Stephen Houseman KC KC > Essex Court Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Essex Court Chambers Offices
24 LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS
LONDON
WC2A 3EG
England
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Stephen Houseman KC KC
Position
Handles a wide range of commercial disputes. Many of his cases are substantial and complex in nature, and the majority of them involve multi-jurisdictional contexts and foreign law elements. Appears regularly in the High Court and appellate courts, international arbitrations conducted in the UK and abroad (including as co-counsel with foreign lawyers), and also courts in offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands/Eastern Caribbean. Instructed in cases across the spectrum of the business world, with particular emphasis on banking and financial services/insurance and reinsurance/mining and energy/media and sport. Particular expertise in arbitration-related anti-suit and other injunctions in the High Court, having appeared in three of the landmark Court of Appeal cases in this area in recent years, namely: Sulamérica v ENESA [2012] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 671; BNP Paribas v Russian Machines [2012] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 649; and C v D [2008] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 239 (in all three cases, acting for successful injunction claimants). Has also acted for bondholders in a number of cases, including litigation concerning the Elektrim bonds: see eg Concord Trust v Law Debenture [2005] 1 WLR 1591 (House of Lords’ decision about trustee’s obligation to give notice of acceleration). In addition to commercial litigation and arbitration, Stephen has experience in judicial review and administrative law proceedings, especially those involving a commercial context. As a junior, he was appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘B’ Panel (2006-2011), having been part-time lecturer in Public & Administrative Law at Oxford University during his early years in practice.
Career
Called 1995, Inner Temple.
Memberships
Administrative Law Bar Association; Cayman Islands Bar (1998-99); Commercial Bar Association; LCIA Young International Arbitrators Group; London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association; London Maritime Arbitrators Association.
Education
Hertford College, Oxford (BA, BCL); Martin Wronker Prize (1992, overall joint winner).
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Commercial litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3London Bar > Banking and finance (including consumer credit)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Essex Court Chambers‘ members high-profile and high-value international banking and finance litigation, with members receiving instructions from a number of magic circle and US firms. Louise Hutton KC, who is ‘calm and clear under pressure,’ has been involved in leading banking cases this year, including Stanford International Bank v HSBC, a case involving the Quincecare duty with its factual origins in Allen Stanford’s Ponzi scheme. Joe Smouha KC is a notable name in this space, while Stephen Houseman KC has developed a strong cross-border practice, in areas including Singapore, Dubai and the Cayman Islands. Ciaran Keller is noted for his cross-border work on high-profile cases acting for and against banks, hedge funds and private equity. Angeline Welsh KC, Siddharth Dhar KC and Ruth Den Besten KC were all appointed silk in 2023.