About us
Stephenson Harwood is a full service international law firm, with over 100 partners and 500 staff worldwide. We act for a wide range of listed and private companies, institutions and successful entrepreneurs.
Our service is partner led, designed to manage complex challenges and achieve successful outcomes cost effectively.
We have seven offices across Europe and Asia: Guangzhou, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Piraeus, Shanghai and Singapore. Through our network of offices and strong local relationships, we offer clients commercially-focused quality advice across the globe.
Stephenson Harwood was named 'Law firm of the year' at the British Legal Awards 2009.
Around the globe: snapshots of SH at work
In this section
Latin America
We successfully represented Venezuela’s national oil company, PDVSA, and the government of Bolivia in two landmark cases which together are precedent-setting for the role of the English courts in policing international disputes. In both these cases, the Stephenson Harwood team succeeded in lifting multi-million dollar freezing injunctions against our clients.
Africa
We are currently acting for Nigeria's national oil company, NNPC, in defending attempts to enforce in London a US$200m-plus arbitration award made against the company. The case raises important legal issues in relation to the enforcement of New York Convention awards – and is particularly high profile because Nigeria is one of the world's largest oil producers.
Europe
We acted for St. Martins Property Investments on its £400m acquisition from British Land of the iconic, Norman Foster-designed Willis Building – the biggest property deal in the City of London since the onset of the credit crunch.
Asia
With twenty five per cent of our people operating out of Asia, we attract many of the most eye-catching deals and disputes in the region. Over the past few years, we advised on more AIM listings of Asian companies than any other firm; acted on the financing of the largest vessel ever built in China; and are currently advising on one of Hong Kong's largest ever probate disputes.
Middle East
With long-established relationships among Middle Eastern banks and companies, our Islamic finance practice has always – and continues – to work at the cutting edge. In 2009, we advised Bahrain's Seera Investment Bank on the secondary buy-out of BWA Water Additives - the first ever Shari'ah-compliant secondary buy-out in the UK, which was awarded voted Islamic Finance Deal of the Year at the Banker Awards 2009.