Sean Upson

Partner in the Commercial Litigation Department, Stewarts Law LLP

• +44 (0)20 7822 8187
• supson@stewartslaw.com

Specialisation

Sean Upson is recommended by The Legal 500 for commercial litigation where he has been described as "first class" and "a rising star". The Legal 500 has also reported that "clients consider him to be outstanding" and "he is highly praised for the quality of his work on high value matters". Sean was named by The Lawyer as one of the "Hot 100 2008" lawyers. This annual review highlights 100 "lawyers who have had excellent years and who look set to continue their run of form."

Sean has a wide-ranging domestic and international litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution practice, specialising in complex, commercial contract and tort disputes and all aspects of international trade and commerce, insolvency, property and banking disputes.

Career

Sean worked for the Niigata Prefectural government, Japan, from 1992 to 1993. In 1993 he joined Baker & McKenzie where he trained and practised in its London and Sydney dispute resolution departments until 2004. In 2004 with a group of Baker & McKenzie litigators, Sean founded niche dispute resolution practice Masseys LLP which was described in Legal 500 as "'excellent', 'responsive', and 'helpful on all fronts', and noted for its willingness to litigate against banks" and as a "human firm, good at explaining legal terms to the layman and praised for its value for money and understanding of business". The Times described Masseys as a "go to" law firm in regard to banking disputes while The Lawyer stated that Masseys was "rapidly becoming favourites among larger City firms on conflict referrals". Masseys merged with Stewarts Law on 2 August 2010.

Sean has acted in a numerous leading cases including John Thomas -v- Ken Thomas Ltd, Bear Stearns Plc -v- Forum Global Equity Ltd, Firstcoin and others -v- West Bromwich Albion and others and In re Palmier Plc . In addition, he has considerable experience of LMAA, GAFTA, and other maritime and trade arbitrations.

Sean's articles and cases have appeared in publications such as the Financial Times, The Times, Fraud Intelligence, International Arbitration Review, The Banker, Shipping and Trade Law, Estates Gazette, Insolvency Law & Practice and Lloyds' List. He has lectured at various conferences on a variety of issues and is an external CPD Law Society accredited speaker.

Personal

Sean speaks Japanese.