Consumer Law Barrister in London

Consumer law is an ever-changing landscape, with evolving legislation significantly increasing the compliance burden for most businesses. With the penalties for non-compliance also becoming increasingly stringent, it’s vital that you avail yourself of the expertise of a specialist lawyer to protect your interests.

I’m on hand whenever you need me to interpret the law, explain your obligations and support you in any disputes with customers or regulators. If the worst comes to the worst and you find yourself subjected to an investigation or prosecution, I will go the extra mile to minimise its impact on your business, your finances and your reputation. Where regulators have overreached, I can pursue judicial review in appropriate public law cases.

When a consumer protection investigation becomes a prosecution, your business is exposed to significant financial risk and in some cases you and other directors can be in jeopardy personally. Even if you successfully defend a prosecution, your reputation can be tarnished, whilst the worst possible outcomes could include fines, disqualification as a director, or even prison in extreme cases. It is important to obtain early advice and support. Matters are often issued in the County Court or High Court, but I also manage parallel proceedings relating to claims and associated civil litigation.

I will support you every step of the way – challenging authorities to drop prosecutions, negotiating out-of-court settlements and if necessary, representing you in court. In short, I will leave no stone unturned to obtain the best possible outcome. This includes advising businesses on remedial undertakings and fair outcomes consistent with fair trading principles.

Any business that manufactures, imports, distributes or sells products in the UK is required to comply with stringent and constantly evolving safety laws. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GSPR) require all products to perform safely within their intended usage and gives authorities considerable powers of enforcement where businesses fall short. Related obligations may also arise under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (the “Goods Act”) and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for faulty or unsafe goods.

If challenged, your company may need to demonstrate that it has actively minimised any safety risks, undertaken detailed testing and provided appropriate instructions to avoid customer misuse. If you are unable to do so, you could find yourself facing a costly and damaging product recall or even criminal prosecution. I handle urgent recall proceedings, advise on consumer contract remedies, and manage communications with regulators to reduce litigation and claim risk.

A product safety or liability incident can be hugely expensive. In fact, the average cost of a product recall can be as much as several million pounds. However, direct costs are only part of the equation: the reputational damage can have a far greater impact on your bottom line. What’s more, whilst your products are not available, your customers could be buying from your competitors – and they may never come back.

That is why it is important to obtain expert legal advice. I can advise you at every stage of the process, from the moment an issue arises through collating information and assessing risks to liaising with regulators should a product need to be removed from the market. I will be here to help you comply with the law, deal effectively with any regulatory challenges and obtain the best possible outcome if you find yourself prosecuted. Where appropriate, I also advise on cross-border issues and international arbitration clauses in supply chains touching the UK market.