Stephen Bickford Smith

Practice Summary

Stephen is a Dispute Resolution specialist with a wealth of experience in Property Law. He is regularly appointed as arbitrator and adjudicator in construction disputes under the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act. He has made numerous awards and decisions. He has also acted as mediator in property and professional negligence disputes.

Stephen is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Chartered Arbitrator. He is a member of the arbitration panels of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Law Society, and on the adjudication panels of TeCSA, TECBAR, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and UK Adjudicators.

He is also a qualified mediator, a member of the Society of Construction Arbitrators and an accredited mediator.

He is an author of Party Walls Law and Practice (4th Edition) and Rights of Light (3rd Edition) (both published by LexisNexis), and has written and lectured extensively on property topics.

Professional background

Stephen studied law at Oxford and was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1972. During over 40 years practice at the Bar his practice has covered many areas of property law, construction and dispute resolution, including:

• Sales of Land
• Easements
• Party Walls
• Land Registration
• Adverse Possession
• Development Agreements
• Construction Adjudication
• Arbitration and Mediation
• Property-related insurance including title insurance and insurance against potential claims for easements and restrictive covenants
• Professional Negligence related to property and valuation matters

Stephen accepts direct professional access instructions to act as an Arbitrator and Mediator.