Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2019 
Stephen advises major domestic and international corporations, including major automotive companies, infrastructure operators and franchise networks. Clients include Mitsubishi Motors Australia, Acciona and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), for which Stephen is the firm’s principal liaison partner. He has served as a member of client compliance and safety committees at board level.
Stephen’s practice covers large and complex commercial disputes, competition and consumer law, class actions and franchising. In disputes, he manages multi-party, multi-jurisdictional proceedings involving competition and consumer law, corporations law, product liability, taxation, banking and finance, and security enforcement. In competition work, he advises on the full range of Competition and Consumer Act provisions, ACCC investigations and enforcement, authorisations and notifications, and compliance programs. His franchising practice covers all aspects of franchise arrangements and distribution agreements.
Stephen has advised Mitsubishi Motors Australia for more than 20 years as principal liaison partner, acting on commercial, corporate, product liability, franchise litigation and competition matters including as a member of its Corporate Compliance Committee and Safety and Recall Committee reporting to the Board. He has acted in proceedings concerning the A$1.83 billion Adelaide Desalination Plant and in major restraint of trade and franchise disputes across multiple states.
Stephen was a Board member of Thomsons for nine years and National Head of its disputes department for a further six years, reflecting his seniority and standing within the firm’s disputes practice. With more than 30 years of experience, he is a consistent presence in South Australian and national competition and disputes work.
