Full Profile
Highly experienced in guiding Global and major UK businesses through incident related investigations and prosecutions, his expertise spans Health & Safety, Corporate Manslaughter, Environmental Crime, Fire Safety, Food Safety and Coroners Inquests.
Heading our 24/7 incident response team, Chris seeks to prevent matters becoming either a crisis or a drama by providing strategic, responsive and pragmatic advice to protect client's immediate and long-term position, reputation and revenue. Having commenced his legal career as an orthodox crime lawyer where he undertook over 1000 interviews under caution, Chris has been specialising in Regulatory Crime since 2001 and continues to undertake interviews under caution, appeals against enforcement notices, trial preparation, Coroners inquests and advocacy. Chris personally oversees a team of 18 SHE lawyers, which are part of a 30+ strong UK wide SHE Department ensuring the capability and scale to handle large investigations or heavyweight litigation should client’s find themselves in either of these predicaments. Chris is as committed to representing a Director of a small business as he is to a multi-billion pound global corporate and is a firm believer there are two sides to every story.
Retained by a significant number of multi-national and large UK businesses in the Infrastructure, Retail, Energy, Manufacturing, Insurance, Logistics, Leisure, Regeneration, Aviation and Defence sectors, he also provides 'upstream' compliance advice working closely with major client's SHEQ and Legal departments. Chris is an accomplished Trainer and Speaker in the Health & Safety field.
Experience
- Successful defence of multi-billion pound turnover supermarket in respect of workplace fatality involving store-based scissor-lift; advice and representation throughout Health & Safety investigation (HSE & Local Authority), PACE response and Coroner’s Inquest. No Further Action taken.
- Successful defence of muti-billion pound turnover energy business following workplace fatality caused by a construction vehicle and alleged inadequate traffic management plan.
- Dismissal of 2 HSE enforcement notices appealed before the Employment Tribunal in respect of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) and explosive atmospheres – multi-national aggregates business.
- Successful 'no further action' (NFA) achieved in respect of Police & HSE investigation into a large engineering business (£700m turnover) following the workplace fatality of an employee due to a hydraulic ramp failure. Initially investigated as corporate manslaughter and s.2 HSWA breach – successful written representations to both the CPS and HSE. Representation at Inquest and disputing ‘Prevention of Future Death’ report.
- Successful defence of site operative in respect of gross negligence manslaughter and s.7 HSWA allegations following trench collapse fatality and battering methodology.
- Successful representation of £500m turnover construction client in respect of alleged unlawful removal of 150 metres of protected hedgerow; representation at PACE interview and subsequent no further action.
- Successful defence of £450m turnover civil engineering Principal Contractor in respect of overhead line (11Kv) wire strike by a MEWP and fatal electrocution of sub-contractor employee whose employer was prosecuted. Representation throughout HSE investigation and Coroner’s Inquest.
- Negotiated a simple caution for a multi-billion pound turnover supermarket following an employee sustaining serious injuries when becoming trapped between an FLT and a swan neck deck inside and HGV. Representation during investigation and PACE interview.
- Successful acquittal at trial of Director prosecuted by the HSE for the s.37 HSWA offence in respect of a fatal fall from height; and achieving a non-custodial community-based sentence for a fellow Director prosecuted for the same offence having agreed a non-causative basis of plea.
- Representation of large turnover hotel business in respect of workplace fatality and the toppling of a 1 tonne pallet of drinks; advising in respect of incident/crisis management, PACE investigation and subsequent guilty plea at Court including PR; business fined £600k.
- Negotiated a simple caution with a Fire & Rescue Service for a multi-billion pound turnover retailer found to have committed several breaches of the Fire Safety Order, including a padlocked fire escape.
- Representation of a multi-national business prosecuted by the Environment Agency for extensive estuarine Tributyltin (TBT) pollution. Advice and representation throughout investigation and prosecution resulting in a £650k fine.
- Representation of the cladding fabricator to Grenfell Tower following the fatal fire of June 2017 where 72 people died. Advising in respect of the Police's ongoing 'Operation Northleigh' investigation and Public Inquiry.
Training
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Delivery of a UK wide bespoke H&S training programme for a £3bn infrastructure business targeting tier 2 and tier 3 contractors; delivery of a bespoke H&S training programme over 22 sessions to 700+ managers at the world's largest manufacturer of aircraft; regular delivery of SHE incident management training to clients in Construction, Retail, Renewables, Energy; Waste including the correct application of legal advice privilege.
