The health and safety offering at Hill Dickinson LLP is led by Aoife Ryan, who splits her time between the firm’s Liverpool and Manchester offices. Ryan is well-regarded for her capabilities representing defendants in cases ranging from food and hygiene safety breaches, to serious and fatal workplace incidents. Joanna Trewin in Manchester has a notable healthcare specialism and advises on related investigations and inquiries. Former team lead Philip Moy retired in April 2025. Stephen Barnfield departed in February 2026.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Work covers health and safety, food safety, regulatory enforcement and shipping. The team works efficiently as a unit. It is a very client-friendly team.'
- 'Aoife Ryan has a wealth of experience in litigation. Another who applies a calm and common sense approach to problems. Efficient and hardworking. An eye for detail.'
- 'Stephen Barnfield has an eye for detail and is a good lawyer. He has the ability to spot issues that are hidden away in a case and that may sometimes not appear obvious.'
- 'Stephen Barnfield has made us feel protected and supported in a new and uncertain time for us as a family business. I would highly recommend his services to any business going through a HSE investigation.'
- 'Stephen Barnfield is exceptionally bright and has the capacity to think outside the box. His client care skills are second-to-none.'
- 'A diverse team with an excellent range of skills.'
Practice head
Aoife Ryan
Other key lawyers
Emma Stockwell; Joanna Trewin