1 King's Bench Walk

Stephen practice focuses on high value money cases and complex private law matters. Stephen’s cases routinely involve an international element and he has experience with high profile work involving national and international news coverage. Stephen has represented clients in proceedings in all levels of court, up to and including the Supreme Court, and has also advised clients litigating abroad.

Notable cases include:

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2022] EWFC 16 – Welfare judgment of the President of the Family Division in highly publicised wardship proceedings.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWFC 94 – Final Part III/Schedule judgment of Moor J.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWCA Civ 900; [2021] EWCA Civ 1216 – Appeal of fact-finding judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWHC 1577 (Fam) – Lives with judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWHC 1162 (Fam) – Fact finding judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWHC 660 (Fam); [2021] EWCA Civ 890 – Immunities judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWHC 915 (Fam) – Case management judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWHC 303 (Fam) – Legal services order (LSO) judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2021] EWHC 3305 – Non-molestation application judgment.

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2020] EWHC 2883; [2021] EWCA Civ 129 – Appeal concerning the application of the Foreign Act of State judgment in wardship proceedings

Al M (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein and Others) [2020] 2 FLR 493 – Appeal concerning confidentiality and media issues in highly publicised wardship litigation.

M (Children) (non-Hague Convention state) [2020] All ER (D) 05 (Mar) – Appeal concerning temporary leave to remove to the United Arab Emirates.

Timokhin v Timokhina [2019] All ER (D) 46 (Aug) – appeal concerning the interpretation of costs rules in children proceedings.

RJ v Tigipko and others [2019] All ER (D) 117, GT v RJ [2018] EWFC 26 [2018], GT v RJ [2019] 1 FLR 46 – litigation in the High Court and Court of Appeal concerning leave to remove and the use of publicity orders as a coercive tool to secure the return of children.

Re C (Internal Relocation) [2017] 1 FLR 103 – the leading Court of Appeal authority on cases involving a relocation within the United Kingdom.

Re D (a child) (No 2) (recognition and enforcement of judgment: Supreme Court jurisdiction) [2016] 4 All ER 95 – Supreme Court appeal concerning the voice of the child and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain appeals from the Court of Appeal under Brussels IIR.

Re OB (Private Law Proceedings: Costs) [2016] 1 FLR 92 – the first reported case in which costs were awarded against a non-party in a private law case. Stephen represented the father, PB, who succeeded in his application for costs on the basis of principles drawn from wider civil jurisprudence.

Re S and O (Temporary Removal from Jurisdiction) [2009] Fam Law 114 – case concerning a novel technique for securing the safe return of two children from a non-Hague Convention country.

Stephen often appears with or against silks (KCs) in children cases and has written a number of journal articles concerning private law matters.

Called 2005, Middle Temple.

2002 BSc (Hons) Psychology; 2004 Postgraduate Diploma in Law; 2005 Blackstone Entrance Exhibition Scholarship, Middle Temple; 2008 Practice Diploma in International Human Rights Law and Practice.

Stephen has a keen interest in foreign culture and has travelled widely, particularly within Asia and the Americas. When at home, Stephen’s main hobby is football, both playing and watching, and he is a qualified Football Association referee.