The first interactions with the law firm Mishcon de Reya (‘Mishcons’) date back to October 2006, when Kevin Steele and J. K, both of whom later became partners in the firm, were introduced at a QPR match at Loftus Road Stadium. The presentation came courtesy of N. D.M, a lawyer and long-time QPR fan, who had worked with Mishcons in the past.
The initial agreement between QPRH and Mishcons
Following this meeting, Mishcons agreed to a deal with QPRH/QPR involving the provision of legal advice in exchange for match tickets, the use of a box and access to the club’s directors’ box. The annual value of the allocated box was estimated at around £20,000. Steele, being a passionate QPR fan, along with other members of Mishcons, attended all home matches in the 2006/2007 season.

First Legal Instructions and Duty of Care
In the period between 2006 and 2007, Mishcons received numerous legal instructions from AC, both personally and on behalf of QPRH. The first legal disputes concerned a dispute with T&F Tax & Finance SA concerning the payment of disputed invoices. Mishcons contested the demand for payment made by P B, the lawyers of Tax & Finance, arguing that neither AC nor QPRH were liable for the sums claimed.
Letters sent by Mishcons during 2006 and 2007 show that the firm acted on behalf of AC personally, supporting it in the dispute. Also in connection with a legal case with the Turkish club Fenerbahçe, AC engaged Mishcons and paid £2,500 for their advice.
Mishcons’ role in the sale of QPRH
When the sale of QPRH began in August 2007, AC had no doubt that Mishcons, and in particular Kevin Steele, was acting on its behalf and on behalf of the selling shareholders (Barnaby and Wanlock). However, an internal e-mail of 10 August 2007 between Mishcons’ lawyers raised doubts as to whether the interests of the sellers and the company were being properly represented, pointing to a potential conflict of interest.
Steele and K were initially considered for a position as non-executive directors of QPRH, but were never formally appointed. However, Steele publicly presented himself as a director, as evidenced by emails sent in 2007.

The sale negotiations

In January 2007, meetings were held between AC, P., Steele and K at Mishcons’ offices to discuss potential investors for QPRH. Although AC was initially in favour of retaining its stake, it agreed that a new influx of capital was needed to resolve the club’s financial difficulties.
In July 2007, HW and its company Anaid expressed interest in buying a larger share of QPRH. A draft contract was drawn up to purchase the shares of Barnaby, Wanlock and Moorbound at 6.5p per share, with a £2,000,000 bonus in the event of promotion to the Premier League.
However, Steele interfered with the negotiations by informing HW of alleged parallel negotiations with Portuguese/Russian investors, leading HW to withdraw from the deal. This episode raised doubts about Steele’s real intentions and his loyalty to the interests of the sellers.
The intervention of Mishcons and, in particular, Steele in the sale of QPRH raised several questions about the proper representation of the interests of AC and the other shareholders. Mishcons’ internal communications revealed that there was uncertainty as to who the firm actually represented in the transaction, with Steele apparently acting ambiguously.
The negotiations for the sale of QPRH were influenced by these factors, and Steele’s role remains central in understanding the dynamics of events that led to the transfer of the company’s shares.