Stephenson Harwood
| Company type | Limited Liability Partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Law |
| Founded | 1875 |
| Founder | William Harwood, Henry Stephenson |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | Asia, Europe, Middle East |
Key people | Eifion Morris (CEO) |
| Products | Legal services |
Number of employees | 1400+ |
Stephenson Harwood LLP is a law firm employing more than 1,400 professionals, including upwards of 210 partners. Its main office is located in London, United Kingdom, and it maintains eight branches throughout Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. For the fiscal year 2020/21, the firm recorded revenues totaling £209 million, with profits per equity partner reaching £685,000.
History
The firm's origins date back to 1828 through the City law practice Tatham & Lousada, although Stephenson Harwood itself was established in 1875 by William Harwood and Henry Stephenson. In 1920, Tatham & Lousada merged with Stephenson Harwood—then operating under the name Stephenson Harwood & Tatham—before reverting to the Stephenson Harwood name in 1977.
As one of the pioneering UK law firms to establish a presence in Asia, Stephenson Harwood has maintained operations in Hong Kong for over four decades. Its reach extended further into Shanghai following a 2002 merger with Sinclair Roche & Temperley, a City-based shipping law specialist.
During the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, the firm represented Bank Markazi and played a critical role in negotiating terms that facilitated the release of American hostages by enabling the unfreezing of Iranian funds. This intricate international negotiation earned commendation from then US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance.
In 2011, Stephenson Harwood advised Lion Air on an unprecedented $21.7 billion agreement to acquire 230 Boeing 737 airplanes—the largest Boeing deal ever recorded—highlighting its proficiency in significant aviation and corporate finance transactions.
2012
In March 2012, the firm transitioned to Limited Liability Partnership status.
Later that year, in December 2012, it inaugurated its first office in the Middle East by opening a branch in Dubai.
2013
Stephenson Harwood’s Singapore office also adopted LLP status during this year.
2014
The firm established a formal legal alliance with Singapore’s Virtus Law and launched an office in Seoul.
2019
Eifion Morris succeeded Sharon White as CEO after her ten-year tenure leading the firm.
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