Stephen D Sutton
Principal Solicitor
Stephen is an experienced commercial lawyer and the principal of Suttons Solicitors. With over 25 years of experience, Stephen’s expertise encompasses business and commercial disputes, international arbitration, contentious probate, intellectual property disputes, sports law, and employment law.
Over the course of his career, Stephen has been the recipient of numerous academic honours, and he has participated in various high-profile trials and international arbitrations. Stephen has a first-class degree in law from the University of Cambridge and is a Senior Scholar of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. Stephen was a visiting Lecturer at the London School of Economics and a visiting Professor of Law at Pepperdine University in California.
Stephen has worked globally in relation to major international disputes and has represented foreign governments, multinational corporations and private clients before the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Employment Tribunal, the Administrative Court, ICSID, the LCIA and the ICC, including:
Kuwait Oil Tanker Company SAK and Another v Al Bader and Others [1997] 1 WLR 1410 – Counsel for client in a dispute involving the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company in the Commercial Court and the Court of Appeal in London.
Appearing before the Court of Arbitration For Sport in respect of an international employment dispute.
Counsel in respect of a dispute with the Government of Ethiopia following the expropriation of a foreign investor’s property.
Assisting a large multinational corporation in respect of an environmental dispute in conjunction with the Asian Development Bank in Manila.
Counsel for Italian contractors. Dispute concerning construction of an oil pipeline off the coast of Ghana, a project funded by the World Bank. ICC arbitration proceedings in London.
In addition to his litigation practise, Stephen has acted for various high-profile business personnel and sports personalities, for example:
Counsel for the Claimant in proceedings to enforce an audit clause in a royalty distribution agreement in relation to merchandising income from the Paddington Bear character. Press coverage here.
Multimillion pound dispute regarding a Liechtenstein foundation. Coverage by Legal 500 here.
Counsel for the Appellant in a dispute against Chelsea FC before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. Press coverage here.
