Stephen Houseman KC
UK Bar Guide 2025
International Arbitration: General Commercial & Insurance + 2 more rankings
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+44 (0)20 7813 8000Share profile
Band 3
Band 3
Band 4
About
Provided by Stephen Houseman KC
Practice Areas
A diverse range of international commercial and corporate disputes across most business and financial sectors. Focus on banking, finance, investment, shareholder and contested corporate assets including crypto and other intangible property. Many cases involve multi-jurisdictional contexts and foreign law elements. A natural leader of large multi-set teams of counsel in major complex disputes, who also acts regularly and proficiently on very urgent matters.
Specialist expertise in arbitration-related court work covering curial challenges and injunctions: a separate profile/portfolio for anti-suit and other injunctive work reflects the depth of this market-leading experience working for magic circle (e.g. Allen & Overy), American or boutique firms. RiverRock Securities v. International Bank of St. Petersburg (2020) is the leading authority on arbitrability of foreign insolvency-related claims.
Regular appearances in offshore jurisdictions including Cayman Islands, BVI, DIFC, SICC and respective appellate courts. Recent appellate work: Privy Council (Airport Authority v. Western Air in 2020), Singapore CA (Singapore Airlines v. CSDS in 2022), Eastern Caribbean CA / Privy Council (1Globe Capital v. Sinovac in 2019-2022). Extensive ‘big trial’ experience in Commercial Court and Chancery Division. Instructed by Clifford Chance in Yukos Finance v. Lynch (7 week trial in 2019); currently instructed by Hogan Lovells for 7 week trial in ENRC v. SFO (No.2) leading a team of silk/junior counsel from three sets.
Deputy Judge of the High Court since November 2019 sitting in both Commercial Court (KBD) and Chancery Division (Business List). Reported judgments such as Wang v. Darby on trusts over crypto-currency.
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Stephen Houseman KC is noted for his broad commercial practice spanning subjects including finance, natural resources and pharmaceuticals. He is also recognised for his expertise in handling anti-suit injunction and anti-arbitration injunction matters.
Stephen Houseman KC's offshore practice sees him acting on commercial law matters arising from shareholder disputes to winding-up proceedings. He is also held in high regard for his ability to handle large-scale asset tracing and fraud cases. He operates across several jurisdictions, including Singapore, Dubai, the Isle of Man and the Caribbean.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"He is incredibly clever and quite brilliant strategically."
"He's a terrific advocate; succinct, clear and concise."
"He is the go-to man for anti-suit injunctions."
"Stephen is a go-to for injunctions. His advocacy style is excellent, he just owns the room on procedural issues - his delivery is very good."
"A silk who is well advanced on his unstoppable rise to the top."
"Stephen was excellent, he is a very accomplished advocate."
"Stephen is a very good and effective advocate in arbitrations."
"Stephen Houseman KC is a ferocious advocate and very clever."
"Stephen Houseman is second to none on legally heavy work such as anti-suit injunctions and challenges to awards. On his feet, he does not pull his punches and his intellect shines through."
"Stephen Houseman KC is exceptional. He continues to go from strength to strength. For anti-suit injunctions and jurisdictional issues, there's no one better at the bar."
"Stephen is a go-to for injunctions. His advocacy style is excellent; he just owns the room on procedural issues. His delivery is very good."
"Stephen was excellent. He is a very accomplished advocate."
"He is incredibly clever and quite brilliant strategically."
"He's a terrific advocate; succinct, clear and concise."
"He is the go-to man for anti-suit injunctions."
"Stephen is a go-to for injunctions. His advocacy style is excellent, he just owns the room on procedural issues - his delivery is very good."
"A silk who is well advanced on his unstoppable rise to the top."
"Stephen was excellent, he is a very accomplished advocate."
"Stephen is a very good and effective advocate in arbitrations."
"Stephen Houseman KC is a ferocious advocate and very clever."
"Stephen Houseman is second to none on legally heavy work such as anti-suit injunctions and challenges to awards. On his feet, he does not pull his punches and his intellect shines through."
"Stephen Houseman KC is exceptional. He continues to go from strength to strength. For anti-suit injunctions and jurisdictional issues, there's no one better at the bar."
"Stephen is a go-to for injunctions. His advocacy style is excellent; he just owns the room on procedural issues. His delivery is very good."
"Stephen was excellent. He is a very accomplished advocate."
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