HCR Hewitsons

Disputes & Litigation

Senior Associate

Stephen is a Senior Associate in the Northampton Disputes & Litigation Group. His practice covers a wide range of commercial, regulatory and educational disputes. He also advises on compliance with European Union state aid rules in connection with assistance given to undertakings from public funds (such as grants, subsidies and tax concessions). Stephen advises charities and education clients on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters including student misconduct proceedings, policies, safeguarding, equality, charity law matters and regulatory requirements.

Stephen assists clients in the resolution of domestic and international disputes. His contentious practice includes High Court litigation, arbitration and ADR procedures (principally mediation). Stephen conducts cases in areas such as contractual claims, professional negligence, financial services, pensions, regulatory matters, education (including disputes, safeguarding, student proceedings) and insolvency.

Stephen advises clients in a wide range of sectors on state aid matters, including on the availability of block exemptions and the structuring of projects to achieve compliance with the rules.

Member of the UK State Aid Law Association. Former Governor of a community special school

Stephen read Law with French at the University of Leicester including a year studying French law at the Université Robert Schuman in Strasbourg. He holds a Master of Jurisprudence research degree from the University of Durham relating to the application of international economic sanctions. Stephen undertook his training with Clifford Chance in London and Brussels, and qualified into that firm's banking litigation group before joining Hewitsons.