Expertise
Commercial and Banking Litigation and White Collar Fraud
Work and Clients
After over 30 years spent litigating over commercial matters Stephen still enjoys the
challenges! He says that he has litigated over everything ranging from tins of baked beans to a
giant valve for a North Sea Oil Platform. His work is mainly contractual disputes of all kinds,
both domestic and international, and includes financial services claims, banking litigation and
civil white collar fraud. He aims to keep his clients out of Court wherever he can, because of the
risk and cost, but sometimes finds that his clients are keener to have their day in Court or at an
arbitration than he is to see it happen. Stephen travels frequently on client business mainly in
Europe.
The route to Collyer Bristow
Stephen started his career with Leggatt & Leggatt, a North West London firm founded in the
Victorian era, with a picture of the Leggatt brothers holding pride of place in the reception area.
Thence followed a spell with De Wolfe & Co, which subsequently merged with Rayner & Co. to
form Rayner De Wolfe with whom he stayed until the beginning of the millennium before choosing
change by joining Collyer Bristow.
Publications
Articles on risk management and also many brief guides on litigation topics destined mainly for
foreign clients.
What I like about being a lawyer
Developing close relationships with clients and keeping them happy!
Proudest professional moment
"Attending a Court hearing on behalf of another law firm, who had sent me the papers so late
that they had not arrived. I could not disclose to the Court or to the other side that I hardly
knew anything about the case and had no papers. In spite of that, I won."