In this series, we introduce some of the people that make up Stephens Scown. We learn about their expertise, what drew them to join the legal profession and find out a little bit about who they are outside of work.
Here we introduce Steve Panton, Partner in our Commercial Dispute Resolution team, with over 20 years’ experience in regulatory enforcement and compliance
Can you share with us a little bit about your role and a typical day?
As a partner specialising in regulatory enforcement and compliance, I help a wide range of clients Food & Drink sector clients to meet their legal obligations as well as providing support with a serious accident or incident.
I assist clients with compliance and risk management-related issues and clients involved in regulatory inspections, investigations and prosecutions involving the Health & Safety Executive, Food Standards Agency, Local Authority Environmental Health and/or Trading Standards Officers and the Environment Agency.
I do not really have a typical day as my work is so varied. It really is a case of no two days being the same! One day I could be advising a client in relation to a food safety or food labelling issue. The next day I could be helping a client with a nuisance complaint or investigating a work-related accident.
Why did you choose to specialise in regulatory law?
I was in the right place at the right time when protecting the reputation of clients and minimising their potential liabilities was growing in importance.
The cost of non-compliance and the consequences of getting it wrong has increased significantly. Fines are generally now much greater and prison sentences are more frequent.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I love the variety my practice brings but the most rewarding part of my job is helping clients manage their way through a serious incident or their involvement in an investigation. By providing practical and prompt advice and support, I try to help minimise their potential liabilities and reputational harm to their business.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you be and why?
As I really enjoy history, carrying out investigations and law enforcement, if I wasn’t a lawyer I would probably have been well suited to work tracking down stolen artwork and historical artefacts!
How do you spend your time outside of work?
I love spending time with my two very active teenagers, which involves taking them to and from various sporting activities and hobbies most weekends, and generally being outdoors. We have a couple of working breed dogs who, not surprisingly, require a lot of exercise!
I also really enjoy running, travel and undertaking voluntary work. My volunteer work has been varied and ranges from spending over 15 years’ on the committee of a local conversation and historical preservation society through to supporting children and adults with special educational needs. At Stephens Scown it is great that all employees are given three days off a year as volunteer leave. This allows me to put a little back into good causes and the local community.
What does it mean to work for Stephens Scown, what makes us different?
It is a real privilege, as well as enjoyable, to work with such a great group of people who have a genuine focus on excellent client service, innovation and providing high quality legal advice.
What makes Stephens Scown different is that there is a deeply embedded culture of working ethically, working together and working as sustainably as we can. Being a certified B Corporation™ (B Corp™) company demonstrates Stephens Scown’s commitment to balancing people, planet and profit.