Regulatory

“Clients like the team’s disciplined style, the sensitive communicative approach, and its strong work ethic.” Chambers & Partners

Overview

No organisation or type of commercial activity can escape the impact of regulatory issues. The regulations now affecting UK businesses are more numerous, complex and difficult to relate to one another than ever before.

Any incident leading to an investigation of an alleged regulatory breach can have a catastrophic effect on a business in terms of loss of management time, risk of criminal and civil proceedings and, in some cases (such as environmental compliance), remediation costs. The resulting damage to a company's public reputation and brand image can be significant and immeasurable.

To unravel the maze, you need a team of experts. Our regulatory team not only has in-depth experience of the impact of regulations on business and the issues that arise on enforcement, but also of crisis management. We prefer to take the long-term view to solving your problems, but we’re also experts at 'fighting fires'.

We have cross-disciplinary expertise with both the commercial and litigious aspects of regulation. In particular, we can provide specialist regulatory services in:

• Building regulations
• Clinical trials regulations
• Competition law
• Corporate manslaughter
• Criminal investigations and prosecutions
• Data protection
• Disability discrimination
• Driving at work
• Energy efficiency
• Employment claims
• Environmental law
• Fire safety
• Food Act
• Freedom of Information
• Gaming
• Health & Safety issues
• Immigration
• Licensing
• Listed building consent issues
• Pharmaceutical regulations
• Smoking at work
• Telecommunications
• Town and Country Planning
• Waste management
• Working time regulations

If you have received notice of an investigation or a potential prosecution, whether unexpected or not, we can liaise and negotiate with the investigating authority, advise you how best to proceed and represent you at any hearings.

Crisis management

Sometimes, despite good planning, a business can be faced by a crisis. The demands on the leadership of the organisation concerning the way in which it is handled in the immediate aftermath is crucial. This may well affect its eventual outcome.

Co-operating with investigating authorities whilst still protecting your rights is important. Control of information and management of the PR situation is similarly vital. Above all, any action you take must be consistent with your legal position.