Biography
Steven practices in both London and Gibraltar. A multi-faceted lawyer, Steven is used to concurrently manage complex contentious and non-contentious commercial, corporate and regulatory mandates.
Steven enjoys a wide corporate and commercial practice, often acting on joint venture and shareholder disputes, contentious asset management, professional negligence claims and Fintech claims.
Steven has the following specialities:
1. Banking litigation: Steven is often instructed on disputes arising out of investment products (including the provisions of MIFID II) or on disputed enforcements undertaken by financial institutions.
2. Contentious insolvency and regulatory: Steven is the only lawyer in Gibraltar to hold an unrestricted Insolvency Practitioner’s licence, allowing him to accept appointments as liquidator, receiver, administrative receiver, administrator and Trustee in Bankruptcy. Steven advises on international asset tracing and recoveries and often acts for officeholders (liquidators, administrators, etc) when prosecuting or defending claims against former directors of liquidated entities. On his regulatory practice, Steven often advises regulated entities on the regulator’s powers to appoint inspectors and/or skilled persons.
3. International trade and commodities disputes: Steven advises on all aspects of CIF and FOB contracts, and has particular expertise oil and gas disputes arising out of Bilateral Investment Treaties.
4. Shipping disputes: Steven engages on ship arrests from our Gibraltar office, receiving instructions from banks, P&I Clubs, shipyards and ship crews.
Experience
Insolvency
- Acting for a listed bank in connection with a court appointment receivership over shares. The receiver gained control over a multinational corporate group that owned German real estate worth €108m
- Acting for overseas consumers’ compensation scheme against insurer’s liquidator
- Acting for overseas liquidators in the recovery and realisation of real estate worth over €30m
Commercial Litigation
- Acting for a listed online betting company in connection with an anti-suit injunction prohibiting shareholders to continue with a multimillion negligence claim in the United States (one of the first cases to address the new lis alibi pendens provision in Article 33 of the Brussels Recast Regulation)
- Acting for a German owned oil and gas company in connection with the recovery over €80m of misapplied funds
Admiralty/Shipping
- Acting for a commodities company in connection with a multimillion claim involving loss of cargo under a C.I.F Port of Destination contract
Areas of Expertise
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Natalia Chumak
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Julian Connerty
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Graham Huntley
Graham is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers as one of the UK’s highest ranked commercial and banking litigators and has been involved in some of the most significant cases of recent years. Chambers UK describes him as “an intense and effective solicitor with an incredibly client-focused approach” and he has previously been described as “very bright, very hard-working, a good tactician” and “very committed and driven”. The Legal 500 recognises Graham for being a “a leading figure in commercial dispute resolution and widely regarded as a rainmaker.”
Abdulali Jiwaji
The Legal 500 UK has noted that Abdulali is recommended for commercial litigation and financial disputes. The Legal 500 praises him for his ‘ability to analyse difficult issues and provide concise and clear advice’, whilst Chambers Global has described Abdulali as a “technically sound, sensible and robust litigator who always finds practical solutions”.
Emmanuèle Lutfalla
Emmanuèle is recognised as a “thought leader” in Who’s Who Thought Leaders 2018. She is also ranked in Who’s Who Legal France: Product Liability Defence 2019, which notes that she “draws recommendations from peers across the EU, the USA and Asia.”
Hermès Marangos
Hermès is recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in The Legal 500 UK 2020 for his insurance and reinsurance litigation practice. Hermès is ranked as a Band 3 expert in Chambers Global 2019 and Chambers Latin America 2020 for his Insurance expertise in the region.
Elliott Phillips
Elliott is an internationally recognised barrister and specialises in global commercial litigation and international contentious trusts disputes. He has been recognised in The Legal 500 for his experience in dispute resolution work and is also ranked as a Band 2 individual in both Chambers Global and Chambers Europe for General Business Law: Dispute Resolution — Gibraltar. In 2019 Elliott was recognised as one of the world’s leading private client lawyers and trusts and estates litigators, and was listed in the Private Client Global Elite community.
Thomas Rouhette
Thomas is ranked Band 2 by both Chambers Global and Europe for his litigation and aviation law expertise, with sources praising him for his “invaluable” advice, experience and knowledge. The Legal 500 EMEA Guide recognises Thomas as a ‘Leading Individual’ for his aviation and commercial litigation practices, and he is regarded as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ for his insurance experience. Who’s Who Legal regards Thomas as the “finest product liability lawyer in the country and one of the very best on the continent.”
Daniel Spendlove
Daniel has been highly ranked in The Legal 500 UK Guide for his expertise in banking litigation, commercial litigation and professional negligence. The Guide describes him as “very smart, client focused and details-oriented” and a “highly rated litigator”. He receives praise for being “a strategic thinker” who “brings real energy to cases”. He was recently described, by Commercial Dispute Resolution magazine, as “one of a new breed of independent and forceful commercial litigation partners”.
Josh Wong
Josh is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in The Legal 500 UK 2020 for his international arbitration expertise, and is praised for being “an excellent lawyer, who is hardworking and has a clear vision.” He is also ranked in Chambers Global as a ‘Foreign Expert Based in UK’ for his Chinese dispute resolution, arbitration expertise, and as a ‘Foreign Expert for China’ for UK dispute resolution.
