
External Roles
Stephen sits on the Management Committee of Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce. He formed and continues to lead the Harrogate Collaborative Family Law Group. He is also a member of the Brighter Future Collaborative Law Group and the Law Society Family Law Panel. In his leisure time he is a committee member of the Harrogate and District Naturalists Society.

Experience
Stephen has substantial experience in relation to farming businesses and, having gained experience in a breadth of legal areas he is able to bring a pragmatic approach to clients’ cases. He is also the company’s regulatory and compliance officer.
Stephen was one of the first members of the Law Society’s Family Law Panel and is a member of Resolution, a Solicitors’ association dedicated to seeking constructive solutions to matrimonial issues. He was also one of the first accredited collaborative lawyers in Harrogate and heads the local collaborative group. He has been designated by both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 as a leader in his field. He gives training and presentations to groups such as CAB advisors and NYCC Social Workers on collaborative law. Stephen can often be heard commenting on family law issues on local radio station Stray FM.
Stephen qualified as a solicitor in 1985 joining Harrogate firm Myers & Co. He became a partner in that firm and later in Berwins after the merger of the two firms in 2002.

Hobbies
Outside the law Stephen is passionate about natural history being a committee member of Harrogate and District Natural History Society. He is also a keen and knowledgeable ornithologist and indulges his interest in bird watching whenever he can. Stephen’s less genteel pastime is watching football. He also plays badminton.