high-profile Commercial Court litigation brought pursuant to s.90 and s.90A of FSMA. He also has experience of conducting confidential investigations for corporates into alleged or suspected wrongdoing.

Alexandre Koenig

Managing Associate

Menelaus Kouzoupis

Menelaus Kouzoupis

Menelaus is a highly regarded lawyer with a broad practice encompassing all areas of international commercial law with a particular focus on marine, international trade, and energy. He has developed a reputation as a problem solver for clients and is regularly instructed by energy companies, banks, trading houses and ship owners. Based in Dubai, Menelaus regularly works from our London and Greek offices to provide a seamless service. He is results driven and prides himself on his dedication to obtaining the most effective solutions for clients. On the contentious side, Menelaus represents his clients in a wide variety of jurisdictions and arbitral bodies such as LMAA, ICC, and LCIA tribunals, as well as the English High Court and Appellate Courts. Menelaus also specialises in enforcement action and is regularly instructed in relation to arrests, attachments, and asset tracing. He has extensive experience acting for clients in disputes concerning fraud and obtaining injunctive relief. His practice includes non-contentious commercial matters, and he regularly advises clients on commercial contracts. He is also active in sale and purchase deals with a particular focus on asset finance. Menelaus also provides regular advice in respect of various international sanctions regimes. Menelaus is a Lord Denning Scholar of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn and was called to the bar prior to being admitted as a solicitor. Menelaus is recognised as a "Recommended Lawyer" for Shipping within the Legal 500 EMEA 2024 Guide, UAE.

Huay Yee is a shipping and offshore finance partner. She has a long track record of advising on high value and complex transactions for clients. Her experience encompasses a wide range of asset classes including offshore assets and maritime containers. Huay Yee has experience representing lenders, owners, private equity houses and lessees, advising them on international financing transactions including export credit supported financings and tax-leveraged leasing structures. Additionally, she has also advised clients on international security enforcement actions and restructurings, particularly those arising from insolvency and corporate rehabilitation proceedings.

Stephen specialises in commercial real estate, principally advising on investment acquisitions and disposals, development and landlord and tenant matters. He also has particular expertise in the hotels and leisure sector. Stephen acts for a wide range of clients, including institutional investors, one of London's main estate landlords, entrepreneurs, corporate owner/occupiers, hotel/restaurant/bar owners/occupiers, banks and charities. Clients value Stephen's highly commercial and pragmatic approach and his drive to achieve a successful outcome for them. Stephen has broad experience acting for commercial real estate investors, often involving offshore holding structures. He advises on acquisitions and disposals, ranging from large town centre multi-let mixed use properties, office blocks, shopping centres, regional industrial estates and development sites. His work often involves dealing with the real estate aspects of financing acquisitions. Following acquisition, Stephen advises on the asset management required to increase the property value. Stephen has a strong track record acting for corporate occupiers with their office headquarters requirements, including FTSE 100 companies, London-based law firms, hedge funds, hotel groups, insurers and overseas companies setting up in England for the first time. This often includes advising on the strategy for exiting existing premises in the most cost effective way. In the hotels and leisure sector, Stephen has significant experience gained over many years acting for recognised hotel and bar/restaurant chains. He acts for hotel owners/operators on sales and purchases of hotels as going concerns, redevelopment and refurbishment projects and also asset management, including leases/licences/concessions granted to third party operators. He acts for a number of restaurant and bar owners and his work for them includes new site acquisitions, disposals and financings.

Naomi has a strong commercial practice, with particular expertise in relation to transactional IP matters. Her practice includes long-term research collaboration and management agreements, licensing arrangements, outsourcing and service agreements, distribution and manufacturing arrangements and data protection. She also frequently works with corporate finance colleagues on the IP/IT and data protection aspects of M&A transactions. Naomi has significant experience working with clients in IP-rich sectors including life sciences, technology and hotels and leisure. She is also responsible for the firm’s growing digital health practice. In addition Naomi advises on the full range of commercial contracts including long term services agreements, software licensing arrangements and outsourcing agreements and data protection law. Naomi has spent time on secondment with clients of the firm including Accor Hotels. Naomi’s transactional IP experience includes advising clients on licensing (including franchise and hotel management arrangements), partnering, collaboration and R&D agreements (particularly for Biotech and Pharmaceutical companies) as well as on the IP aspects of mergers, acquisitions and investments. Her recent commercial experience includes advising a life sciences client in relation to the outsourcing of its recruitment services in Europe and Asia, the commercial manufacturing agreement for a pharmaceutical product and advising in relation to the branding and management of an Ultra Luxury hotel in London. Finally, in her data protection practice, Naomi has advised in relation to a number GDPR compliance projects, has worked with various Art Galleries for the purposes of their electronic-marketing practices and has advised in relation to the interaction between GDPR compliance and compliance with the Clinical Trials Regulation.

Yi is a managing associate, in our private wealth team based in Singapore, who specialises in trusts and private wealth matters. Her experience includes assisting high-net worth individuals and families in setting up complex trusts, family offices and developing efficient structures for succession planning. Yi also has experience in setting up investment funds, family-owned charities, immigration and relocation advisory, corporate and regulatory compliance as well as advising on international tax regulations.

Cathal Leigh-Doyle

An international dispute resolution lawyer with a broad range of contentious experience especially within the energy and natural resources sectors. Cathal advises a range of industry leaders on disputes in the English courts and international arbitration. Cathal also frequently assists clients on non-contentious matters in relation to negotiating and drafting contractual documentation on high value, international and complicated projects. With a strong international perspective, Cathal acts for clients in disputes before the English courts as well as in international arbitrations. Cathal assists large corporate clients across a broad range of contentious situations, in both a representative and advisory capacity, from internal investigations through to formal court or arbitral proceedings. He also frequently carries out negotiations and mediations for his clients. Cathal is also routinely instructed on non-contentious projects where he is engaged by clients to assist in negotiating and drafting contracts, especially relating to decarbonisation, renewable energy, construction and maritime projects. Cathal has worked with clients from a variety of sectors including renewable energy (wind, hydrogen and solar), tech, marine, O&G, financial services and retail sectors. While qualified and practicing in England and Wales, Cathal is triple jurisdiction qualified being also qualified to practise law in New York and Ireland. Cathal frequently speaks on legal issues at events and is also a guest law lecturer at Swansea University on its Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy LLM.

Jean-Julien Lemonnier

Clement is a managing associate finance lawyer with a particular focus on aviation, derivatives and structured finance.

Head of General Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration for the Middle East

James heads up the firm's general banking and finance team. He is a leading real estate finance lawyer, but James also has broad expertise in corporate lending and acquisition finance transactions. James has over 25 years' of Real Estate Finance experience, acting for lenders and borrowers in relation to all kinds of real estate development and investment financings. James has been ranked as a Leading Individual in both Chambers and Legal 500 for many years and he has led on some of the highest profile central London real estate financings in recent years. These include acting for the borrowers in relation to the development financing of the Paddington Cube and the financing of the giant mixed use scheme, Bankside Yards, as well as the acquisition financing of Goldman Sachs' EMEA HQ. On the lender side, James regularly acts as a trusted advisor to Wells Fargo, OCBC, Bayern LB, HSBC and Mass Mutual/Barings in relation to significant acquisition, development and refinancing transactions. Clients say "James is a fantastic lawyer for wide-ranging and practical advice on commercial real estate transactions" with a “friendly, calm and reasoned approach” that is “very proactive and goes above and beyond expectations”.

Malcolm MacDougall

Malcolm is a corporate lawyer specialising in private equity transactions ranging from acting for private equity houses in the mid-market and lower mid-market, to acting for management teams on large cap PE deals. Malcolm’s experience covers all aspects of private equity deals, including MBOs, MBIs, bolt-on acquisitions, investments and exits. Malcolm specialises in private equity transactions acting for PE houses such as Elysian Capital and FPE Capital, as well as growth capital providers such as BGF, investee companies such as Civica (an investee company of Partners Group) and management teams such as the management team of Optimum Credit on the sale to KKR backed, Pepper Money. He has acted on transactions such as Elysian Capital’s acquisitions of Key Travel and Aspirations Care, FPE Capital’s investments in Kallik, The NAV People and IWSR and the sale of Small World to Equistone. He has acted for the Civica Group on 20 bolt-on acquisitions and has acted for management teams on large cap transactions such as the sale of Almatis by Dubai International Capital (DIC) and the sale of EMP by Actis. Malcolm featured in The Lawyer Hot 100 2019 and was the most prolific M&A lawyer in the UK in 2018 and 2020 (mergermarket).

Ian is a partner and head of our ship finance group. He is an expert in the asset finance sector, specialising in ship, offshore and superyacht finance. Ian has broad experience of various financing transactions, from conventional debt, private equity and Islamic finance to leasing and restructuring. He provides quality advice in a commercial context with exceptional levels of service. Ian is recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2023 guide as a leading individual and in Chambers UK 2023 guide as a notable practitioner. Ian has a wealth of experience in complex financing structures, including export credit backed new building financings, financing of receivables pursuant to pool agreement, seller's credit transactions, Islamic financings and sale and lease back transactions. He has also led teams involved in the disposal and acquisition of loan portfolios for a number of high profile financial institutions. Ian acts for a mixture of financial institutions, ship-owners and operators, joint ventures, funds, private equity groups and shipbuilders in a broad variety of transaction types, which allows him to anticipate the issues that his counterparts will raise and enable him to offer commercial solutions. Ian has been involved in the restructuring of a number of high profile financings in varying stages of distress, and has also advised in respect of a number of transactions that have involved enforcement action including the arrest and auction of vessels in a number of jurisdictions. Highly regarded by his clients, Ian is commended for being sharp, quick on his feet, well prepared and able to argue any case clearly and convincingly. He has also contributed to the fourth edition of the leading ship finance industry handbook, Shipping Finance. Ian is a core member of the Stephenson Harwood yacht and superyacht team and regularly advises on non-contentious matters in the sector.

Dora Mace-Kokota

Dora specialises in advising major international financial institutions, owners and other players in relation to general finance, maritime finance, sale and purchases, restructuring, secondary trade and leasing matters. Her specialism is maritime and offshore finance, including ECA-backed finance transactions, sale and purchase, leasing, joint ventures, shipbuilding contracts, ship registration matters, secondary trade transactions, restructuring and enforcement. Dora has experience in these fields and regularly advises on high profile international financing and restructuring matters. She acts for a broad range of international banks and other financial institutions, including export credit agencies as well as major ship owners and shipyards in relation to all types of vessels (LNGs, cargo vessels, containers, chemical tankers, VLCCs, yachts and cruise ships). She boasts particular experience in Europe, parts of Asia and the USA. Dora is instructed regularly if not exclusively by several leading international financial institutions in the context of major syndicated, club and other deals concerning financings made available to one of the largest operators of vessels in the world, one of the largest shipowners in the world and one of the largest providers of critical infrastructure assets to the offshore energy industry. More recently, Dora has become an industry expert and leader in relation to LIBOR substitution and DAC6 regulations. She has also contributed to the fourth edition of the leading ship finance industry handbook, Shipping Finance, and the eBook Maritime Decarbonization. Dora's direct, commercial, pro-active and pragmatic approach is highlighted and appreciated by clients.

Kirsty MacHardy

Kirsty is an experienced litigator specialising in a wide range of shipping and off-shore matters, acting for shipbuilders, major owners, charterers, construction and EPC contractors and insurers. She has significant experience in handling large-scale litigation in the High Court, including successfully taking cases to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, and international arbitration. Kirsty advises on all aspects of shipping disputes including disputes arising under shipbuilding contracts, MoAs, charterparties, bills of lading, shipping investments and joint ventures. Kirsty also particular expertise in matters relating to LNG. On non-contentious shipping matters, Kirsty frequently advises clients on drafting and negotiating shipbuilding and off-shore construction contracts, charterparties, CoAs, pooling agreements and advises on clauses relating to EU ETS, CII and EEXI. Kirsty also has very significant expertise on advising on sanctions.

Chris is a corporate lawyer specialising in private equity and growth capital. He advises companies, individuals, management teams and institutional investors on all aspects of private equity transactions, including MBOs, MBI’s, bolt-on acquisitions, investments and exits. Chris has a broad range of experience across several industry sectors but has particular experience in the technology and healthcare sectors and is a member of the firm's technology sector core team. Chris regularly advises PE houses in the mid-market and lower mid-market such as Elysian Capital, FPE Capital, Pelican Capital and bd-capital, as well as growth capital providers such as BGF. Chris has also advised management teams on several large cap PE deals.

Daniel Margolis

Daniel is a partner in the banking team, based in the firm's London office. He has extensive experience in advising lenders and borrowers on complex and cross-border finance transactions, covering acquisition and leveraged/general corporate finance, fund finance, real estate finance and speciality finance. Daniel acts for a variety of clients, including banks, private equity sponsors, funds, corporates and alternative lenders, on both domestic and international deals. He is recognised for his commercial and pragmatic approach, as well as his ability to handle challenging and innovative transactions. Daniel is a versatile and experienced finance lawyer who has worked in the finance teams at leading international City and US firms, and as lead in-house counsel for a alternative asset investment firm, advising on general corporate, finance and structuring matters. Daniel's recent experience includes advising private equity investment companies on their acquisition financing facilities; acting for funds on their subscription line and NAV facilities; advising on the multi-facility refinancing and group restructuring for a FTSE 250 real estate investment trust; and acting for venture debt fund on its establishment, proforma debt documentation and transactions.

Samantha Martin

Managing Associate

Kirsti Massie is a London-based partner specialising in energy projects, with a particular focus and expertise in power, renewables and energy transition technologies and energy regulation in UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. Sponsors, developers and financial institutions draw on Kirsti’s decades of experience (including in house) which extends from traditional thermal generation (including gas, coal and nuclear) to renewable technologies (including wind (onshore and offshore), solar, hydro, biomass and geothermal), battery/storage, smart meters, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, green ammonia and hydrogen and other energy transition technologies. Kirsti advises on all aspects of project development and asset optimisation and has particular expertise in energy regulation.

Stuart McAlpine

Stuart combines deep expertise as a finance and projects lawyer to a range of participants in the maritime, offshore and energy sectors with broad international experience having spent significant periods of his career in Asia, continental Europe and London. Stuart began his career as a maritime lawyer in London in 1988, moving to Singapore in December 1988. He spent more than eight years in Singapore, followed by seven in Paris. Stuart’s headline matters include a number of high profile LNG shipping projects over the course of the last 25 years, acting mainly for shipowners and charterers. He has advised on projects in Algeria, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the US and Norway. He counselled a number of joint venture owners providing tonnage to the Yamal LNG project advising on a total of 13 of the ships serving the project. He recently advised on the high profile FSO ‘Safer’ matter which involved the safe transhipment of over 1,000,000 barrels of oil and the removal of FSO ‘Safer’ from Yemeni waters where it might have caused a significant environmental disaster. Stuart is a member of BIMCO’s Documentary Drafting Sub-Committee.

Justin McClelland

Justin leads the specialist Regulatory and Investigations team and is co-Head of the broader Commercial Litigation practice in London. He is acknowledged as a leading individual in the areas of both regulatory investigations and corporate crime, with the leading legal directories noting that "Justin McClelland can be a game-changer; he knows the case backwards and has superb instincts". He is described as “knowledgeable, astute and empathetic” and “‘excellent’ at handling multi-jurisdictional investigations,” where his “structured, calm and thorough” approach has proved invaluable in resolving the most challenging matters for clients, whether corporate or individuals. The Directories have noted that “Justin McClelland is the main selling point as he brings considerable experience, expertise and judgement in the field’.” and that “Justin McClelland is the stand-out practitioner. He has considerable cross-over experience, excellent judgement and secures great results.” Justin’s practice is international and covers a number of sectors, including financial services, transport, construction, pharmaceuticals and energy, in the following areas: Regulatory investigations: Leading and managing the defence of corporate clients and individuals in complex, multi-jurisdictional investigations on issues such as market abuse, insider dealing, breaches of the FCA’s Principles and Rules, and cartel behaviour. The investigative agencies with which he has dealt include, in the UK, the FCA, the PRA, the FRC, the ICAEW, the MHRA, the NCA and the SFO and, overseas, the European Commission, the US DOJ, the NYAG, the US CFTC, the Dubai FSA and the Japanese FSA; Regulatory advice: Managing interactions with regulators in supervisory environments to avoid or minimise the impact of regulatory breaches pre-enforcement. The agencies dealt with have included (in the UK), the FCA, PRA, MCA, ICAEW and MHRA; Corporate investigations: Managing internal investigations involving POCA concerns, employment disputes, internal fraud allegations, export compliance/sanctions issues, bribery issues and data protection issues; High-value litigation: Representing clients in commercial and financial disputes including cross-jurisdictional litigation, multi-party actions, appellate proceedings, and follow-on actions arising from regulatory investigations; Compliance programmes: Providing assistance to clients in developing, implementing and reviewing compliance programmes. Prior to his private practice, Justin served as a lawyer in the British Army, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and prosecuting cases spanning the criminal spectrum at Courts Martial, as well as advising and negotiating internationally and at the highest levels of government. Justin was awarded the MBE in June 1998.

Head of the employment, pensions, immigration and private wealth practice group, Jenny is a leading contentious trusts specialist. She is widely recognised for her experience in complex, high value trust disputes in the private wealth, pensions, banking and financial services sectors (both onshore and offshore). She acts for trustees, beneficiaries, corporates, financial services firms, financial institutions, insurers and private individuals. Jenny has acted on a number of high profile claims and trust disputes both onshore and offshore. Her experience ranges from advising on technical areas of rectification and construction of trust documentation to applications for disclosure of information and seeking to hold trustees to account. Jenny has particular expertise in professional negligence claims against trustee advisors and representing trustees in fraud proceedings. She also has extensive experience of third-party litigation funding and insurance arrangements and recovering assets obtained in breach of trust. Jenny is valued by clients for bringing a commercial and pragmatic approach to complex legal issues. Jenny is ranked in the Hall of Fame for Contentious Trusts and Probate and Pensions Litigation in Legal 500 UK and is ranked in both the Chambers & Partners UK and HNW guides. She is included in the Private Client Global Elite directory and has recently been ranked in two separate Citywealth lists: the ‘Top 10 Power Women Trust Litigators’ and ‘Top 100 Trust Litigators and Polymaths’ where clients and peers described her as “discerning with great acumen, innovation and shrewdness. Quick witted, ingenious and clever”. Whilst heading the contentious trust team, Jenny won the Trust and Estates Litigation Team of the Year at Legal Week’s Commercial Litigation and Arbitration Awards for her victory in the Privy Council in Sachak Khan & Ors v Gany Holdings & Ors (regarding a £100 million cross border trust dispute). She is regularly asked to speak at conferences on topical issues and has written a number of published articles.

John advises on a broad range of UK tax matters, including corporate and financing transactions, real estate and funds. He is highly valued by his clients for his technical expertise, attention to detail and pragmatic approach. John's practice covers all direct taxes, stamp duties and VAT. He has extensive experience of corporate transactions, including M&A (public, private, domestic and cross-border), group reorganisations, real estate transactions and corporate and asset finance. He also advises on the tax structuring and other aspects of investment funds including REITS and property funds, investment trusts and other onshore and offshore funds investing in a wide range of asset classes.

Ben is a corporate partner focusing on public and private M&A, joint ventures, capital raising, restructurings and general corporate advice, often with cross border elements. He advises in a wide range of industries, particularly consumer, energy, financial services, industrials and transportation. Ben's broad transportation sector experience covers shipping, aviation, rail and logistics. Ben has been ranked for mid-market M&A in Chambers UK and is a recommended lawyer for mid-market private equity deals in Legal 500, and much of his work involves acquisitions, disposals and mergers of companies and businesses with an international presence. Ben acts for a variety of clients which include corporates, HNWIs, financial institutions, private equity houses and management teams. High profile mandates on which he has recently advised include acting for 3 Step IT on its strategic partnership with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions to create a leading integrated IT leasing business across various European jurisdictions; advising on the sale of leading industrial exhibitions business, Mack Brooks Exhibitions, to FTSE 100 publishing and exhibitions company, RELX Plc; and advising Lloyds Bank and RBS on the sale of the Voyager passenger trains fleet to Beacon Rail, a division of JP Morgan. Ben spent six months in the New York office of a leading US law firm and is a core member of Stephenson Harwood��s US group. He works closely with US based clients and assists them with their international strategic activities.

A partner in the firm's tax group who advises on a broad range of UK tax matters, including corporate and financing transactions and tax disputes. Clients value his technical expertise and client-friendly approach. Shofiq advises on all aspects of UK corporate tax. He has deep experience of advising on corporate and financing transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, reorganisations, equity raisings, loans and bonds. He has also developed specialist expertise in handling and resolving complex tax disputes, enquiries and investigations. Throughout his work, he has acted for institutional investors, listed companies, funds, private companies and individuals. He is recognised in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for tax litigation and investigations.

Sue is an experienced and well-respected litigator whose expertise is recognised in the leading directories. Her practice is broad, encompassing finance litigation, sanctions, civil fraud and corporate and commercial disputes. Clients value her responsiveness and her commitment to finding solutions to complex problems. She leads the firm's sanctions practice and co-heads the firm's "technically strong" finance litigation team. Sue is recognised as a leading individual for commercial litigation and banking litigation in Legal 500 2023. Clients have described her as 'a very experienced litigation partner, with the magical combination of being a tough litigator while also being easy and fun to work with!’ and as 'a force of nature and a brilliant litigator. While she has excellent common sense and an instinctive grasp of the commercialities of a case, she is also a talented lawyer and team leader.’ (Legal 500 2023). Meanwhile, she is described as "excellent" in Chambers UK 2023. Sue also leads the firm's sanctions practice, having practised sanctions law for over 14 years. She advises on a range of contentious and non-contentious issues arising in relation to the Russian, Iranian, Libyan and Syrian sanctions regimes. There are very few firms in the City which can match Stephenson Harwood's experience in this area.

Eifion is the chief executive of Stephenson Harwood LLP. He is responsible for the management and strategic direction of the firm globally, and has held the role since October 2019. Eifion joined Stephenson Harwood as a partner in 2008 to help build the firm’s intellectual property practice. An English qualified lawyer, he has spent most of his career advising well-known multinational clients on their global IP strategies. As well as co-heading the IP practice, before becoming chief executive, Eifion was the firm's Compliance Officer for Legal Practice.

Saugata Mukherjee

A structured and asset finance expert with a particular focus on aviation finance. Saugata also advises clients in respect of general banking matters, structured products and derivatives.

Andrew is well known as a tenacious litigator who "knows when to turn on the pressure" and get results. His “no nonsense” approach cuts to the chase and gets his clients results. Andrew frequently takes on cases where other lawyers have floundered and turns them around. The directories have described Andrew as a "red hot litigator" and someone who "fights hard but fair". Andrew has particular expertise in property-related disputes. Andrew has 30 years' experience specialising in property disputes, contract disputes and professional negligence claims. His property litigation experience spans the full range and includes, forfeiture, dilapidations claims, enforcing covenants, tenant insolvency, restrictive covenants, lease renewals and suing other solicitors who have drafted property documents negligently. Andrew has also deals with contracts which have gone wrong, and joint ventures which fall apart. Andrew is an experienced tactician, and a solicitor advocate, appearing in civil courts up to and including the Court of Appeal. Andrew regularly takes on cases on a “no win no fee” basis. Andrew is acted on one of the first rent arbitrations under the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022 addressing a 7-figure level of arrears on a trophy asset. He has already got the arbitrator to order the tenant to produce a lot of additional accounting documentation to ensure that the tenant does not falsely claim impecuniosity. Andrew acted for the successful tenants in the largest ever enfranchisement claim -Westbrook Dolphin Square Limited v Friends Life Ltd. He acted for the successful defendants in a dispute concerning a failed joint venture to build a shopping centre in Wolverhampton. Andrew’s clients were sued for £56 million. The judge ordered them to pay just £2 (and made their opponents reimburse Andrew’s clients' legal costs). He took Lidl to the Court of Appeal on a joint venture property dispute, He also recovered a very substantial overage payment for a local authority. Andrew acts for some large institutional pension fund landlords, as well as several entrepreneurial property companies. But he also acts for smaller businesses and institutions. He loves to help right wrongs. He brought and settled a claim by a property agent whose introduction fee a national housebuilder had refused to pay. Andrew also successfully defended a widow from an attempt by her relatives to take her late husband's estate, and a local charity whose landlord tried (but failed) to forfeit the charity’s 89 year lease. Andrew recently won at trial for his pension fund client in the recent break clause case B & M Retail Limited v HSBC Bank Pension Trust UK Limited. Andrew is highly regarded in the UK legal directories. Legal 500 UK 2024, property litigation regard Andrew as "one of the best in the business: super bright, resourceful and experienced". As a client in the Chambers & Partners UK 2024 guide puts it, "Andrew Myers is a superb litigator" and that they "wouldn't use anyone else."

Ronnie specialises in advising ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, financial institutions and international trust companies on their UK tax and reporting positions. He mostly advises individuals who are UK resident, but not UK domiciled on a variety of areas including: personal taxation; planning for moving to or leaving the UK; taxation and planning in relation to trusts and other structures; succession planning; and high value UK real estate structuring and taxation. Ronnie also has extensive experience advising international trust companies on the tax and reporting implications of their trust structures. Having completed the STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates (England & Wales) with Distinction, Ronnie is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He has also spoken at a number of STEP and Law Society events and has written for the STEP Journal. Ronnie was shortlisted as a finalist in the Young Practitioner of the Year category of the 2019/20 STEP Private Client Awards and was named as one of the eprivateclient Top 35 under 35 in 2021 and 2022. Ronnie is also featured in the ‘Excellence’ category of the 2024 Private Client Global Elite Directory.

Donna advises on a broad spectrum of commercial and financial disputes. She has experience across a wide range of financial products and markets as well as with disputes involving shareholders, partnership joint ventures, acquisitions and investments. Donna is particularly skilled at dealing with disputes involving very complex issues or very technical concepts. She also advises on disputes arising out of tax structures/products. She frequently advises clients in relation to disputes arising when contracts, trades or transactions have been derailed because of unexpected events including issues relating to business interruption, problems with performance of contracts, issues with counterparties, aborted transactions, loan defaults, margin calls, issues with collateral posting and valuation, close outs and erroneous trades or prices. Donna advised on the litigation arising out of the high profile collapse of Arch Cru investment fund. She acted for the new board of the Guernsey investment cell structure in relation to claims in excess of £150 million against a range of parties across a number of jurisdictions. She acted for a bank in a dispute over trade prices which had been executed in a volatile market following the depegging of the Swiss Franc from the Euro and also acted for the liquidators of a hedge fund in relation to the close out by five banks of the fund’s repo positions resulting in a series of disputes with the banks across multiple jurisdictions and a mix of litigation, arbitration and mediation.

Tom is head of the firm's corporate practice group. With a particular expertise in M&A and equity capital markets, Tom has acted on numerous takeovers and over 60 IPOs on the London Stock Exchange. He is well known in the mid-cap sector where clients value his in-depth knowledge of the London market and highly commercial and pragmatic approach. Tom regularly advises on domestic and cross border acquisitions and disposals involving both private and listed companies. His practice includes advising on IPOs and secondary issues (Main Market and AIM) both in London and internationally and advising quoted companies on their obligations to the FCA and the London Stock Exchange. Tom acts both for listed issuers as well as for investment banks and financial advisers in their capacity as sponsors, nomads and brokers. Reflecting the varied constituents of the London markets, he has advised clients across a number of sectors but has a particular focus on both the technology and natural resources (oil and gas, mining and minerals and energy transition) sectors. He also advises clients on general company law issues and strategic advice including corporate governance for public and private companies as well as private fundraisings, joint ventures, investment agreements and a range of commercial contracts. Tom is consultant editor of "A Practitioner's Guide to the AIM Rules" published by Sweet & Maxwell and is ranked as a key individual for Capital Markets (mid-cap) by both The Legal 500 and Chambers UK directories.

Partner and Head of Middle East Construction Disputes

Naeem is a pensions specialist with significant experience in advising employers and trustees on all aspects of this technical area. He has wide-ranging expertise covering the general advisory, transactional and contentious elements of the practice of pensions law. Naeem has advised clients across a full spectrum of issues; from complex scheme rule amendments and pensions taxation and investment issues; to High Court applications pertaining to construction and rectification of pension scheme rules; through to managing defined benefit pension risks on corporate transactions. His general advisory practice is broad and amongst other things he has advised clients on their contingent asset arrangements, on scheme mergers, closures to future accrual and the legal aspects of the diversification of pension schemes' investment portfolios. His litigation practice covers advising on non-adversarial applications to construe or rectify scheme rules as well as adversarial claims such as professional negligence actions against former pension scheme advisers. He also advises on the pensions aspects of corporate transactions including the management of employer debt that may be triggered and the application of the TUPE legislation in the pensions transactional context. Naeem is a regular contributor to various trade publications and has written on a number of topics including auto-enrolment, the statutory funding regime and the use of extrinsic contracts to vary pension rights.

Pedram is a partner specialising in cross-border ship finance and offshore maritime transactions. He has over ten years' experience advising banks, funds, export credit agencies, ship-owners and operators on a broad range of syndicated and bilateral financings, vessel sale and purchase, leasing transactions and restructurings throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Pedram has built a strong reputation with clients who value his approachability, commercial solutions, attention to detail and dedication to getting the deal done.

Emma is a Partner in our Marine and International Trade department. She has experience in shipbuilding, charterparty (including LNG) and other general contractual matters, both contentious and non-contentious. She also regularly acts for banks in relation to ship finance enforcement matters. Emma has advised a variety of international and local clients in the maritime and offshore sectors, including owners and buyers, charterers, agents, banks and insolvency estates. She has also acted for charities and private individuals on maritime related matters. Her contentious experience includes litigation in the High Court, arbitral proceedings (including ICC, LCIA and LMAA) and mediations. Emma also regularly acts for a number of well-known banks in relation to ship finance and mortgage enforcement matters. Emma advises on a range of non-contentious commercial matters including drafting shipbuilding contracts, refund guarantees, contract addenda, MOAs and other bespoke or specialised commercial contracts. She works closely with our international offices and has previously worked in our Hong Kong office. Emma is a core member of the Stephenson Harwood yacht and superyacht team and regularly advises on contentious and non-contentious matters in the sector.

Joe is a recognised leading lawyer operating at the legal interface between marine and energy insurance and international trade. He has acted for many years for insurers, brokers, traders, banks and end-users and energy companies, many of whom are household names. His marine insurance practice spans the full range of sub-classes, including hull and machinery and increased value, war, builders’ risks, loss of hire, yachts, MII, aquaculture, cargo and specie, P&I and other marfine liabilities. He has been instructed on many of the largest and most complex losses and claims that have impacted the marine and energy insurance market over the past 15 years, including the Buncefield Explosion (the largest peacetime explosion in Europe), the Costa Concordia (the largest ever navigational loss to hit the market), the Qingdao metals frauds, the Tianjin explosion and the collapse of Hanjin. He has particular experience of fraudulent claims, total loss work and war detainment claims arising in challenging jurisdictions. He also has very extensive experience of advising P&I insurers in relation to both coverage matters and claims issues. He advised underwriters in the seminal Supreme Court fraudulent devices case of Versloot Dredging and acted for the successful underwriters in The Galatea, superyacht avoidance case based on undisclosed over-valuation. His work in the international trade sector involves advising traders, banks, end-users and their insurers across the full spectrum of losses, claims and disputes that arise under sale contracts, contracts of carriage, COAs and insurance policies. Legal 500 UK 2021 described Joe and the marine insurance team as ‘a very strong professional group who know their subject matter and the applicable law’.

Joe is a recognised leading lawyer operating at the legal interface between marine and energy insurance and international trade. He has acted for many years for insurers, brokers, traders, banks and end-users and energy companies, many of whom are household names. His marine insurance practice spans the full range of sub-classes, including hull and machinery and increased value, war, builders’ risks, loss of hire, yachts, MII, aquaculture, cargo and specie, P&I and other marfine liabilities. He has been instructed on many of the largest and most complex losses and claims that have impacted the marine and energy insurance market over the past 15 years, including the Buncefield Explosion (the largest peacetime explosion in Europe), the Costa Concordia (the largest ever navigational loss to hit the market), the Qingdao metals frauds, the Tianjin explosion and the collapse of Hanjin. He has particular experience of fraudulent claims, total loss work and war detainment claims arising in challenging jurisdictions. He also has very extensive experience of advising P&I insurers in relation to both coverage matters and claims issues. He advised underwriters in the seminal Supreme Court fraudulent devices case of Versloot Dredging and acted for the successful underwriters in The Galatea, superyacht avoidance case based on undisclosed over-valuation. His work in the international trade sector involves advising traders, banks, end-users and their insurers across the full spectrum of losses, claims and disputes that arise under sale contracts, contracts of carriage, COAs and insurance policies. Legal 500 UK 2021 described Joe and the marine insurance team as ‘a very strong professional group who know their subject matter and the applicable law’.

Tom has extensive experience advising on all aspects of corporate finance including capital markets, takeovers and M&A. Clients value Tom's pragmatic and commercial approach and his ability to guide clients smoothly through transactions. Tom's practice includes advising clients on IPOs and secondary fundraisings, Code takeovers, private company M&A, restructurings and joint ventures. He has particular experience in the life sciences sector. Tom is consultant co-editor of "A Practitioner's Guide to the AIM Rules" published by Sweet & Maxwell.

Shaun is a finance partner specialising in advising banks, financial institutions, alternative lenders, investors, borrowers, lessors and lessees on cross-border and domestic finance transactions, covering ECA-backed facilities, sustainability linked loan facilities, syndicated loan facilities, corporate lending and complex lease structures. Shaun is an asset finance expert and regularly advises on transactions involving maritime assets (commercial vessels and yachts), sea farms, containers, real estate and receivables. Shaun was a commercial manager for a global shipbuilding company before joining the legal profession and has an in-depth knowledge of the maritime industry. Shaun is recognised by clients for his excellent commercial awareness and level of sophistication, and is preferred counsel for a number of high profile shipowners and operators.

Jonathan Pittal

Jonathan is a corporate partner specialising in private equity. He advises private equity houses and other leading financial institutions on a wide range of corporate finance matters covering the structuring of fund managers (including conversion to limited liability partnership), the establishment of investment funds in many asset classes and advising on corporate transactions.

Tom is a corporate and commercial law expert. He has extensive experience advising on domestic and cross-border M&A, strategic joint ventures, corporate restructurings and capital markets transactions. International clients value Tom's commercial, pragmatic advice and his energetic approach to developing long-term client relationships.

Adam is a Partner in the Commercial Litigation department with extensive experience across a broad range of commercial and corporate disputes. Adam has acted on a wide range of complex commercial disputes, often in the Commercial Court, with a particular focus on cross-border disputes, director and shareholder disputes and international arbitration. Confident assisting clients through all stages of litigation, Adam also has in depth experience of interlocutory hearings, representing his clients in relation to interim injunctions, freezing orders, third party debt orders, disclosure orders and applications for security for costs.

Ros is head of our market leading fraud and asset recovery team. She has extensive experience of high value cross border fraud cases, and obtaining and defending injunctions, including freezing orders and search orders. Chambers & Partners' global Asset Tracing & Recovery guide ranks her as one of just 5 leading lawyers ranked in Band 1 in the world. The Legal 500 UK list Ros in the 'Hall of Fame' and Chambers & Partners UK list her as a 'Leading Individual' in Band 1 for Fraud. Chambers & Partners UK 2023 describe Ros as "a hands on partner who knows her cases inside out". Ros has acted on a number of the largest fraud and asset recovery claims, both in England and globally. Clients praise her ability and commitment, with The Legal 500 2023 describing her as “enormously savvy and clever" and "formidable, competent, caring and commercial" and Chambers UK 2023 reporting that she has "a ferocious ability to progress matters and her client's interests in a positive manner." Ros has particular expertise in the enforcement of arbitration awards and judgments, and injunctions in support of arbitrations and foreign proceedings. Ros has acted on numerous cases both for and against states and state owned entities, and has deep expertise in questions of state immunity in the context of asset recovery litigation. Most of her cases are international, and she has particular expertise in cases originating from Russia, CIS and other emerging markets. She has acted against Russian state owned entities, and more recently the state itself, for over 15 years. Ros has extensive experience of disputes involving offshore structures and parallel litigation in jurisdictions such as BVI, Cyprus, Cayman, Mauritius and the Isle of Man. She often works on cases involving parallel civil and criminal proceedings, both domestically and internationally. She is a solicitor-advocate with full rights of audience before the English High Court. Ros’ expertise is highly regarded internationally, and she has been asked to speak on asset recovery related topics at events organised by the United Nations, the Commonwealth, and a number of governments.

Anne helps clients with the practical implications of employment, immigration and partnership law. With many years’ experience acting for both organisations and individuals, she gives tailored advice that focuses on the key issues and achieves positive outcomes for her clients. Anne assists her clients with challenging and high risk employment, immigration and partnership issues, as well as “business as usual” concerns. Her advice is analytical and carefully crafted and reflects the specific priorities, commercial concerns and workplace culture of her clients. She is a seasoned, robust litigator and co-heads the firm’s UK-inbound Immigration business advisory team. With extensive experience of a variety of employers in a wide range of sectors including financial services and professional services, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and energy; Anne has acted for clients with a handful of employees through to those with several thousand. She advises listed boards, private companies, family businesses, domestic households and individuals; she has been the trusted adviser to many of her clients for over 10 years. She is sought out (by firms and partners) as a leading partnership and LLP practitioner with a track record for providing strong legal support in controversial areas such as expulsion, de-equitisation, discrimination, remuneration, and business protection/restrictions. A sought-after speaker/trainer, she is a regular presenter for White Paper Conferences (the leading HR/legal training provider), and the national Employment Lawyers’ Association, giving insightful and entertaining in-house training sessions. Anne qualified in England and Wales in 1996.

Jonathan Proctor

Jonathan is a partner in the firm's finance team. He has a strong reputation across a range of debt finance transactions with a focus on real estate finance, debt restructuring and corporate trusts. Jonathan is popular with clients who appreciate his strong transactional experience and commercial approach. Jonathan advises lenders, borrowers and other stakeholders on a wide variety of finance transactions across Europe, the United States, Asia and the Middle East. Jonathan has also worked on a number of high profile restructurings involving bonds and bank debt and his clients include funds, joint venture vehicles, corporates, banks and corporate trustees. He is popular with clients for his commercial awareness and forms a key part of the firm's banking team and restructuring, which is characterised by its high quality advice and commercial approach. Jonathan's recent high-profile instructions include acting for a syndicate of lenders on the £750 million financing of The Langham Estate, acting for a lender syndicate in relation to distressed shopping centre assets and acting for a borrower-side listed investment fund on financing around a UK brewery. Jonathan has recently acted across a number of market leading and innovative bond restructuring transactions and has advised corporate trustees on a range of enforcement scenarios and distressed situations. Jonathan has also played a key role in developing the firm's real estate fund clients over recent years (acting on many real estate financings for funds managed by Schroders) and in expanding the firm’s client base generally. Jonathan also leads the firm's relationships with The NatWest Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Bank Leumi (UK) plc, BACB plc and Ocorian.

Beatrice’s primary focus is advising UK residents and non-residents, domicile and non-domicile individuals, private banks, trustees, and family offices, on their international tax, trust, and estate planning issues. Beatrice has an extensive portfolio of clients and specialises in a European tax and trust practice with a particular expertise on Italian issues. Beatrice also has significant experience in advising financial institutions and trustees on international trust and tax matters and on the ownership, structuring and acquisition of UK and non-UK real estate. Beatrice also specialises in cross-border estate planning issues with a particular focus on all issues arising from Roman Law and Common Law application. Beatrice is also recognised one of the leading individuals in the UK private wealth community. She is ranked by the Legal 500 for expertise in Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate and by Chambers & Partners for Private Wealth, Family Offices & Funds Structuring and Foreign Expertise (Italy), with interviewees commenting "Beatrice is excellent at representing high-end clients with complex, multinational issues". Others comment "Beatrice is a trusted adviser. She is technically very able. Her client-handling skills are second to none. Her emotional intelligence is phenomenal, which helps her to deliver what the client needs." Beatrice has been included in the Private Client Global Elite for many years, as well as the Spear's Indices for Top Recommended Tax & Trusts lawyers and eprivateclient's 50 Most Influential list.

Alexandra Pygall

An intellectual property expert with significant experience of advising on both transactions and disputes. Alexandra believes in providing straightforward and practical advice in context. With degrees in both law and chemistry, many of her clients are in the life sciences sector but she also works with luxury brand clients and clients in other sectors. Alexandra advises on the complete spectrum of intellectual property issues. Her clients range from life sciences companies, such as BTG plc and Vernalis plc, to luxury brand companies such as Moët Hennessy and Richemont. Alexandra's transaction experience includes advising clients on licensing, partnering, collaboration and R&D agreements as well as on the IP aspects of mergers, acquisitions, investments (including the taking of security over IP) and commercial contracts such as manufacturing and distribution arrangements. Her dispute experience includes advising clients in relation to claims regarding IP ownership, infringement and validity and in relation to licensing and other contractual matters. She also advises in relation to anti-counterfeiting strategies and enforcement policies. She has experience of both civil and criminal IP litigation. Alexandra has been named in The Lawyer's Hot 100 – Dealmaker list 2019 which acknowledges her as "representative of emerging talent in the venerable City player". Described as "bright, charming, witty and solution-driven" by Chambers and Partners, she has also been described as "extremely knowledgeable and an excellent communicator who has a unique ability to demystify complex areas of law. She juggles legal business risk with opportunity and then provides robust but pragmatic advice. On top of that, she’s a huge pleasure to work with" (IAM Patent 1000, 2018). According to WTR 1000, 2019 “her enthusiasm is infectious and she has a rare ability to explain difficult issues plainly and simply for the benefit of clients and to their great advantage”. Alexandra is highly recommended for patent transactions (IAM Patent 1000), for trade mark transactions, enforcement and litigation (WTR 100 2019) and for commercial agreements and litigation concerning copyright, trade marks and life sciences patents (Chambers and Partners). She has also been awarded the Lexology Client Choice Award for healthcare and life sciences UK 2018.

James Quarmby is one of the most prominent private client lawyers in the UK. Industry commentators note that he is "becoming a legend of the private wealth space because of his astute awareness of the environment in which we operate, which allows him to provide such relevant and effective advice" (Chambers & Partners HNW, 2024). He has a wide-ranging practice, advising on UK and international taxation, residency and domicile, offshore pensions and trusts, asset protection, succession planning and HMRC disputes. James frequently appears in the press and broadcast media. He has featured across a range of outlets, including Newsnight, BBC Breakfast, BBC News, BBC World Service TV, Sky News, Bloomberg TV, BBC R2, BBC R4 (including the Today programme), BBC R5L, BBC World Service, LBC, Times Radio, and in numerous quotes across the print media. He writes and lectures widely on tax policy. James is recognised across the private wealth sector for his expertise. He has been included in eprivateclient's "50 Most Influential" list for nine years running, as well as featuring in the Private Client Global Elite and Spear's Tax & Trusts Indices. He is ranked as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500, and is recognised by the Chambers HNW guide in both the Private Wealth Law and Family Offices & Funds Structuring categories. He was named Tax & Trusts Lawyer of the Year at the 2022 Spear's Wealth Management Awards. As well as being a solicitor, regulated by the SRA, he is a Registered Tax Technician, regulated by the Association of Tax Technicians (ATT). He is an active member of STEP and a contributing editor for LexisNexis.

Evangeline Quek

Office Managing Partner, Greater China

Genevieve Quierin

Genevieve acts for corporate and individual clients in a broad range of commercial disputes. She frequently represents companies in the banking and finance, private equity, hospitality and leisure, retail, media and telecoms sectors. Her expertise spans pre-action strategic advice to directors, shareholders and company founders through to high value, multi-jurisdictional High Court litigation. Genevieve has a leading banking and finance litigation practice as well as a specialism in competition private enforcement actions, and is currently representing over 1,000 companies in group claims against Visa and MasterCard. She is equally at ease acting for claimants and defendants, and frequently works with third party litigation funders. Recent work includes: strategic advice to founder of high profile media business involving breach of directors’ duties and unfair prejudice to minority shareholders; defending a £50m+ breach of warranty claim; breach of contract and rectification action acting for PE fund; advising US hedge fund in relation to material adverse effect clause; acting for a major global trust company in several multi-jurisdictional actions involving allegations of fraud; advising corporate director in relation to round tripping allegations; providing advice on potential liabilities arising from the Grenfell Tower Fire to global bank. Genevieve is co-chair of the Cambridge Forum on European Collective Redress, a member of the International Bar Association and a frequent conference speaker.

Paul's experience in our employment team is pivotal in its recognition as an elite ranked team for employment law advice. He advises clients on contracts of employment, employment policies, individual and collective dismissals, discrimination claims, restrictive covenants and the practical aspects of sensitive internal investigations (both grievance and disciplinary). Paul is advising his financial services clients on the implementation of the Senior Managers/Certification Regime (SMCR) including drafting policies, updating contracts and SMCR documentation, together with bespoke training to the compliance and HR community at his clients. Paul has a wealth of experience advising clients on how to apply the SMCR to everyday employment matters, for example disciplinary procedures, internal investigations, regulatory references and the notifications to the PRA/FCA on such issues. He also has considerable experience in dealing with multi-jurisdictional employment law issues on corporate transactions (TUPE and share sale) and outsourcing. Paul's strengths are with clients in the financial services sector, FTSE 100 and international luxury brands. In The Legal 500 UK 2024 legal directory he is rated as "one of the most talented employment lawyers in the country. He leads a brilliant team by example. He combines outstanding client engagement with close detail to the specifics of every case" and is described as "tenacious and really brings the fight for clients whilst remaining commercially astute as to strategic calls in the litigation." Paul qualified in England and Wales in 1999.

Registered Foreign Lawyer (New York) Partner, Stephenson Harwood LLP

Helen Rhind-Hufnagel

Helen is an M&A specialist advising on cross-border transactions across Southeast Asia, often involving European and US parties. Clients respect Helen's pragmatic, commercial approach whilst remaining astute to cultural sensitivities. Helen also advises extensively on compliance issues across the region, in particular anti-money laundering and anti-bribery.

Stephen Richards

A big scheme specialist, Stephen advises employers, trustees, and master trusts on all types of pensions issues. He has a commercial style on strategic issues and brings a responsive approach on day to day matters. With the ability to present complex ideas in a simple way, Stephen has helped a variety of clients with tricky pensions issues, from the trustees of global banks to UK manufacturers. Stephen joined Stephenson Harwood from Allen and Overy to complement our strong and growing pensions team. As a rising star in pensions law, Stephen further enhances the reputation of the firm's pension practice. He is an expert on pensions in the banking sector, large pension schemes, Pensions Regulator issues and master trusts. Stephen has experience on major strategic projects including advising on the acquisition of a major master trust provider and the largest company contribution made to a pension scheme to date. Stephen is also a trustee so he understands what trustees need from their advisers. Stephen established the Pensions Innovation Café, and likes to present advice in a modern, user friendly way. Stephen‘s recent experience includes advising on multiple transfers to DC master trusts and the trustees of several of the UK's major pension schemes on all day to day legal issues. He also gave strategic advice on major Pensions Regulatory issues for a FTSE 100 company as well as to a global telecoms company on world-wide pensions issues.

William Robertson

William specialises in UK and European financial services regulation, supporting financial institutions and their investors on a wide range of transactional and advisory matters. He works closely with the firm’s corporate and funds practices, and also provides technical assistance in relation to s.166 appointments, FCA investigations and insolvency procedures. William regularly advises on acquisitions and disposals of regulated businesses, including wealth managers, insurance brokers and fintech propositions. He has particular expertise in the bulk transfer of retail investment books including ISA and Child Trust Fund accounts. His advisory work includes major regulatory change projects such as the Retail Distribution Review and MiFID II, as well as the launch of new investment and insurance distribution propositions and prudential advice. He regularly guides buy-side firms on compliance with the FCA’s Client Assets sourcebook (CASS) and conduct of business rules, and advises banks on credit risk mitigation techniques subject to the Capital Requirements Regulation.

Julie is a partner in the banking team. Julie advises lenders, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers across a range of domestic and cross-border finance transactions, with particular expertise in leveraged finance. Julie has built a reputation of being technically excellent, commercial, pragmatic and user-friendly. Julie has over 20 years of experience acting for lenders and borrowers on financing transactions. Her work spans general corporate lending and acquisition and leveraged finance. Julie works regularly with the Stephenson Harwood private equity team on the financing aspects of leveraged buyouts for our private equity clients. On the lender side, clients include both banks and alternative credit providers. Recent lender side experience includes advising on the financing of a private equity backed acquisition of an online gambling testing business, advising on the provision of various super senior facilities for private equity backed businesses and advising on the provision of a Recovery Loan Scheme backed facility for a restaurant business.

Linda has a wealth of experience in a broad spectrum of transactional shipping and offshore work, with particular expertise in yachts and superyachts. Linda's expertise covers projects and financing work, including structured financings and the related security, time charters, bareboat charters, construction / refit contracts, sale and purchase agreements, joint venture agreements and many agreements related to these. She has acted for banks, private equity groups, leasing companies, owners, project sponsors, charterers, managers and others, and this breadth of experience allows her to understand the perspective of each of the parties in a transaction, anticipate the concerns that each will raise and to offer pragmatic and focused advice. Linda has particular specialist knowledge in yachts, and has extensive experience in essentially all aspects of transactional yachting, including negotiating construction / conversion / refit contracts; related contracts such as agreements between the owners and designers, naval architects, project managers and suppliers; sale and purchase agreements; financing agreements; charters; yacht management or central agency agreements, and many others – including bespoke agreements to fit specific transactions.

Bryony has extensive experience advising clients active in a range of sectors across the full range of EU and UK competition law issues. Particular areas of expertise include global cartel investigations and multi-jurisdictional merger control. Bryony's cartel experience covers all stages of an investigation, including internal audits and strategic advice, immunity and leniency submissions, acting in settlement discussions and preparing defences. She has acted in appeals to the European courts, and for clients facing follow on private damages claims in the English and German courts. Bryony also has significant experience advising global corporations on complex cross-border mergers and joint ventures, from undertaking multi-jurisdictional analyses to securing regulatory approval from competition authorities worldwide, as well as advising on general competition compliance matters. Other experience includes acting in relation to competition authority market investigations and abuse of dominance investigations, and analysing horizontal and vertical commercial agreements to assess their compatibility with the competition rules. Her clients are from a wide range of sectors, including technology, financial services, pharmaceutical, retail and manufacturing.

Michael is a trusted adviser to numerous, mostly European, private clients, their families and businesses. He has experience advising on a wide range of UK and international matters involving tax, estate planning and succession issues. Michael has developed a unique practice assisting private clients and their businesses which straddles both advisory and litigious angles. Michael's non-contentious practice involves advising individuals and families relocating to, leaving or with interests in the UK on the most appropriate and efficient tax and estate planning. His understanding of the most common issues and criticalities in the various jurisdictions involved (especially European ones) enables him to better understand clients' needs and concerns and work seamlessly with the other advisers involved. The second main pillar of Michael's practice is of a more contentious nature, involving disputes involving entities and structures (trusts, foundations, companies), successions and tax matters. Michael also takes a pre-emptive approach, stress-testing clients' wealth planning structures and affairs in order to reduce the risk of future litigation.

Sally’s practice focuses on complex technology projects and transformations as well as use of emerging technologies. She has particular expertise in IT and business process outsourcings, long term services agreements and digital transformation projects. Sally also advises on use of AI, software licensing and data protection and cyber security. Sally has over a decade of experience advising clients on a broad spectrum of technology matters ranging from large scale outsourcings (IT and BPO and acting on both customer and supplier side) and digital and technology transformation projects, to use of emerging technologies including FinTech and AI. Sally also provides strategic contractual support for transitional arrangements in complex M&A transactions. Key examples of her experience include, advising a multinational investment bank on the consolidation and transformation of its cheque processing activities using a cloud-based digital platform, one of the largest global technology companies on the deployment of its in-app payment solution, a supplier-side mandate for outsourcing of middle office investment services, outsourcing of the CCTV for a casino operator in Macau and data centre and contact centre outsourcing arrangements for a global logistics provider.

Tammy is a leading commercial and regulatory transport expert advising on all aspects of the heavy and light rail markets as well as buses and other transport both in the UK and internationally. She was head of our global finance practice and sat on the firm's global leadership team for 5 years, and currently serves as the firm's client champion. Tammy is also spending time developing the Stephenson Harwood transport practice in the Middle East, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tammy works closely alongside her clients as part of the team, rolling up her sleeves to work with manufacturers and maintainers (rolling stock and buses), operators, procurers, regulators and the public sector. Her experience includes providing comprehensive and strategic advice on railway and bus franchises and concessions (including in bidding and operational phases), procurement (including manufacturing and maintenance arrangements), infrastructure development (including station and depot construction and electrification), electric assets (including batteries) and on regulatory matters (including the development of new regulatory frameworks). Tammy's projects have included advising bidders in all rounds of franchising and concessioning in the UK rail industry (including EMAs and Direct Awards) and bus franchising in the UK. She advises on the most high-profile procurements, including working with commercial litigation colleagues on disputes relating to the same. The rail and road team at Stephenson Harwood is at the forefront of the industry, writing numerous articles, presenting seminars and hosting industry dinners.

Oliver Sangster

Oliver is a partner in our commercial litigation team who specialises in construction, engineering, PFI, rail and public procurement disputes. Oliver has extensive experience advising clients in high-profile matters covering high court litigation, international arbitration, adjudication, judicial review proceedings, and appeals before the Competition and Markets Authority. Oliver's construction experience includes complex delay/disruption and defects claims arising out of projects both in the UK and the UAE, encompassing airports, power plants, offshore pipelines, and road and utility networks. He regularly provides strategic advice to PFI project companies and their investors in the health and education sectors, in disputes arising out of both alleged service performance failures and latent defects. He also advises rail investors on day-to-day dispute avoidance. Oliver also has extensive experience advising losing bidders in public procurement challenges.

A specialist property litigator with over 15 years' experience, Sophie helps clients navigate the complexities of property law and resolve disputes quickly and cost-effectively. She advises property investors, developers, lenders, corporate occupiers and individuals on every manner of property dispute. Sophie has particular expertise in rights of light and disputes relating to property development. She is renowned for her legal knowledge and ability to get to the bottom of a tricky issue. Sources quoted in Chambers UK have praised her "phenomenal" knowledge (2015) and described her as a "walking brain" (2014) that is "able to tie the opposition up in knots" (2011). Sophie regularly acts on a wide range of landlord and tenant disputes, representing both landlords and tenants, including lease renewals, forfeiture, dilapidations, service charge and agreement for lease disputes. She also has extensive experience in the development sphere, advising both developers and neighbours on claims (including injunctions) relating to nuisance, rights of light, trespass and party wall matters, restrictive covenants and easements. She is equally at home using her experience to help developers navigate and pre-empt claims as assisting neighbours assert their rights. Other experience includes adverse possession, boundaries, easements, insolvency-related issues, joint ventures, leasehold enfranchisement, professional negligence, residential property and sale and purchase disputes. Sophie gives practical advice which goes straight to the heart of an issue. She deploys her expertise in the law and strategy to secure the best result for her client at the earliest possible stage. Clients express their appreciation of having her in their corner to fight their side. She has a track record of achieving excellent results. She aims to resolve disputes without court proceedings wherever possible. Often straightforward 'without prejudice negotiations' are most effective but she also has experience of mediation, arbitration and expert determination. She is a solicitor advocate and member of the Property Litigation Association. Sophie has written for Property Week, Estates Gazette, Landlord & Tenant Review and FM World.

Stewart is a Partner in Stephenson Harwood's Real Estate team, with a particular focus on corporate occupiers, corporate restructuring and investment transactions. His experience includes acquisitions, disposals and lettings including major portfolio transactions and all aspects of the letting, management and restructuring of portfolios.

Matthew is a partner in our highly ranked and market leading shipping and offshore finance team based in Singapore. His particular focus extends to working with clients on asset finance and restructuring transactions related to a variety of asset classes within the maritime sector. Having built up close to a decade's experience, Matthew is known in particular for his dedication in project managing cross-border transactions, his sensible and commercial approach to developing client solutions and his commitment to helping clients achieve their commercial goals.

Kamal is the head of Stephenson Harwood's Africa and India groups. He specialises in complex, cross-border international arbitration, litigation and fraud and asset recovery. Kamal is highly regarded by his peers and clients for his Africa and India experience, as well as in his abilities in multi-jurisdictional disputes. He acts for governments, government entities, banks, private corporations and high net worth individuals in a range of matters including those relating to projects and infrastructure, joint ventures, banking and finance, shareholder arrangements, energy and a range of schemes commonly used to defraud individuals and corporations. Kamal is highly ranked in the legal directories including Chambers & Partners (UK, Global and Asia-Pacific), The Legal 500 (UK and Asia-Pacific), and IFLR1000. Kamal is one of only four lawyers ranked in Band 1 for Africa-wide dispute resolution in Chambers Global 2023. They comment that "Kamal Shah is always a star performer… and is always willing to go the extra mile to find the right solutions" and that "He is an excellent litigator. His strength is project management: he is able to perfectly organise all the moving pieces in a case." (Chambers Global, Africa-wide 2023). In 2022, Chambers Global commented "Kamal Shah runs a strong East Africa practice from London. He's very well known and respected in the arbitration community" and that "He is really a leader in Africa work." (Chambers Global, Africa-wide 2022) Chambers & Partners UK 2024 for international arbitration also praises Kamal's practice in Africa stating that he "receives strong praise for his expert handling of Africa-related disputes." Legal 500 UK 2024 for international arbitration state he "deservedly has a strong reputation." In 2023 they also described him as the "doyenne of African and South Asian disputes" and a "real star, with in-depth knowledge of commercial disputes involving Africa and elsewhere." He was named as a leading international arbitration practitioner in Who's Who Legal: Future Leaders 2017 - 2022 for arbitration and has been recognised in Africa’s 30 Arbitration Powerlist 2020 and The Legal 500's GC Private Practice Powerlist for arbitration and Africa in 2022. Kamal is also recognised in the Lawdragon Global Litigation 500 list that features attorneys who specialise in international arbitration. Kamal has also been listed in India Business Law Journal's top 100 international lawyers for India-related matters for the last six years, along with being recognised as a 'Leading Cross Border (India Desk) Lawyer' at the Legal Era's Global Achievers Awards 2022. Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific guide lists Kamal as a key contact for India Dispute Resolution and the Legal 500 Asia Pacific guide quotes "Kamal Shah heads their India group and is a great litigator." In addition to being a LCIA Court Member, Kamal is currently the President of the LCIA African Users Council. Kamal co-published the text of the ‘African Promise’, which seeks to tackle the under-representation of Africans on international arbitration tribunals. He is also the co-author of the leading text "Arbitration in Africa: A Review of Key Jurisdictions". Kamal was named joint winner of 'Mentor of the Year' at the African Arbitration Association Awards 2020.

Rustum Shah

Kristian Shearsby

Kristian is a corporate lawyer specialising in the life sciences and technology sectors. He advises on a wide range of corporate matters including venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and other securities issues. Kristian works with companies at all stages of development, from early-stage biotech and technology companies through to listed public companies, investment funds and investment banks operating within the sectors. Kristian is dedicated to working together with innovative businesses in the life sciences and technology sectors, supporting their legal needs as the business develops and forging strong and long-lasting client relationships. Kristian uses his sector and transactional experience to provide commercial and pragmatic advice and to assist clients with achieving successful outcomes on a broad range of corporate matters. Transactions in the life sciences and technology sectors regularly involve complex IP, licensing and commercial issues and Kristian works closely with colleagues in these teams, to ensure clients have the expert support they require. Having worked at a number of international law firms, many of Kristian's transactions include a cross-border element, with a particular focus on matters involving the US.

Ben is a partner in our commercial litigation team and heads the firm's sports practice. Ben has extensive experience in all aspects of dispute resolution including arbitration, litigation, and regulatory investigations, and he has a particular focus on the financial and technology sectors. Ben's experience also encompasses dealing with issues arising from allegations of fraud, insolvency claims, and a wide variety of applications for interim relief. Ben has acted for, and against, sovereign states and other governmental entities, banks, and corporates, including high profile entities across a range of sectors (finance, commodities, property and so forth), as well as high-net worth individuals, and the majority of his instructions include a significant cross-border element. Whilst Ben's practice spans the full gamut of corporate and commercial disputes, he has particularly notable experience of, and expertise and interest in, advising majority and minority shareholders, directors, interested third parties, and companies in the context of shareholder disputes (both in relation to private and public companies) and co-venturers and other interested parties in the context of partnership disputes (in relation to limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, and partnerships at will). This aspect of his practice is complemented by his wealth of experience in advising on disputes relating to reputation management and information law issues, which are often engaged in this context.

Mark is Of Counsel in the private equity team, with more than 15 years' experience advising on the establishment and operation of closed-ended private investment funds. Mark represents fund managers, institutional investors, and family offices on the structuring and formation of closed-ended funds across a range of asset classes, including private equity, infrastructure, energy, venture capital, and real estate. Mark is also an experienced adviser on the structuring of carried interest incentive arrangements, managed accounts, joint ventures, and co-investment vehicles, as well as fund restructuring (including continuation vehicles and secondary portfolio liquidity transfers), management firm setup, and fund governance.

David Sinclair

Emma is an experienced litigator and specialises in resolving complex disputes for clients across the international trade, shipping and natural resources sectors. She advises trading houses, oil companies, producers, shipowners, charterers, and insurers on the full range of their contractual and often multi-jurisdictional disputes, in both arbitration and High Court litigation. Emma is an international disputes and arbitration specialist with a particular focus on commodities and shipping issues. She regularly acts for the major players in the soft commodities industries (including grains, oilseeds, sugar and cocoa) and has extensive experience representing clients in London arbitrations (including GAFTA, FOSFA, SAL, LMAA, ICC, LCIA), the English High Court, and mediation. Her practice also includes hard commodities and oil & gas disputes, where she has acted for state-owned companies in complex, multi-jurisdictional arbitrations. In the shipping sector, Emma advises charterers, shipowners, insurers, and cargo interests on all types of charterparty issues including ship arrests, security, freight, and hire, and has acted on a number of reported shipping cases, including representing the successful charterers in the Commercial Court decision "The Eleni P" (2019) relating to a dispute over hire during a period of detention by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. Emma presents globally on legal topics relating to the international sale of goods. She also has in-house experience, both at a global shipping company and a large steel producer, which has given her a deep insight into the needs of her clients and their industries.

Elizabeth Sloane

Jessica provides specialist UK immigration and nationality advice to a range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals and corporates. For private clients, Jessica regularly advises on the Investor, Innovator and Global Talent categories. She also advises on complex family and personal matters involving relocation to the UK, Indefinite Leave to Remain (also known as Permanent Residence or Settlement) and British citizenship. For EEA nationals, this involves advising on the EU Settlement Scheme and their UK immigration permission post-Brexit. Jessica also supports corporate clients with the sponsor licence process and subsequent sponsorship of skilled workers. She also advises UK businesses to help ensure that they are compliant with their sponsor licence duties and responsibilities and the law in relation to the prevention of illegal working. Jessica is ranked by the Chambers and Partners HNW guide, in the category 'Immigration: High Net Worth Individuals'. She is also recognised by the Legal 500 for her immigration expertise, and is named in the 2024 Private Client Global Elite. Jessica is The Law Society Council Member for the Immigration constituency and is a member of The Law Society's Immigration Committee group. She is also a member of the Home Office Business Advisory Group and Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA).

Dan advises on high-stakes commercial disputes and investigations, particularly in the areas of investment and finance, complex commercial litigation, contentious restructurings and insolvencies, and bribery and corruption. Dan develops comprehensive dispute strategies early in line with clients’ business objectives, and achieving those objectives through litigation or alternative dispute resolution. 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.

Jonathan Spearing

Jonathan is a specialist in the energy, natural resources and commodities sectors. His clients include mining groups, oil and gas companies, refiners, trading houses, charterers, banks, energy utilities and industrial consumers. He is an experienced litigator but also maintains an active transactional and advisory practice. Jonathan handles the full range of commercial disputes, advising clients in both High Court litigation and international arbitration (institutional, trade and ad hoc). Recognised as "a hugely committed lawyer with a sharp intellect" (Legal 500 UK 2021), he has particular expertise in matters relating to the supply, carriage, storage, distribution and financing of commodities. He has also developed a market-leading practice for commodities fraud cases, with sources describing him as "a complete guru when it comes to warehousing and fraud" (Chambers UK 2020). Alongside his contentious work, Jonathan regularly advises on trade and commodity finance transactions, particularly those involving inventory and other title-based structures. He also advises on a variety of off-take, supply, distribution, master trading, storage, tolling and other agreements across the full range of commodities classes, as well as COA and charterparties. Jonathan has become a trusted advisor to many clients who appreciate his hands-on and practical approach and call on him for strategic legal advice, often at board level and in relation to commercially or politically sensitive issues.

Duncan is a senior corporate partner at Stephenson Harwood LLP. He advises a sophisticated, internationally diverse client base in Europe and the US across a range of sectors (including manufacturing, technology and real estate) on complex transactions which often have a cross-border element. Over the last 30 years, Duncan has advised a wide range of listed and unlisted UK and international companies, private equity sponsors and financial institutions on transactional matters including public and private M&A, joint ventures, fundraisings and corporate reorganisations. The United States is a particular focus for Duncan's practice and over the last 15 years he has advised in relation to strategic European investments by numerous US corporates and financial sponsors; most recently Intercontinental Exchange, Inc; Kroll Inc, Elemica Inc and Corporation Service Company. He advised Covanta Holding Corporation on its strategic partnership with Green Investment Group (part of the Macquarie Group) to develop, fund and own energy-from-waste projects in the UK and Ireland and now advises the UK business directly following the acquisition of GIG's interests. He has recently advised on a number of deals in the technology sector, including Kroll's acquisition of cyber-security services provider Redscan; Elemica's purchase of OmPrompt, a company focussed on the automation and optimisation of supply chain processes and document management; and Intercontinental Exchange's acquisition of Urgentem, a provider of emissions data and climate risk analytics to the finance industry.

Nicholas Stretch

Nicholas has over 25 years' experience of advising companies on all aspects of employee incentives and remuneration matters. Valued by clients for his pragmatic and commercial approach, while having an in-depth knowledge of the area, he is recognised as a leading individual practising in employee incentives by The Legal 500 and Chambers UK. Nicholas advises on share plans, management incentives, bonus arrangements and remuneration-related issues. He has particular expertise in the design and implementation of bespoke share plans including advising on the tax structuring and corporate governance aspects. He also has considerable experience of advising on the impact of corporate transactions on employee incentives, including mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings, including on the Alternative Investment Market. In addition, Nicholas works closely with Stephenson Harwood's employment team to advise on senior level appointments, remuneration and terminations, including compliance with relevant financial services remuneration codes. He is a former chairman of Share Plan Lawyers, the UK body for lawyers in this area, and also former chairman of the QCA Share Schemes Expert Group.

Office Managing Partner and Global Head of Maritime and Offshore

Jay is a partner in the corporate department. His practice focuses on private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and complex corporate and commercial transactions.

Joan is a managing associate in the shipping and offshore finance team in Singapore. She has a key focus in PRC leasing and regularly assists on complex multi-jurisdictional loan and sale and leaseback transactions involving top-tier PRC lessors and major banks. In addition to vessel financing and leasing matters, she is also experienced in related matters involving vessel sale and purchase and vessel and mortgage registrations/deletions in various jurisdictions. Joan's principal area of practice includes other non-contentious shipping transactions and extends to general banking and finance matters. Joan also contributed to the fourth edition of the leading ship finance industry handbook, Shipping Finance: A Practical Handbook.

Jeffrey is a partner who is recognised as a leading transactional lawyer known for his expertise in banking, finance and marine and energy transactional matters.

Peter Theochari

Peter is an asset finance partner with a focus on the maritime and aviation sectors. He advises a wide range of clients including banks, other financial institutions, ECAs and owners, with a focus on complex, cross-border financing, chartering, leasing, the trading of transportation assets, and secondary debt trading. Peter has worked on some of the most complicated and innovative asset finance transactions in the market, with a particular focus on “big ticket” multi-jurisdiction financings for some of the world’s most prominent banks and other financial institutions (including ECAs and other structured investment platforms). Peter has significant experience of the disposal of ships and aircraft, sale and lease backs, operating and finance leasing, and the repackaging of maritime and aviation assets. Further, Peter has worked on numerous distressed asset scenarios including insolvencies, enforcements, repossessions, settlements and restructurings, and so has experience of the full life cycle of both maritime and aviation assets.

Lucy is a partner in the private equity group specialising in advisory and transactional work for private equity and growth capital investors, management teams and portfolio companies. Lucy is a corporate lawyer with a broad experience advising on all aspects of private equity across several industry sectors, including TMT and business services. She acts for a range of institutional investors, founder shareholders and management teams throughout the lifecycle of a company, including early stage fundraisings, growth capital investment, MBO's, MBI's and exits. Her recent work has predominantly focused on the mid-market and lower mid-market, for example, advising FPE Capital on its investment in Intragen (a cybersecurity services consultancy and systems integrator) and its successful exit from cross-border payments services provider, Small World. Lucy's experience also includes advising portfolio companies on corporate, constitutional and post-investment matters (including loan note listings), as well as in relation to any bolt-on acquisitions. Most notably Lucy has acted on over 15 acquisitions for the Civica Group (an investee company of Partners Group), as part of its "buy and build" strategy.

Paul is a specialist in construction and engineering disputes and procurement claims. He advises on projects in the UK and around the world. Paul has a track record in winning difficult and complex cases. Clients value Paul's clear advice and his determination to achieve their goals. He has over 20 years' experience resolving complex disputes. Clients seek Paul out based on his trusted reputation to deliver the right result on high-profile and high-value matters. He excels at difficult cases where innovative legal solutions are called for. Many of his instructions are referrals from his peers in the industry who have seen first-hand his ability to resolve disputes successfully through adjudication, arbitration, litigation and mediation. Paul has a wealth of experience in construction and engineering claims as well as advising on risk management and dispute avoidance during the construction phase of major projects. He has acted for both employers and contractors in relation to projects in the commercial, industrial, retail, energy, waste, water, health and education sectors. Paul specialises in contractor claims for delay and disruption, cases involving major building defects and disputes arising out of FM contracts and PFI projects. He has been involved in some of the largest and most difficult construction related disputes including one of the biggest cases heard in the TCC in recent years (Accolade Wines v GJ3 and others). Paul also specialises in procurement disputes and challenges under the EU public procurement rules acting for both the public and private sector. Due to his level of work and the service he provides, Paul is recognised as a leading practitioner in construction law by Chambers UK and The Legal 500.

Julien Vandenbussche

George Vaughton

George has a wealth of experience advising lenders and borrowers across a broad spectrum of debt transactions, specialising in real estate finance, corporate lending and acquisition finance. He frequently works on transactions involving cross-border and other complex, innovative elements. George previously worked in the corporate and finance teams of a magic circle firm and has spent a number of years working in London, Hong Kong and Beijing, handling extremely high profile matters for international clients. His clients have included financial institutions, corporates, governments and state-owned entities from the UK, Europe, Asia and South America. Coming from a particularly broad legal background, George has advised on transactions as diverse as joint ventures, public and private cross-border mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and public debt issuances. Complementing his debt finance work, he also focuses on derivatives and advises clients on the interest rate hedging aspects of loan transactions.

Alan is a partner in the regulatory litigation practice group. He advises corporate entities and individuals in the context of regulatory and criminal investigations, commenced by agencies such as the Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority. Alan has acted in relation to some of the most high-profile and complex multi-jurisdictional investigations commenced by criminal and regulatory enforcement agencies in the UK, USA, Europe and Far East. His work has included advising in relation to allegations of bribery and corruption, insider dealing, tax evasion and manipulation of financial markets. Alan's work regularly involves allegations of misconduct on financial markets. Recently, he has advised individuals in respect of the global LIBOR and foreign exchange (forex) investigations, including both individuals who are the subject of regulatory and criminal allegations of market misconduct, and senior managers who have been investigated by regulators for alleged oversight failures. He has also been instructed to advise individuals providing assistance to agencies including the SFO, FCA, PRA, CFTC and US Department of Justice (DoJ). Much of Alan's work has a significant international dimension. Recent instructions include advising clients faced with extradition, mutual legal assistance requests, extra-territorial criminal liability and asset freezing and recovery.

Alan has acted in relation to some of the most high-profile and complex multi-jurisdictional investigations commenced by regulatory and criminal enforcement agencies in the UK, USA, Europe, and Asia. He regularly advises financial institutions and corporates on regulatory and criminal-law compliance, internal investigations and interactions with regulators. Alan is a partner in the regulatory litigation practice group. He advises corporate entities and individuals in the context of regulatory and criminal investigations, commenced by agencies such as the Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") and Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"). He also assists corporates and individuals in relation to the conduct of, and responses to, internal investigations. Alan's work regularly involves allegations of misconduct on financial markets. Recently, he has advised a number of individuals in the context of investigations into suspected market abuse on a diverse array of international markets, including equity, debt and commodities markets. He has also advised firms and exchanges on detecting and preventing market misconduct. Alan represented a number of individuals in relation to the global LIBOR and foreign exchange (FX / forex) investigations, including both individuals who were the subject of regulatory and criminal allegations of market misconduct and senior managers investigated by regulators for alleged oversight failures. Alan is one of a very small number of lawyers who has successfully represented a senior trader at a major investment bank at trial. He has also been instructed to advise corporates and individuals in providing assistance to agencies including the SFO, FCA, Prudential Regulation Authority ("PRA"), Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and other US authorities. Much of Alan's work has a significant international dimension. He regularly advises corporate clients and financial institutions, including banks and asset managers, on matters that may have an impact, regulatory or otherwise, in more than one jurisdiction. Alan writes regularly in the legal and mainstream press and speaks at a number of industry conferences, both in the UK and internationally.

Jonathan is a ship finance expert with a focus on complex, cross-border transactions and restructurings in shipping. Clients value his commercial and pragmatic approach coupled with his broad experience. Jonathan heads our Chinese ship finance practice. He has extensive experience of ship finance and commercial shipping matters including complex loan financings, operating and finance leasing, sale and purchase, sale and leaseback, shipbuilding and construction contracts and corporate acquisitions. Jonathan advises on "big ticket" asset finance transactions worldwide. He represents a broad range of financial institutions (including export credit agencies), major international ship owners and shipyards. He has particular experience in Europe and the Far East. Jonathan has considerable restructuring experience and has advised lenders on the Omega Navigation Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, and major restructurings for Torm, Genco, Maritime Equity Partners and Bourbon Offshore. He has been recommended in The Legal 500 for his work within shipping.

Alexa Whitehead

A corporate finance expert specialising in investment funds. Alexa is a corporate lawyer specialising in closed-ended listed investment funds across several jurisdictions and sectors. She has acted on a wide range of corporate transactions, including advising issuers and investment banks on IPOs and secondary issues, reconstructions and other corporate actions, as well as providing ongoing regulatory advice to funds and asset managers. Alexa also acts for clients, particularly within the asset management industry, on a range of general corporate matters.

Kate Worthington

A partner in the firm's tax group who advises on a broad range of corporate and real estate tax matters. Kate advises on all aspects of UK corporate tax. She has particular experience in advising on real estate transactions and has acted extensively for institutional investors, listed funds (including REITs), private companies as well as individuals in this context. Kate also has experience in corporate and financing transactions, funds, joint ventures, domestic and international tax structuring and tax disputes.

Dr Gregory Xu is a partner who leads the general banking and project finance offering for Southeast Asia out of the Singapore office. He has over a decade of private practice experience and is a specialist in a range of complex multi-jurisdictional transactions. Gregory has extensive experience acting for financial institutions, funds, government agencies and companies in structuring, documenting and re-structuring against a combination of limited recourse and non-recourse syndicated and bilateral transactions in the fields of general/corporate finance, project finance, asset finance, trade finance, acquisition finance and leverage finance. He focuses on the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions and regularly acts for clients in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Gregory has specialist experience in the transportation sector, having advised on significant aviation, shipping and offshore oil and gas financings, particularly for FPSOs, FSRUs and LNG vessels. He acts for blue-chip clients on single and/or fleet-based asset (aircraft and ships) and equipment sale-and-purchase and sale-and-leaseback transactions and other corporate and commercial law arrangements. His expertise also extends to international security enforcement actions and restructurings, particularly those arising from insolvency and corporate proceedings. Gregory is presently admitted to practice law in the New York, England & Wales, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand and sits on the Admissions, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Young Lawyers Committees of the Law Society of Singapore. Prior to joining the firm, he was with a Magic Circle law firm and acted for clients across both their top-ranking banking and finance and asset finance practices.

Michelle's practice encapsulates the entire lifespan of the shipping cycle – she reviews and negotiates complex ship and rig building contracts, has drafted numerous sale and purchase agreements for both buyer and seller, assists owners in reviewing financing arrangements, provides risk management and litigation advice in various charterparty, ship management and other disputes and is regularly instructed by banks or owners in the most high profile restructurings, insolvencies and enforcements in the market. Michelle also acts for commodities traders in trade finance, bill of lading disputes and other supply problems involving force majeure and quality and quantity disputes, where her deep understanding of shipping issues has proven particularly helpful. Michelle has represented clients in SCMA, SIAC, HKIAC, LMAA, LCIA and ICC arbitrations and mediations. Michelle is a dual qualified lawyer in Singapore and in England and Wales. She sits on the committee of the Singapore chapter of the Women's International Shipping and International Trade Association and the Women in Practice committee of the Law Society of Singapore where she is committed to doing her part to level the playing field for women in the shipping, trade and legal industries.

John advises on a range of energy, trade and finance matters, with particular expertise in international commercial arbitration, investigations and public international law. John has a strong legal and commercial understanding of the trade, energy (including oil and gas, mining/natural resources, hydrogen and renewables), infrastructure and finance sectors. John is experienced in working with most international arbitration rules and recognised institutions, including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, LMAA, HKIAC, CIETAC and UNCITRAL, and frequently appears as counsel before arbitral tribunals. He has also advised clients regarding regulatory and internal investigations and appeared as counsel before regulatory tribunals. John’s clients range from sovereign states, state owned entities, and multinational and domestic companies, to trading houses, private equity firms and family offices. He has more than 20 years of legal experience across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, having previously worked at Australian, English and American law firms, including six years in Hong Kong.

Managing Associate

Partner, Stephenson Harwood LLP

Haris Zografakis

Over a period of 30 years, Haris dealt with all aspects of shipping and international maritime trade, and served as head of the firm's commodities team between 2009-2024. He has acted for clients ranging from mining companies and oil majors to shipowners and their insurers, state-owned oil companies, independent trading houses, chemical companies, banks and refineries from around the world. He is also a leading expert in the contractual aspects of maritime decarbonisation, acting for NGOs, organisations and companies from across the spectrum of the maritime supply chain. His decarbonisation expertise contributed to his recognition by Lloyd's List as one of the top ten maritime lawyers of 2023. Haris started his career in the City of London in 1994. Dispute resolution represents a large part of his practice and he has acted in hundreds of arbitrations, High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and multi-jurisdictional cases ranging from modest demurrage claims to mine off-take and oil and gas disputes worth hundreds of millions. His reported Court cases include the Johnny K, Trafigura v Kookmin Bank, the Sabrewing, the Northgate, the Port Russel, U&M v Konkola Copper Mines, CH Offshore v PDVSA Petroleo and Petrosaudi Oil Services v Novo Banco et al. While he has been described as a "solid and tenacious litigator" (Chambers UK 2007) and “a supreme tactician” (Chambers UK 2020), he is also involved in non-contentious work, structuring transactions, drafting terms and advising clients on decarbonisation strategy. He is member of the editorial board of Shipping and Transport Law Journal, member of the Institute of maritime law of the University of Southampton and has served on the Council of the London Shipping Law Centre. He is chair of the International Working Group on maritime decarbonisation of Comite Maritime International. He has published and lectured extensively worldwide, including at COP, for BIMCO and the IMO. During the time when Haris served as the head of the firm's commodities practice (2009-2024), it was repeatedly recognised as a First Tier team by The Legal 500. The same directory described him as "leading a true team, perfectly organised, providing excellent legal and commercial advice". He has also been inducted to the 2018 Legal 500 Hall of fame as a result of his continued recognition by the directory.