Stephen Townley
Solicitor, FCIArb
Phone:
+44 (0) 7880 505 220
Email: steve@activerights.com
Degrees/Indentures
LL.B., (Hons) London (1971 - 1974).
LONDON INTERCOLLEGIATE LL.M., IN MARITIME AND COMPANY LAW
University College London and London School of Economics (1975).
COMMERCIAL APPRENTICE – ENGINEERING SECTOR
Associated Biscuits, 1966–1968.
CURRENT POSITIONS (LEGAL)
2023 - Present
2019 - Present
2018- Present
2015 - Present
2012 - Present
1996 - Present
Special Counsel – ADR, Sport & Entertainment Brands
Stobbs (Intangible Asset Management), UK
Arbitrator & Mediator
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
International Neutral, Arbitrator & Mediator
JAMS
Industry Expert - Sports Sector
Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC)
Mediator
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
Arbitrator
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
CURRENT POSITIONS (BUSINESS)
2026 - Present
2025 - Present
2025- Present
2024 - Present
2020 - Present
2020 - Present
1998 - Present
2006 - Present
Board Member
Wildpool, UK
Board Member
My Club Europe, UK
Chair of Advisory Board
Global Sustainable Sport, UK
Board Member
Mountain Gap Limited, UK
Chairman
CausalSpark Limited, UK
Partner
Wild By Nature LLP, UK
Chairman & Co-Founder
Active Rights Management Ltd (ARM), UK
Honorary Member
NSPCC Council, UK
– Led legal teams as Special Counsel in a US$1 billion+ cricket media rights arbitration in India, involving five jurisdictions, ICC and domestic arbitrations in Singapore and India, anti-suit injunction before the Indian Supreme Court, and successfully discharged a previous arbitration award.
– Series of engagements since 2012 including handling high-profile FIFA Presidential Election Football body disciplinary matters before sports panels, national courts, and CAS, involving governance, regulatory, fraud and reputational issues across multiple jurisdictions.
– Successful mediation resolving a multi-party cross-border dispute arising from cancellation of AFC football tournaments across Asia due to Covid interruption including consideration of the impact of force majeure and insurance.
– Successful mediation resolving a complex financial services dispute between over one hundred investors and a regulated fund manager in the high-tech engineering sector in the UK.
– Successful mediation resolving shareholder, investor and partner disputes in the entertainment and media sector, achieving amicable exit arrangements in Japan and the US.
– Successful mediation resolving IP and contractual issues between two rival eSports and augmented reality games organisers based in New Zealand and Sweden.
– Appointed as panel member and chair in CAS arbitrations, including the ad-hoc CAS panel and panel appointments in UAE arbitrations under ICC and Dubai rules.
EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF MATTERS HANDLED IN ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION EITHER AS COUNSEL OR ARBITRATOR AND OR MEDIATOR
OTHER CAREER NOTES
▪ Finalist, Lifetime Achievement Award – The Legal 500 ESG UK Awards, 2025.
▪ Pro Bono advisory and philanthropic work for environmental charities such as those connected with the protection and restoration of the River Wye.
▪ Honorary Member of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children’s Council in recognition of support for the NSPCC’s work for children.
▪ Supporting the social enterprise Câr-y-Môr to develop jobs for Wales coastal communities through evolving skills in farming seaweed and aquaculture.
▪ Advisor to the ARK Foundation, which pioneered environmental consumer products in the UK.