Biography
Recognised by Legal 500 as ‘next generation partner’, Ian is head of the Risk and Regulation team and advises clients across a broad range of sectors on regulatory compliance and defence representation, with a particular focus on health and safety and environmental risks, healthcare and product regulation.
Ian is highly experienced in serious incident representation and crisis management advice, favouring a 'boots on the ground approach' to support clients in the immediate aftermath of an incident. He provides representation throughout the lifecycle of a regulatory investigation and prosecution including initial investigation, interviews under caution and defending prosecutions.
Ian's practice includes specialist knowledge in health and safety matters, he also regularly provides advice and representation for high-profile, complex inquests and has appeared on a number of podcasts discussing risk management.
In addition, Ian regularly advises on environmental matters, including permitting issues, contaminated land enforcement, water discharge offences, waste management and statutory frameworks for environmental protection.
Ian's practice also includes advising on due diligence during corporate transactions as well as giving advice and training, including providing board room briefings, mock trials and workshops.
Relevant experience
Health & Safety
- Successfully Defending a company director charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the death of a worker carrying out glazing installation at a retail park. The trial took place in Bristol Crown Court in January 2022.
- Providing crisis management advice and ongoing representation to farming partnership in relation to Police and HSE investigation into fatal accident on Dartmoor
- Successfully challenging and achieving over £150,000 reduction in investigation fees charged to a business following an HSE investigation.
Environmental
- Acting for the operators of a large anaerobic digester plant, investigated by Natural Resources Wales following a category 1 pollution incident in the River Llynfi. The incident and the response of the regulator was the subject of a documentary film presented by the environmental campaigner, George Monbiot.
- Conducting environmental due diligence on the acquisition of three major anaerobic digester sites and recycling companies
- Representing a holiday park owner in relation to investigation by the Environment Agency in relation to waste permitting breaches and the use of U1 exemptions
- Providing legal advice for a scheme provider on The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007
Inquests & Inquiries
- Representing and advising a scout leader at an inquest concerning 3 scout leaders, following the death of a scout in August 2018 in the Great Orme in North Wales
- Representing RNLI at a number of Inquests following fatal accidents on beaches during 2020, where lifeguard deployment was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic
- Advising organisations in relation to their participation in the Covid-19 Inquiry
Healthcare
- Successfully representing an NHS Foundation Trust investigated by CQC in relation to patent safety issues following a serious incident on Trust estate
- Advising an NHS Trust on NHSE powers
- Advising a tech business in relation to medical device regulation and a local authority in relation to anti-smoking initiatives
Other
- Representing a home insulation company investigated by Trading Standards in relation to it commercial selling practices
- Advising Port and Harbour operators in relation to a range of regulatory matters
- Successfully representing organisations investigated by the Marine Management Organisation
