Steven Walker KC is a trusted advocate for multinational corporations, investment funds and private clients engaged in high-value, international arbitration. He combines deep sector expertise with commercial pragmatism and strategic insight, providing clients with clear, results-focused solutions in the most complex international arbitration and litigation matters. Recognised globally for his advocacy and judgment, Steven is regarded as a leading and commercially astute King’s Counsel in international arbitration.

Steven has represented clients in more than 200 institutional and ad hoc arbitrations across Europe, South-East Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Arabian Gulf, under major institutional rules including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, DIAC, and UNCITRAL. His work spans both commercial and investment treaty disputes, including the first ICSID arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty (AES v Republic of Hungary).

Steven is highly regarded for his strategic judgment, commercial focus and persuasive advocacy across the energy, oil & gas, mining, corporate, financial, construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors.

He regularly advises corporate clients, hedge funds, private equity houses, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals on investment structuring, treaty protection and dispute management. Known for his direct, strategic approach and ability to distil complex issues quickly, Steven is frequently retained to lead multi-jurisdictional teams on disputes exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars.

Steven began his career in Scotland at the Scottish Bar (1999) before joining Allen & Overy in London, where he worked in the firm’s international arbitration group. He later practiced in the Cayman Islands (calling to the Cayman Bar in 2007) and became a registered Foreign Lawyer in Singapore (2015), Ireland (2016), and Western Australia (2017). He is also a DIFC Courts Registered Practitioner, qualified to appear before the DIFC Courts (2025).

Arbitrator Appointments

In addition to his work as Counsel, Steven sits as an arbitrator in both institutional and ad hoc proceedings. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and serves on leading international panels including those of the ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, SCCR, DIAC, BAIAC, TAI, AIAC, and THAC.

His appointments reflect his deep understanding of commercial, financial, construction and energy sector disputes and his ability to deliver awards with procedural precision and commercial insight.

Recognition

Steven is recognised as a Leading Silk by The Legal 500 for International Arbitration, Construction and Commercial. Some recent examples;

• Legal 500 (2026) – Ranked Leading Silk London Bar – International Arbitration Counsel
• Legal 500 (2026) – Band 1 Leading Silk – Construction “A litigation tactician and strategist who is a very good communicator and brilliant with clients.”
• Legal 500 (2025) – Band 1 Leading Silk – Commercial “Steven Walker KC is a formidable and persuasive advocate. He is an excellent commercial strategist. Clients trust and like him because he has great judgement; they often see him as their knight in shining armour.”
• Legal 500 (2025) – Band 1 Leading Silk – Construction “Steven is a formidable advocate, who exercises exceptional strategic judgement in international litigation. His cross-examination style is concise and precise, and he executes it like a skilled surgeon.”

Representative Experience – Some Examples

Commercial

– Represented a global financial and analytics company in a US$490 million dispute involving breach of data contribution, distribution and licensing agreements.
– Represented a corporate client in Switzerland in a €70 million multi-jurisdictional corporate loan dispute.
– Represented an international private equity group in an Asia-Pacific shareholders’ agreement dispute valued at US$70 million.
– Represented a private equity investor in an Asia-Pacific commercial dispute valued at US$50 million.

Construction, Engineering & Infrastructure

– Represented a contractor in a US$112 million dam reservoir construction dispute in Africa.
– Represented a client in a US$50 million aquifer water conveyance project dispute in the Middle East.
– Represented a developer in a US$100 million Gulf region construction project dispute.
– Represented a contractor in a complex UK construction dispute concerning asbestos removal, variations, and time extensions.
– Represented a client in a US$275 million oil and gas construction dispute in Asia-Pacific.
– Represented a contractor in a US$100 million construction dispute in Africa.

Mining

– Represented a mining investor in an investment arbitration concerning the expropriation of gold mining assets in Asia-Pacific (value US$1 billion).
– Represented a claimant in an Asia-Pacific concession dispute valued at US$50 million.

Oil & Gas

– Represented a European client in a US$100 million gas shareholders’ agreement dispute.
– Represented an oil and gas contractor in a US$57 million oil rig construction dispute in Asia-Pacific.
– Represented the respondent in a US$75 million Asia-Pacific power purchase agreement arbitration.
– Represented an international oil company in a US$500 million cost recovery dispute with a national oil company under a production sharing agreement.
– Represented a claimant oil company in an US$800 million African gas joint operating agreement dispute.

Renewable Energy (Onshore & Offshore)

– Represented an offshore wind installation contractor in a €25 million European offshore windfarm dispute.

Academic Appointments

• University of Edinburgh – Co-Course Director (LLM in International Arbitration) with Lord Dervaird QC (2009–2011), nominated for the EUSA Teaching Excellence Award.
• Honorary Fellow, University of Edinburgh (2009).
• Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP), University of Dundee – Honorary Lecturer since 2002 and member of the global academic faculty.
• Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore – Seminar Director and Lecturer (2014).
• University of Notre Dame, Australia – Visiting Lecturer in International Commercial Arbitration (2017).

Professional Memberships

Middle Temple
Faculty of Advocates
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)

Education

LLB (Hons), University of Aberdeen (1996)
Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Aberdeen (1997)
Honorary Fellow, University of Edinburgh (2009)
ACIArb (2000) | MCIArb (2018) | FCIArb (2019)

Publications

Pleading in Arbitration – A Practitioner’s Guide (Sweet & Maxwell / Thomson Reuters, 2012) – Co-author.

Pleading in Arbitration – A Practitioner’s Guide (2nd Edition) (Sweet & Maxwell / Thomson Reuters, 2017).

Praised by Professor Peter Klaus Berger (University of Cologne) as “an essential addition to every arbitration practitioner’s library.”

Contributing Author, Arbitration in the Energy & Mining Industry, in LexisNexis Arbitrator’s Handbook (2022).