Working with Steve is about working in a trusted partnership. He offers challenge as well as advice, which results in pragmatic solutions. His service is excellent, immediate and always commercial with a view of our business not just our legal needs.

Stephen Cates
Partner

The Legal 500 - The Clients Guide to Law Firms

With over 25 years of experience and recognised as a key lawyer within Draper Lang by the Legal 500, Stephen is a trusted advisor who deals with the full range of employment law matters, both contentious and non-contentious.

Stephen qualified at Laytons where he remained as a Partner and Head of the Employment team until he joined Draper Lang in 2017. His long-standing client relationships, many of which exceed 20 years, speak for themselves.

Stephen acts for individuals and supports variety of corporate clients and charities including schools, as well as a host of public and private businesses and industry bodies with all aspects of employment law.

Stephen’s approach is both technical and pragmatic, working in trusted partnership with his clients to achieve the best result, offering challenge where appropriate and always remembering that people are at the heart of all employment law issues.

What our clients say

Steve’s advice and support is second to none. He always has an intelligent and pragmatic approach to employment law issues and is always interested in making things better for the client. He acts like an extended member of the team with deep expertise. I know that I can rely on the quality of his work absolutely. I am a hard task master and I could not recommend him more highly.

I have worked with Steve extensively over a number of years, across a wide range of situations in both in-house roles and as an independent HR specialist, and he consistently delivers a great service. Working with Steve is about working in a trusted partnership. He offers challenge as well as advice, which results in pragmatic solutions. Steve readily engages in debate and discussion where there are options to consider and evaluate, and importantly I think, always does this remembering that it is people, as well as the business, that are impacted by the decisions and actions we ultimately take.

Steve is sensible, commercial and great to work with – he doesn’t just quote the law at you for the sake of it but rather focuses on the real issues using his considerable experience to inform and attain the optimum outcome. I often refer him to business and personal contacts alike.

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Draper Lang LLP is a limited liability partnership, registered in England and Wales, registered number OC371676.
Draper Lang LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 566984.

A list of members of Draper Lang LLP (referred to as Partners) is open to inspection at our registered address: 12a Hart Street, Henley on Thames, Oxon, RG9 2AU.

Working with Steve is about working in a trusted partnership. He offers challenge as well as advice, which results in pragmatic solutions. His service is excellent, immediate and always commercial with a view of our business not just our legal needs.

What our clients say

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