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Steven Conway

Partner

England & Wales

020 3319 3700

steven.conway@keystonelaw.co.uk

Steven is an insurance litigation lawyer with over 25 years’ experience of defending public authorities and insurers against claims brought against them.

He specialises in the defence of employers’ and public liability claims, including claims against highway authorities, accidents at work, stress at work, bullying and harassment. He also defends social services, Human Rights Act, Equality Act, data protection,  education, and misfeasance claims, and defends insurance coverage disputes. He also advises on risk management, insurance procurement, and freedom of information.

Steven presents seminars and training to clients and has presented to ALARM (Association of Local Authority Risk Managers), CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy), the IHE (Institute of Highway Engineers), and at Traffex, as well as to regional local authority insurance officers and other local authority groups.

He has had articles published in the Solicitors Journal, the Law Society’s Litigation Funding journal, Butterworths’ Civil Costs Newsletter, the PI Brief Update Law Journal, Insurance Day, Local Government Lawyer, and Public Law Today.

Expertise

Steven has extensive experience defending personal injury and liability claims.

Experience

  • Mason v Satelcom Ltd & London Borough of Redbridge & others [2007] EWHC 2540: successful defence of a claim looking at the nature and extent of statutory duties owed by non-employers to workers on their premises and the extent of their “control” under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.
  • Kunnenkeril London Borough of Enfield [2017] EWHC 1779: successful defence of a claim arising out of an assault of a foster parent by a foster child on an emergency placement which considered the extent of the duty of care owed by a local authority to foster carers.
  • Successfully defended a claim for £7 million against a former chief executive of a London borough council for misfeasance in public office for an alleged “threat” to compulsorily purchase a site for a City Academy.
  • Struck out four related claims for breach of the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 claiming £1 million in total, and obtained an Extended Civil Restraint Order against the claimant’s legal representative.
  • Successfully defended a local authority at trial against a claim for failure to educate and racial discrimination for failing to diagnose dyslexia and place a student on a statement of special educational needs.
  • Successfully defended a local authority social services department at trial where a social worker was assaulted in a respite centre by a service user who had learning difficulties.
  • Successfully defended at trial a claim under the Manual Handling (Operations) Regulations 1992 by a refuse worker who was required to lift a large load on to a refuse truck.
  • Successfully defended a claim against a London Borough alleging that a statue plinth outside the V&A Museum had been defectively designed so as to be a danger to road users.
  • Defence of a claim under the Animals Act 1971 brought by a groom kicked by a horse.
  • Struck out a suspected fraudulent claim brought against a local authority by a claimant who allegedly tripped on a highway defect.
  • Struck out a claim against a local authority where it was alleged a social services carer had knocked an elderly service user to the ground, causing injury.
  • Struck out a claim for abuse against a local authority for failing to properly serve legal proceedings.
  • Obtained discontinuances against a utility company who brought a number of claims under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 against a local authority for property damage to their underground apparatus arising out of street works.

Steven advises insurers on policy coverage disputes.

Experience

  • Acted for insurers in successfully defending a policy coverage dispute at arbitration arising out of a dispute as to whether in-house legal costs were recoverable under their insurance policy.

Steven advises on risk management with a focus on highway infrastructure and maintenance.

Experience

  • Advised highway authorities in relation to “Well-managed highway infrastructure: A Code of Practice”.
  • Advised highway authorities in relation to their highways maintenance policies.
  • Contributing author to “Well Managed Highway Liability Risk”.
  • Corresponding member to Well-managed highway infrastructure: A Code of Practice”.

Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.

Recognition

Recommended by The Legal 500 for Personal Injury Defendant 2011–2026

Contributing author to “Well Managed Highway Liability Risk”

Corresponding member to “Well-managed highway infrastructure: A Code of Practice”

“Steven Conway of Keystone Law is without doubt the go-to defendant solicitor for any complex injury/damage claims where the alleged incident has occurred on the public highway. His knowledge and expertise is second to none, instilling confidence that any defence will be appropriate and robust. Steven understands what we need, and always makes us feel he is part of our team, not just an external contractor being paid for a job.”

The Legal 500 2025

Steven qualified as a solicitor in 1998. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2016, he worked at the following firms:

  • Browne Jacobson
  • Barlow Lyde & Gilbert
  • Berrymans Lace Mawer
  • Merricks