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  1. Health and safety – Leading Sets
  2. Health and safety – Leading Silks
  3. Health and safety – New Silks
  4. Health and safety – Leading Juniors

Health and safety – New Silks

Highlights for Crown Office Chambers’ leading team included representing Lion Steel, its senior manager and several of its directors in the second corporate manslaughter trial since the new legislation was introduced. Simon Antrobus is ‘a true specialist in this area; extremely astute and excellent on strategy, with a razor-sharp knowledge of the law’. John Cooper is ‘a leading health and safety junior’ with ‘a wealth of experience’ and a ‘tenacious, authoritative attitude in court’. Dominic Kay is ‘an excellent communicator and team player’ with ‘very good client care skills’. Mark Balysz is ‘one of the few barristers who ticks all the boxes’, and is ‘respected by judges, witnesses and juries alike’. James Ageros recently joined from 2 Bedford Row, and is a ‘leader in the field’ with a ‘supreme understanding of the law’.

The ‘excellent clerking’ at Henderson Chambers ‘really rewards customer loyalty’. ‘Heavy hitter’ Prashant Popat QC is ‘rightly rated at the top level’; he is ‘an excellent leader in large cases’ and ‘head and shoulders above others’. Roger Henderson QC ‘remains a leading light at the health and safety Bar’. The ‘very experienced and thorough’ Oliver Campbell is ‘the pick of senior juniors for health and safety’, and is ‘destined to take silk very soon’. He recently defended contractor Styles & Wood in an asbestos contamination claim concerning several Marks & Spencer stores. Toby Riley-Smith is ‘hardworking’, ‘good with clients at all levels’, ‘responsive’, and a ‘skilful, eloquent advocate’.

At Outer Temple Chambers, the well-established and hugely impressive Richard Lissack QC is ‘streets ahead’ of other health and safety practitioners; very ‘user friendly’ and ‘the most impressive’ barrister at the Bar. Philip Mott QC successfully acted in the acquittal of a heating engineer who was charged with gross negligence manslaughter in relation to a faulty hotel boiler, which led a fatality due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Stephen Climie focuses on with criminal cases, and recently defended a manager charged with fire safety offences following multiple deaths in a hotel fire. Fellow junior James Leonard is ‘thorough’, ‘enthusiastic’, ‘good with clients’ and ‘an excellent advocate’.

At 6 Pump Court, Stephen Hockman QC is ‘a first-class adviser on tactics’ and is currently assisting a client in connection with the regulatory process under the COMAH regulations. David Travers QC is ‘masterful at conveying the correct messages’, and offers ‘a truly supreme service’. Peter Gower QC is ‘a dedicated professional with deft skill on his feet’ and has ‘a formidable work ethic and a brilliant mind’. The ‘highly skilled’ Mark Harris is ‘a real heavyweight in this field’. Pascal Bates recently joined the set.

Temple Garden Chambers’ ‘good clerking team’ assists a team of six barristers who work on health and safety matters. Fiona Canby conducted all the witness examination for Transport for London during the inquest into the London bombings of 7 July 2005. Dominic Adamson is an ‘impressive, persuasive advocate’ and is ‘able to gain a thorough grasp of the specifics of a case’. Kevin McLoughlin has ‘particular expertise in the Coroners ’ courts’, is ‘down-to-earth’ and provides ‘excellent client care’.

Headed by William Clegg QC, 2 Bedford Row is noted for its prosecution work for the HSE, as well as its defence work. ‘A true expert’, Richard Matthews QC is ‘rightly regarded as one of the country’s top barristers in this area’. He acted for the HSE in the successful prosecution of a trial against BT relating to the death of an engineer after a fall, and is also advising the London Borough of Southwark in relation to the the Lakanal House fire.

Thirty Nine Essex Street’s team includes health and safety specialist Christian Du Cann, who is ‘outstanding and thorough in his dealings with clients’ and whose advocacy skills are ‘second to none’. Derek O’Sullivan is a ‘highly accomplished advocate’ who defends a wide range of prosecutions and has ‘one eye firmly on reputation and financial issues’. Geoffrey Brown is ‘a safe pair of hands’ and ‘impressive in court’, with ‘a very strong intellect’.

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Legal Developments in London Bar for Health and safety

  • TRANSFER OF UNDERTAKINGS (PROTECTION OF EMPLOYMENT) AND AGE DISCRIMINATION

    I have been asked to cover the topic of Employment law within my half an hour speaking slot today. I have narrowed my subject down to Transfer of Undertakings and Discrimination, with the focus on providing an update on the recent spate of cases on service provision change and on the important developments in the law of age discrimination. Needless to say, in my presentation I shall not be able to cover the level of detail which is contained in my written paper, which I will leave you to read.
    - 11KBW

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