From 1971 until 1996, Stuart was a solicitor in private practice in London with two major law firms, concluding with what is now DLA Piper Rudnick. As head of litigation, he specialised in international commercial disputes, risk management and crisis management. He was also the business development and client relationship management partner for both firms and headed up their respective marketing departments.

As a member of the management teams within both firms, Stuart was also actively involved in the negotiation and implementation of a number of mergers.

Stuart was actively involved with Nottingham Trent Law School, one of the leading law schools in the UK, working with members of the faculty to devise and gain accreditation for the law school’s Masters in Litigation Management and on various aspects of its Law Firm Management courses. He is a frequent speaker on the financial and strategic management of law firms, and on client relationship management and benefit programmes.

Since 1996, in addition to being involved as a director and in the management of a number of non-law businesses, he works closely with management teams and in house legal departments of large UK-based or transatlantic corporations on Value for Money programmes in the legal and professional services arena, aimed at improving efficiency, enhancing relationships between corporate clients and their law firms, and obtaining best outcomes.