Expertise

Erin leads the health and safety practice in the wider Civil Fraud and Corporate Crime Group. She is regularly instructed by the firm's leading corporate clients and individuals facing prosecution or investigation by the Police, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other authorities in the criminal courts.

Erin frequently lectures on health and safety and has recently presented to a large number of listed clients on issues including Corporate Manslaughter, Director’s Duties, Avoiding Enforcement Action, When an Inspector Calls and Crisis Management, the recently published Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter, Food Safety and Hygiene Offences guidelines.

Erin has been awarded Higher Rights of Audience for both civil and criminal proceedings.

Sources describe Erin as "massively talented", "breathtakingly good" and "a well versed advocate" in the legal directories.

Here are just a small selection of cases which Erin is leading / has led:

• Various corporate clients facing prosecution and investigation by Local Authorities in this field and working alongside The Food Standards Agency.
• Air Liquide UK Limited in a prosecution by the HSE following the alleged exposure of a number of employees to the potentially fatal substance, boron trichloride
• Frequently lectures on safety and has recently presented to a number of large listed clients on safety management and compliance, board responsibility and criminal liability when things go wrong
• Representing two large construction and utilities companies, on the most high profile case of recent years, namely Grenfell Tower, in the criminal investigation, public inquiry and the handling of any civil claims. This is a multi-disciplinary team of specialists, including health and safety, construction, insurance, civil litigation and reputation protection lawyers.
• Acting for several families in the Manchester Arena bombing Public Inquiry. The Inquiry itself originally started life as an Inquest, which we took on as a pro bono instruction immediately after the tragic incident in 2017.
• Advising an infrastructure owner following a fatality of a sub-contractor, at a construction site. Our client is the Principal Designer under the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015.  We are providing representation throughout the joint Police and HSE investigation and at Coroner’s Inquest.
• Represented Air Liquide UK Limited in a prosecution by the HSE following the alleged exposure of a number of employees to the potentially fatal substance, boron trichloride. 
• Acting for a large joint venture construction and civil engineering company in connection with a fatal incident. A worker engaged by the joint venture was fatally injured during works on a flood alleviation scheme in Leeds. The Police and HSE investigation remains ongoing with coronial proceedings also underway. 
• Advising and representing a mobility business in connection with a fatal incident at work in June 2017, including the inquest which is due to take place in November 2019 and any resulting prosecution by the Office of Rail and Road. 
• Advising a multinational Electricity and Gas Company, international construction company and airport on its health and safety responsibilities under JV agreements.
• Advising an investment company in connection with a joint Police/ HSE investigation into a fatal accident to a trespasser at a power station.
• Represented Centerplate UK Limited in its defence of fire safety offences following a false alarm incident at Rotherham United Football Club.
• Advising organisations in various sectors on its COVID-19 response, including its preparation for a return to work, stress testing of risk assessments and advising on publication on its external facing website.