Stephenson Harwood

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

• ‘A seasoned and well-appointed team, led by the great Roland Foord. A high-end commercial firm that offers art law expertise is a rare asset - and Stephenson Harwood have it in spades. Especially strong on authenticity disputes involving works of art and anything that affects the big art auction houses'.

• ‘Roland Foord is one of the few undeniable experts in this field, with enormous experience to draw from. Jo Jones has done fine work as a highly intelligent junior'.

• ‘Stephenson Harwood has for many decades now been a leader in the art law field. It provides advice to international auction houses, galleries and collectors. Its major strength is that it has extensive experience in and knowledge of the art business'.

• 'Its advice is always practical, uncomplicated and relevant'.

• ‘Stephenson Harwood feels like an extension of my in-house team. Roland Foord is at the heart of the SH team. His knowledge is quite simply unrivalled. He has great judgment and is a strategic thinker. He is my go-to lawyer for complex issues. He also has a client friendly easy manner which makes him a pleasure to work with'.

• ‘They are a truly international operation with full service capabilities covering many important areas of legal advice. Guy Harper: responsive, service orientated with formidable litigation skills and knowledge of the art market'.

• ‘Roland Foord: deep understanding of the component sectors of the international art market and an unrivalled network of contacts. Depth of experience gives him an unrivalled knowledge and set of experiences on which to draw. Charming and extremely discrete. A true professional'.

• ‘As an all service law firm they have specialist teams to advise on different areas relevant to art and cultural property. Alan Ward, the partner on the regulatory side, is excellent. He is responsive and very knowledgeable as well as having in-depth knowledge of the art market.’

Key clients

Work highlights

Lawyers

Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Roland Foord

Hall of fameStephenson Harwood

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.