Food Law Barrister in London
“Stuart is very thorough, knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with.”
Chambers UK Bar
Food Law
I am well known for my expertise in all matters relating to food law. I have been ranked in the independent directories as an expert in food law for several years and have appeared in several important cases both in the High Court and Upper Appeal Tribunals as well as the criminal courts. I speak widely on food law and am currently joint contributor to the Chapter on Food and Feed Law in the practitioners’ text “Consumer and Trading Standards Law and Practice”. My practice covers everything from assisting businesses and food business operators with food hygiene and safety, labelling, allergens, health and nutrition claims. Imports and exports and connected issues in respect of animal welfare in food production, animal by products and feed, and The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011. I provide advice on any matter food related and represent businesses and food operators in courts and tribunals if necessary.
CONTACT ME NOW
020 7353 0924
Please quote “Stuart Jessop” when calling
gsc@goughsq.co.uk
Please quote “Stuart Jessop” when emailing
What We Do
Food Law Expertise
Notices
I can assist you and your business with the service of improvement, prohibition, remedial action notices, notices for the detention and seizure/disposal of goods, and notices served at ports in respect of detained or seized goods. This includes hygiene improvement notice challenges, hygiene emergency prohibition notice responses and applications relating to an emergency prohibition order. Sometimes such notices can be avoided with early intervention but if this is not possible it is essential that early consideration is given to appealing the notice because they will come with tight deadlines and whilst operative can cause major disruption to your business. Early dialogue with local authority environmental health teams often narrows issues and protects food safety objectives while limiting business impact.
Prosecution/other enforcement action
If the regulator is considering a prosecution for any alleged breach, it is important to seek to persuade them to take an alternative lesser course of action. The food regulator’s are bound by the hierarchy of enforcement and so any action they take must be proportionate and take into account the risk to food safety. Having someone who can represent your position to them in the most effective way could ensure the best out come for you and your business in the long term. If there is a prosecution it is vital to engage someone who knows this area of law well. The law in this field can be technical and there may be defences to the particular allegation you face that is missed by the more generalist practitioner. I act in prosecution and criminal prosecution work arising from food hygiene, food poisoning, labelling and product safety, including cases where police law issues, data protection concerns or human rights points arise.
Appeals
If you have been convicted or your goods have been seized, or you are subject to the service of a notice or other decision it is important to speak to an expert who can guide you along the many options you might have for the most appropriate and effective appeal route. This might be by way of complaint to the magistrates’ court, an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal or the Crown Court or High Court or a claim for judicial review. I advise on appeals under the Food Safety Act and related food safety regulation, including cases with litigation funding considerations. Appeals have deadlines which must be complied with so it is imperative that you seek advice early so as to give you the best chance of the most favourable outcome. This is certainly something I can assist with.
Introduction
Stuart Jessop
Stuart Jessop has substantial experience, successfully representing and advising businesses in Food, Consumer, health and Safety and Product Safety, and Environmental law. He is a barrister with a focus on food safety, food law and environmental law, and regularly advises food business clients. His focus is on acting for businesses against various regulators in these areas of law and include but are not limited to the Food Standards Agency, DEFRA, APHA, The Environmental Agency, The Health and Safety Executive, The Office of Product Safety and Standards, The Competition and Markets Authority, and local authorities and Trading Standards. This includes defending trading standards cases, coordinating public inquiry preparation where required, and advising on parallel High Court public law remedies. He also advises on overlap with professional negligence and clinical negligence exposure, and on rare occasions where gross negligence manslaughter is alleged in a health and safety context. He is ranked by the leading independent directories as a leading barrister in Chambers UK and Legal 500 and lectures and writes widely within his areas of specialism.
For a discussion about how Stuart may be able to help you please contact his clerks (asking for Stuart Jessop) on 020 7353 0924.
Testimonial
