Stevens & Bolton LLP

stevens-bolton.com

Sophie Ashcroft

Partner with a proven track record in resolving complex, high-stakes technology and IT disputes, often involving cross-border elements. Her practice spans sectors including technology, data centres, entertainment, outsourcing, and financial institutions. She also advises on shareholder disputes and a wide range of contentious commercial matters.

Nick Atkins

Partner advising on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and growth capital work. Member of the firm’s international practice group, and is closely involved with many of the firm’s close international relationships, including in Iberia, Germany, US, Belgium and Singapore.

Jack Bailey

Partner specialising in private wealth disputes, covering trusts and estates across the UK and including those involving international and offshore elements. Also regularly deals with disputes in the Court of Protection, particularly those relating to property and financial affairs.

Sarah Balchin

Managing Associate advising on a broad spectrum of corporate tax, real estate tax and incentives matters, both domestic and international, for corporates (ranging from start-ups to listed multinationals), entrepreneurs, managers, and investors.

Joe Bedford

Partner and Head of Corporate with wide-ranging expertise in mergers and acquisitions, banking and structured finance, corporate and investment finance, structuring and restructuring, private equity, joint ventures and general corporate advisory work.

Nicola Broadhurst

Commercial partner and head of the franchise group. Undertaking a broad range of commercial work but with a particular emphasis on franchise advice acting for franchisors and franchisees. Advises clients wishing to expand their businesses through franchising both in the UK and internationally as well as franchisees wishing to acquire and sell franchises.

Tim Carter

Partner and Co-head of Restructuring and Insolvency acting for insolvency practitioners, corporates, banks, directors and individuals alike on the full range of contentious/non-contentious and corporate/personal insolvency matters, including corporates on both solvent and insolvent restructuring and refinancing solutions.

Guy Cartwright

Managing associate dealing with a wide variety of commercial and technology matters from drafting and advising on standard terms to bespoke contracts for new commercial ventures. He is experienced in e-commerce, data protection, IT, licensing and distribution.

Tom Collins

Managing Associate advising businesses and individuals on the full spectrum of intellectual property matters, with a particular focus on infringement and ownership disputes, IP licensing and acquisitions and IP protection strategies. Also Co-head of Sport advising a number of high-profile sports clubs, organisations and athletes.

Ian Craig

Partner dealing with the full range of commercial property matters including development, leasing and property management, but has a particular focus on investment transactions.

Lloyd Davey

Partner in the employment, immigration and pensions department advising on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment / HR matters, with a particular focus on the technology and retail sectors and UK inward investment. Member of the firm’s International Practice Group which is responsible for managing its international law firm relationships.

Caroline DeLaney

Partner covering advice and risk avoidance as well as a broad range of litigation, arbitration and mediation, work in the Property Tribunal, Land Registry adjudications and expert determinations all focused on real estate.

Andrew Dodds

Partner and Head of Banking and Finance, advising borrowers, lenders and other stakeholders on a broad range of finance transactions. He has particular experience in acquisition and leveraged finance, real estate finance, asset based lending, structured finance and restructuring.

Gustaf Duhs

Head of Competition and Regulatory law. Assisting clients with the full range of competition and regulatory law issues including: CMA investigations and investigations by other regulatory authorities, compliance initiatives and other non-contentious advice (including commercial arrangements), litigation of competition and related issues, public procurement and state aid law advice. Contributor to European Competition Law Review and Global Competition Litigation Review. Frequently quoted in national and international media on competition law issues.

James Evison

Partner handling a wide range of commercial disputes, including both High Court litigation and arbitration. He regularly advises businesses on commercial trading disputes, contract termination issues and post M&A claims. He also has a particular interest in fraud and asset recovery work and digital asset/crypto disputes.

Kimberley Eyssell

Partner and Head of Construction and Engineering, specialising in contentious matters including TCC litigation, arbitration, adjudication, ADR and dispute resolution.

James Floyd

Partner advising public and private companies, asset managers, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals on a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions, both domestic and cross-border.

Beverley Flynn

Partner and Head of Data Protection. Dealing with major commercial contracts, outsourcing, agency and distribution, e-commerce, data protection and freedom of information Act. Sectors include health, IT, manufacturing, vehicles and renewables. Frequently supports in-house teams and has in-house experience.

Valerie Fogleman

Head of environment. Specialising in all aspects of environmental law, in particular, environmental liabilities (including Environmental Liability Directive, water pollution, contaminated land and other environmental damage) and insurance cover and claims for such liabilities.

Hannah Ford

Partner and Head of Employment, Pensions and Immigration. She is experienced in all aspects of employment law, including handling employment disputes, implementing terminations and advising on employment aspects of business acquisitions and disposals including TUPE implications. A significant proportion of her work is non-contentious such as advising on large scale redundancy and restructuring exercises and employer compliance issues.

John Forde

Consultant specialising in all areas of UK taxation, including corporate and real estate transactions and share schemes and incentives.

Daryl Fox

Partner and head of private client, specialising in inheritance tax and succession planning, wills, trusts, probate and estate administration. In addition to many will, inheritance tax planning, estate administration, trust and general private client matters recent work has included dealing with complex estates and related trusts; advising in relation to inheritance, business and agricultural property relief; post-death variations and inheritance tax planning for beneficiaries; comprehensive estate planning advice in relation to complex families, high-net-worth and landed estates.

Michael Frisby

Consultant handling Litigation, International Arbitration, adjudication and ADR for clients in a variety of sectors. He handles complex disputes arising out of projects and transactions, often with an international dimension.

Kerry Garcia

Employment partner and Head of Immigration. Undertakes both immigration and employment work, mainly for employers. Experienced in all aspects of business immigration law. Advises employers and individuals (including investors) in relation to the points based immigration system. This includes assisting employers with the sponsorship registration process, carrying out audits to check compliance with sponsors’ obligations, assigning certificates of sponsorship and entry clearance and extension applications. Also advises in relation to indefinite leave to remain and naturalisation. Also advises in relation to all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including drafting contracts and staff handbooks, advising on dismissals and termination packages, redundancies and reorganisations, discrimination, family friendly rights and advising in relation to and preparing for tribunal claims. Kerry has a particular expertise in relation to TUPE in connection with acquisitions and outsourcing.

Nyasha Gardner

Senior associate with broad expertise in business immigration law having advised on and managed immigration matters for a range of commercial clients including multinational corporates.

James Hardaker

Partner advising on onshore and offshore trust structures, succession planning, general UK tax planning, cross-border estates and employee benefit trusts.

Nicola Harries

Partner dealing predominantly with medium and high net worth ancillary relief cases, as well as advising in relation to pre – and post-nuptial agreements, separation agreements, cohabitation issues and children matters, including child abduction. Many of her cases involve complex or overseas assets. Nicola has given professional comment on BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio London and has written numerous articles on family related issues for a variety of professional and other publications. She is also a trained collaborative lawyer.

Sean Hilton

Head of Family assisting clients on a broad spectrum of family matters ranging from complex high value financial proceedings following divorce to disputes in relation to children.

Oscar Horwich

Highly experienced corporate partner advising on all areas of corporate transactional work with a particular focus on M&A, venture and growth funding and PE deals, both national and international. Significant experience advising on cross-border transactions and works with a broad client base including large corporates, private equity funds, growing owner-managed businesses and entrepreneurs.

Jeremy Kelly

Jeremy is a pragmatic and thoughtful lawyer. Since joining Stevens & Bolton from another international law firm, where he spent time in the Brussels office, he has worked with clients to resolve a wide range of regulatory challenges. He has expertise in competition, data protection, pharmaceutical, sanctions and export control law. He also regularly advises on the application of the National Security and Investment Act to corporate transactions, including obtaining clearances. Jeremy’s focus is on providing straightforward, practical advice on complex issues, enabling clients to take informed risk-based decisions. As a regulatory lawyer, he is always keen to find solutions to issues that allow clients to progress their plans whilst minimising risk. Jeremy co-authored the UK chapters of the 2024 Global Competition Review Guide to Life Sciences and the 2023 Global Legal Insights guide to Merger Control. He has previously co-authored a study for the European Parliament on the impacts on the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and has provided training to the UK Department for International Trade on EU trade policy.

Claire Kilpatrick

Managing Associate with expertise covering a wide range of construction related matters, including advising on standard form and bespoke contracts, as well as adjudication, litigation and various forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Markus Klempa

Experienced property litigator helping developers, property investors and occupiers across all sectors to manage their assets, mitigate risks and resolve disputes.

Tom Lingard

Tom advises on all aspects of intellectual property and technology law. He has extensive litigation experience having represented clients in proceedings before all levels of the UK courts, and regularly advises businesses and individuals in a range of sectors on the protection, exploitation and management of intellectual property and technology. He also advises clients, particularly those in the media sector, on defamation and reputation management. His clients include BOC/Linde, Samsung and Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Tough Mudder.

James Lister

Partner and head of private wealth disputes with particular expertise in disputes focusing on UK trust and probate claims. He advises primarily on disputes relating to HNW and UHNW individuals and their affairs, both on and offshore. Within this, James has substantial experience in advising trustees and beneficiaries on trust claims and also on contested probate matters. James regularly advises clients on claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and concerning disputes over estate and trust administration. James also has expertise in contested Court of Protection matters, with disputes involving attorneys and Deputies, in particular regarding applications to remove or appoint attorneys/Deputies and applications for statutory wills.

Charles Maurice

Partner and Head of Commercial and Technology. He advises both businesses and individuals. Charles heads the technology sector group and supports clients across the financial services and insurance sectors on their tech and regulatory requirements.

Deliya Meylanova

Deliya is a thorough, thoughtful and pragmatic solicitor. She has over 10 years’ post-qualification experience, during which has run a varied caseload including very large international litigation and arbitration. Deliya joined Stevens & Bolton in early 2024, having worked at a litigation boutique, the London office of a US firm and a large international firm where she trained. Deliya is bilingual in English and Russian and has a reading knowledge of French and Italian. As a hobby she tutors adults in Latin and Ancient Greek. Her background is primarily in high-value commercial disputes with an element of fraud, including: breakdowns of joint ventures director misfeasance misrepresentations in share/asset purchases breach of confidence transactions defrauding creditors

Stephanie Newton

Senior Associate advising businesses and individuals on all aspects of contentious property work. Particular experience advising on landlord and tenant issues including business lease renewals, forfeiture, break rights and dilapidations.

Elaine O'Hare

Head of Brand Protection, and Luxury and Fashion group. Advising businesses and individuals on all facets of intellectual property law and has extensive experience of litigating complex IP disputes in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, High Court and Court of Appeal.

Matthew Padian

Partner advising companies, insolvency practitioners, lenders and individuals in relation to loan facilities, corporate reorganisations, debt restructurings, distressed and non-distressed business acquisitions and disposals, as well as insolvency matters.

Abigail Palmer-Page

Abigail is Head of Probate and Estate Administration. She is a pragmatic, approachable and capable lawyer. She joined Stevens & Bolton in 2017, bringing wide probate and succession experience gained at a city law firm. As an estate administration specialist, Abigail works mainly for personal representatives of estates and assists them with every aspect of the probate process, including advising on inheritance tax reliefs, trust arrangements, post-death variations and international elements. She is particularly adept at dealing with high value and/or complex estates and often coordinates teams of professional advisers, providing a seamless service to best navigate the probate process for clients. Abigail brings wide expertise to the non-contentious aspects of disputes arising in a probate context, working collaboratively with colleagues in our private wealth disputes team. She also advises corporate clients, where she offers practical and commercial solutions to accelerate progress in dealing with the assets of a deceased individual. Frequently, Abigail assists overseas law firms and executors who require advice on HMRC’s compliance obligations and applying for an English grant of representation for a non-domiciled deceased individual. A confident communicator who builds trusted client relationships, Abigail understands that the period following a death is often a challenging time for clients. She explains technical concepts clearly and offers practical guidance that helps clients move forward. Clients appreciate Abigail’s calm efficiency and friendly approach. Abigail is a contributing author to Lexis+ Commercial Practical Guidance and has written the practice note “Execution Formalities – personal representatives”.

Krishna Patel

Krishna helps clients navigate complex corporate transactions with strategic insight and solutions. Krishna is a seasoned corporate lawyer who joined Stevens & Bolton in 2018 and became a partner in April 2026, having previously trained at a top 50 UK law firm in London. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital investments, group reorganisations, and general company law matters, both domestic and cross-border. Krishna has a particular focus on the technology, insurance, and sports sectors, providing pragmatic and commercially sound advice to help clients achieve their goals. Krishna is adept at explaining complex legal concepts clearly and providing strategic advice that balances commercial and legal considerations, helping to drive successful transactions.

Alexa Payet

Alexa is a partner specialising in complex trust and estate disputes, and has nationally recognised expertise in assisted dying law. Alexa specialises in contentious probate and private wealth disputes, acting for high net worth individuals, families, trustees and professional executors in complex, sensitive and high value matters. Her practice spans the full spectrum of contentious trusts and estates work, including challenges to wills, Inheritance Act claims, trust disputes, removal of executors and trustees, and claims involving allegations of financial abuse. Alexa is a highly effective litigator with the real subject matter expertise that is essential in this area. She is known for combining technical precision with a calm, strategic approach. Clients describe her as clear‑headed, empathetic and commercially astute, with a strong focus on achieving outcomes that protect both wealth and relationships. Alexa has particular expertise in the financial and legal consequences arising from assisted suicide, regularly advising families on applications for relief from the forfeiture rule under the Forfeiture Act 1982. She acted for the successful claimants in Ninian v Findlay [2019] and Morris v Morris [2024], the two leading High Court decisions in this area, and also represented the residuary beneficiaries in Re David Peace (unreported) (2025), further consolidating her position at the forefront of this developing field. Widely recognised as the most experienced solicitor in the country on relief from forfeiture in the context of assisted dying, Alexa combines deep technical knowledge with a sensitive, pragmatic approach, guiding clients through these complex and emotionally challenging cases with clarity and care. Alexa joined Stevens & Bolton in 2026. Alexa was ranked in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 list in 2025 as one of the UK’s top 100 lawyers for her expertise in the financial aspects of assisted dying. Alexa is a full member of member of ConTrA, the Contentious Trusts Association, ACTAPS, the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists, The Association of Lifetime Lawyers, an Affiliate member of STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, and a qualified solicitor advocate (civil proceedings).

Jackie Penlington

Managing Associate dealing with a wide range of UK immigration and nationality matters from advising multinational corporates on their sponsor compliance duties to assisting individuals with their British nationality applications.

Catherine Penny

Partner specialising in general commercial litigation and international arbitration. Particular interest in life sciences focused disputes, including regulatory aspects, as well as disputes arising from corporate transactions including warranty claims and earn-out disputes.

Matthew Peto

Partner advising UK and international individuals, families and trustees on a range of tax and estate planning matters.

Andrew Quick

Partner specialising in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, with emphasis on corporate transactions (including breach of warranty) and professional negligence disputes.

Daryl Rivero

Partner advising on a wide range of non-contentious commercial real estate transactions, including commercial landlord and tenant matters, general asset managment, acquisitions and disposals of commercial property, secured lending and the commercial property aspects of corporate transactions.

Jenny Robertson

Corporate partner dealing with broad range of corporate matters including company and business sales and acquisitions, corporate finance, private equity, venture capital, joint ventures, reorganisations, share incentive schemes and corporate advice for start ups and partnership and LLP issues.

Heidi Sawtell

Partner and Co-head of Insurance with over 20 years’ experience advising both financial services regulated and non-regulated clients, including international groups, large corporates, SMEs and individuals on a range of corporate transactional, company and regulatory matters.

Kate Schmit

Partner and Head of Corporate Tax specialising in corporate tax, exit tax planning for entrepreneurs and share schemes/equity incentives.

Lorna Sleave

Managing associate advising on a wide range of contentious work and has experience acting in relation to commercial litigation, international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.

Andrew Steele

Partner with a very wide range of experience acting for developers, investors, funders and corporate occupiers. Experience dealing with many assets including offices, nurseries, GP surgeries and pharmacies, car dealerships, care homes, residential development sites, warehousing and distribution, pubs, shops and restaurants.

Jonathan Steele

Corporate transactional specialist, offering expert advice on a wide spectrum of matters including mergers and acquisitions, corporate investments and restructurings.

Keith Syson

Senior Partner dealing with general corporate matters for public and private companies including mergers and acquisitions, MBIs, MBOs, joint ventures, demergers, business angel investment; particular interest in owner-managed businesses and private equity transactions.

Charlotte Tillett

Partner in the IP practice and Head of Life Sciences. Charlotte advises clients on the protection and exploitation of the full range of IP rights. She regularly handles IP licensing, joint development agreements, IP restructuring and transactional work. Her experience on contentious matters includes pharmaceutical patent litigation, trade mark and passing off disputes, copyright and designs litigation as well as actions involving breach of confidence and defamation. Charlotte has a particular interest in life sciences, and her technical background has assisted her with work in this sector over the past 10 years.

Rosie Todd

Partner advising on a broad spectrum of private client matters ranging from wills and succession planning to tax efficient structures for non-UK domiciled individuals. She has particular expertise in the taxation of investment funds and investors. Rosie also provides advice in relation to both onshore and offshore trusts, with experience advising entrepreneurial clients and undertaking tax planning for business owners (including exit events and restructuring).

Lucy Trott

Managing Associate with extensive experience in the sphere of finance, restructuring and insolvency. Particular interest in insolvency-related litigation, including pursuing claims against former directors, fraud-related claims, applications for and in the context of administration, applications for recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings, CVA challenges and a wide range of bankruptcy-related applications.

James Waddell

Managing partner of the firm. As a corporate partner, James dealt with a wide range of corporate, corporate finance and related regulatory work, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, private equity transactions, joint ventures and corporate governance issues. He acted for some of the firm’s larger corporate clients as well as the owners of high growth companies across a number of sectors, from incorporation through to exit. His sector experience includes technology, financial services and outsourcing/distribution.

Gareth Walliss

Consultant acting for a broad spectrum of clients, with a particular expertise in asset protection and succession planning.

Alex Watt

Head of Commercial Real Estate and partner experienced in a wide range of commercial property matters including residential and commercial development projects including the funding of these schemes, the acquisition and disposal of investment property and advising companies in relation to their occupational requirements.

Helen Wheddon

Partner and Head of Real Estate Disputes acting for a wide range of clients including large corporate occupiers, investors and developers, as well as individuals. Experience includes all areas of landlord and tenant work (including lease renewals, breach of covenant claims and dilapidations), contractual claims and development issues, as well as property-related insolvency claims and claims involving residential property and the Property Chamber. Examples of work have included: acting for an international industrial client on a complex rent review and very high-value contested lease renewal claim; successfully negotiating a substantial uplift of statuary compensation on an opposed lease renewal; advising on the enforcement of restrictive covenants and rights of way on a proposed development; and advising a large corporate on a substantial disrepair claim involving complex issues of supercession and valuation.

Andy Williams

Partner with a wealth of experience in advising on all aspects of employment law, as well as both contentious and non-contentious pensions matters.

Ben Willis

Partner specialising in a broad range of construction and engineering projects, primarily in non-contentious construction law, advising on procurement, drafting and negotiation of building contracts, consultant appointments, bonds and guarantees, partnering and framework agreements, along with the construction aspects of funding agreements, joint ventures, agreements for development and lease.