Stephen practices in all areas of competition law both in the EU and UK. He has worked in Brussels and London and is qualified as a solicitor advocate. He is also qualified as a barrister and solicitor in Australia. Prior to joining Herbert Smith he conducted (including appearing as counsel) competition litigation in Australia.
Stephen has particular experience in relation to mergers, regulatory investigations, competition litigation and broadcasting regulation. His clients operate in the telecommunications, media, IT, pharmaceutical, professional services and oil and gas sectors.
Credentials
- Andersen UK on obtaining EC merger clearance for its deal with Deloitte & Touche
- BSkyB in various matters including proceedings relating its exclusive Premier League television contracts
- NAPP Pharmaceuticals in relation to an OFT investigation of an alleged abuse of a dominant position under the Competition Act 1998 and the appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal
- SMG on a range of broadcasting matters and the sale of its newspaper operations to Gannett UK
- Vodafone in relation to the Competition Appeal Tribunal proceedings brought by Floe Telecom
- Time Inc in relation to its acquisition of IPC Media, the UK’s leading consumer magazine publisher
Publications
- Chapter on Merger Control, Introduction to EU Competition Law (ed. Peter Willis) - Informa Law 2005
- UK Chapter, Leniency Regimes (ed. Kevin Arquit and Jacques Buhart) - European Lawyer 2005