Steph Davies | Solicitor, Head of Development
Founding Partner, Steph Davies trained and qualified as a solicitor and spent almost a decade working with a top London law firm, primarily in their Real Estate Department. Steph has more recently established herself as Leverets’ charity law and inquiry specialist.
Whilst there she was involved with some of the largest and most high-profile acquisitions and transactions in the City of London on behalf of highly prestigious clients in the financial services, energy and pensions fields.
In parallel with this she developed a strong interest in psychological issues linked to the law and gained an MSc in Criminal and Forensic Psychology. This provided her with a good foundation for extending her practice into the complex aspects of employment law and historic sex abuse where a scientific understanding of key issues complements legal knowledge.
Having now acted for and worked with both well-known institutions (including the NSPCC) and famous individuals in high pressure situations, Steph is able to deploy her mastery of research and deep detail to the benefit of a wide range of clients. Steph has become Leverets’ charity law and inquiry specialist.
Qualifications
Degree in Law from King’s College London
M.Sc.: Criminal and Forensic Psychology
Registered as a Solicitor with the Law Society of England & Wales
Range of Experience
Steph’s experience in litigation and advisory work covers a broad range of activity, including:
+ property portfolio management
+ directors’ disqualification proceedings
+ insurance
+ fraud
+ historic child sexual abuse
Current and Recent High Profile cases
Republic of Mozambique v Credit Suisse, Privinvest, VTB Capital and Others
In November 2023, Steph was part of the Leverets team that secure settlements in London’s Commercial Court for two former Credit Suisse Bankers in Republic of Mozambique v Credit Suisse, Privinvest, VTB Capital and Others – also known as the ‘Tuna Bonds scandal’. Listed as one of the top 20 cases of 2023 by The Lawyer.
Considered one of the most notable cases of the year, the trial comprised 11 Commercial Court proceedings concerning the impact of alleged bribery and corruption on three sovereign guarantees purportedly executed by the Republic of Mozambique (the Republic”), with a combined value of US$2 billion. The Republic (and other parties) also brought claims for additional consequential losses, bringing the total value to above US$5 billion.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
Steph acted for the Janner family in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse which culminated in the three-week Inquiry which was held virtually over Zoom during the Autumn of 2020. This strand of the Inquiry was not looking in detail at the allegations made against the late Lord Janner or indeed at the truth surrounding any allegations made against the Late Lord Janner but instead at institutional failings of public bodies such as the Police, Social Services and the CPS.
The case involved painstakingly trawling through documentation covering a period of nearly 50 years disclosed by the Inquiry to try and prove to the Inquiry that Lord Janner had not been treated preferentially by the Police or any other public bodies as a result of his status and, insofar as possible (although the Inquiry’s terms of reference made it clear that it would make no findings of fact) that there had been no wrongdoing on his part. The Report of the Inquiry’s findings into institutional failings is awaited.
Keeping Kids Company
Steph supported Rupert in his defence of Camila Batmanghelidjh, the founder and CEO of the charity Kids Company, who faced directors disqualification proceedings brought by the OR in relation to the downfall of the charity she set up to support children at the periphery of society.
In her judgement, Mrs Justice Falk held that not only could Camila not be deemed to be a de facto director but, even if she was found wrong on that decision, disqualification was not required given the actions of the trustees of Kids Company and Camila in their management of the charity. More details of this case can be found in our Insights + News section.
Other cases
Steph also worked alongside Rupert in quashing the conviction of an appellant convicted of historic child sex abuse in the Court of Appeal in June 2018, and subsequently bringing a claim for damages against the appellant’s previous legal team for negligence.
Steph worked for a client who is seeking recovery of a debt emanating from his sale of a chicken farm in Ethiopia. The matter involved the recovery of monies owed by the general manager of the chicken farm. This claim proved hard to particularise and attempts to recover the monies were hampered by issues such as COVID-19, acute avoidance tactics of the defendant and jurisdictional issues surrounding enforcement of overseas contracts in the UK.
Steph acted for a family whose insurers, Royal & Sun Alliance, have declined insurance cover for a claim brought by them following extensive damage to their family home as a result of a fire. Royal & Sun Alliance claims that the fire started at their home was the act of deliberate vandalism on the part of their son who failed to extinguish properly a cigarette.
The repercussions for households across the UK are evident if such acts of children or other family members cause insurance claims to be deemed invalid.
