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Global Reach

Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.

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CMS lawyers can provide future-facing advice for your business across a variety of specialisms and industries, worldwide.

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Global Reach

Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.

Explore our reach
Insights
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Steven is strategic employment law advisor, supporting clients across a number of sectors including financial services, life sciences and technology. Steven has developed a particular focus on supporting financial institutions with their strategic people issues including navigating sensitive grievances and conduct related matters; defending high stakes litigation; the legal, commercial and PR aspects of major staff transfers and reduction in force exercises and supporting executive management and senior control functions with the people aspects of both internal and regulatory investigations and inquiries.

Steven is also an experienced investigator, having supported clients on a range of complex and sensitive investigations ranging from whistleblowing allegations to allegations of employee fraud, sexual misconduct and other forms of discrimination or harassment. As a member of the Association of Corporate Investigators, Steven is well-versed in effective investigation techniques, such as trauma-informed interviewing skills. Steven has the ability to get to grips with complex issues quickly and effectively and clients find his calm manner and pragmatism invaluable in a crisis. As a key member of the firm’s Risk and Investigations Group, Steven works closely with colleagues from across CMS’ global investigations network.

Having spent time working in-house with major financial institutions, Steven understands the need to dovetail employment law compliance and HR best practice with broader regulatory considerations. He also understands industry nuance and can bespoke his advice to different clients depending on their own regulatory exposure and risk appetite. Most importantly Steven brings pragmatism, creativity and a healthy sense of humour to the table when working with clients on business-critical matters.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "I don't have enough words to describe how brilliant Steven is. He is knowledgeable, commercial, sensible, practical and extremely responsive."
    Chambers, 2025

Relevant experience

  • Advising a variety of clients on complex ER issues, including contentious disciplinaries and highly sensitive grievances, often involving c-suite level employees.
  • Carrying our numerous external investigations for financial institutions into issues such as employee fraud, sexual harassment and other forms of non-financial misconduct.
  • Advising a variety of financial institutions on the regulatory impact of employee misconduct, including ‘fit and proper’ assessments, conduct rule determinations and the applicability of malus and/or clawback to incentive compensation.
  • Defending a number of highly sensitive and high value Employment Tribunal claims, often working alongside the CMS reputation management group to ensure alignment of legal, regulatory and reputational considerations.
  • Advising a range of clients in relation to business protection issues, including ‘team move’ strategies and the enforcement of post-termination restrictive covenants.
  • Supporting clients with the set up and management of their ‘speak up’ arrangements, including drafting policy documentation, providing board training and advising on investigation governance arrangements.

Memberships & Roles

  • Employment Lawyers Association
  • International Bar Association
  • Black Solicitors Network
  • Association of Corporate Investigators

Education

  • 2003 - Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Glasgow Graduate School of Law, Glasgow
  • 2002 - LLB (Honours), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
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