Stephen is a partner in Eversheds Sutherland’s employment and labour law group. He has in depth experience managing union related matters for employers, both as an HR practitioner (which Stephen was before qualifying as a solicitor) and as a legal adviser. Stephen has extensive experience supporting employers with union recognition applications, union relationship management and development, works councils, union information requests, pay negotiations and other aspects of collective bargaining/negotiations, s188 proceedings, union related TUPE matters, avoiding and managing industrial/strike action, picketing/protests and union derecognition. Stephen is also often instructed on large scale re-organisations, redundancies, and changes to terms and conditions.

Stephen regularly appears for clients as an advocate in conciliation proceedings, and before the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) and the Employment Tribunals. He also acts for employers in union and employment related civil court proceedings (such as defending trade union detriment/discrimination claims, blacklisting claims and in respect of injunctive relief and specific performance).

Stephen’s clients describe him as “Absolutely brilliant”, “…a fantastic mix of sound legal advice but always, always delivered in a pragmatic way”, and “…super impressive, tremendous knowledge, and fun to work with”. He is also recognised as a Thomson Reuter Stand-Out Lawyer..