- Home
- Barristers
- Michael Stephens
Michael Stephens
Profile
Michael is an experienced senior junior who has conducted a broad common law practice from chambers in Birmingham since 1985. His work in recent years has focused particularly on dispute resolution and the use of ADR, leading him to obtain further professional qualifications.
Michael is a qualified mediator who has conducted numerous successful mediations covering, in particular, construction, professional negligence, property and business disputes. He abides by the European Code of Conduct for mediators.
Michael is also an experienced arbitrator, familiar with both domestic and international rules. He is a member of a number of panels and has spoken frequently on arbitration topics, both in the UK and at international events.
With his interest and expertise in construction law, Michael is well placed to act as an adjudicator under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. He also has considerable experience in the preparation of notices of adjudication and referral notices.
Michael is able to accept instructions direct from the public to provide advice, draft documents or act as advocate and is happy to do so in all of his areas of practice.
Year of Call: 1983
Areas of Expertise
Arbitration
Arbitration
As well as acting as advocate in arbitration, Michael has been appointed on many occasions as sole arbitrator, the appointments having been made by institutions as well as by party agreement. The areas covered by his awards include: partnership disputes, professional liability of lawyers, construction projects, sale of businesses and property disputes including boundary and neighbour issues. He is able to manage any reference through to full oral hearing if required or to deal with matters simply on the papers.
Clinical Negligence
Clinical Negligence
Claimant instructions in clinical negligence claims relating to:
- GP misdiagnosis and mistreatment
- Accident and emergency misdiagnosis and mistreatment
- Orthopaedic negligence
- Dental negligence
Experienced in claims concerning limitation periods
Schedules of loss (including £1m+ claims)
Mediation
Mediation
Michael trained as a mediator in 1996 and has acted as a sole mediator in a variety of types of dispute. He adopts a facilitative style, underpinned by sound commercial sense and a willingness to help the parties reach not simply a compromise but the agreement that is right for them and has enjoyed considerable success in ensuring the successful outcome of the mediation process.
Personal Injury
Personal Injury
Claimant and Defendant instructions in:
- Workplace accidents including disease (asbestos, deafness, WRULD) and construction related claims
- Road traffic accidents
- Fatal Accident Act claims
- Occupiers’ Liability Act claims (both 1957 and 1984 Acts)
Technology and Construction
Technology and Construction
Michael has undertaken contentious construction related work, including professional negligence claims, in relation to domestic and commercial properties and engineering projects. He has experience of claims relating to delay and disruption, extensions of time, liquidated damages, defects, variations and valuations claims.
He is familiar with the technique of adjudication and the statutory process involved.
Michael’s commercial expertise includes an appreciation of insolvency issues and the effect of them on project management.
Memberships
Middle Temple (Blackstone Exhibitioner, Bencher)
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (President 2014, member of Mediation Panel)
Bar Council ADR Committee
TECBAR (member of Arbitration, Mediation and Adjudication Panels)
Adjudication Society (member of Adjudicator Panel)
Society of Construction Law
Midland Chancery and Commercial Bar Association
Professional Negligence Bar Association
British Association for Sport and Law
British Irish Commercial Bar Association
Fellow, Philippine Institute of Arbitrators
Fellow, Malaysia Institute of Arbitrators
Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators
Panel of Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration
Panel of foreign arbitrators, CIETAC
Panel of Korean Commercial Arbitration Board
Fellow, Association of Forensic & Advanced Valuation Executives
Appointments
Recorder (Crown Court, County Court and Technology and Construction Court)
Tribunal Judge (First-tier, Social Entitlement Chamber; Valuation Tribunal)
Publications
Various on arbitration and ADR for institute or in-house journals
Qualifications
BA (Hons), FCIArb
Public access trained
Qualified Dispute Resolver, accredited by the Academy of Experts
Called to the Bar of Northern Ireland
Registered practitioner with rights of audience in the DIFC Courts, Dubai
Recommendations
International Lawyer of the Year, Birmingham Law Society 2015