St Pauls Regulatory Breach team has been recognised by the Legal 500 and is one of the strongest groups on the North Eastern Circuit. The quarterly online magazine, RegulatoryBreach.com, has contributions from a number of ‘partners’, including major firms of solicitors, accountants and other regulatory experts. It has solicitors, trading standards officers and other professionals as subscribers and also carries updates and alerts across a range of subjects. Crimeline recently described the newsletter as a very good read!
Members of Chambers have developed expertise and experience in the following Regulatory areas:

Disciplinary hearings. Back to Top

It is clear that this is a growth area for members of the team. A number of counsel have represented police officers in disciplinary proceedings brought by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Recent instructions have involved serious cases brought against partners in firms of solicitors by the Solicitors Regulation Authority where potential rules breaches include conflicts of interest , referral fees, client account rules and other regulatory matters. Other cases currently being conducted involve cases before the Financial Services and Markets Tribunal relating to offshore business entities and self certification mortgages. A number of medical cases have been conducted before the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the General Medical Council. We have also demonstrated our ability in this field by a recent appointment  to the Accountancy and Acuarial Discipline Board which prosecutes the most serious cases that have potential to affect the public interest. 

Trading Standards.  Back to Top

For over 10 years, St Pauls has specialised in the following areas:  baby products, toy safety, counterfeiting, food safety, costumes and masks. counsel have represented numerous importers, distributors and manufacturers in babywalkers, furniture and fire cases, scary masks and novelty wigs prosecutions around the country. Recent cases have related to internet sales of toys, toy guns and Mini Motos and quad bikes, often the subject of newspaper publicity campaigns.
In April 2008 Chambers is sponsoring a major seminar on Toy Safety where the new Toys Safety Directive and other issues will be considered.

Prosecutions. Back to Top

Since 2007, a number of members of Chambers have successfully prosecuted cases in the Magistrates Courts for FACT [the Federation against Copyright Theft] around the country. These cases concern unauthorised showing of Bsky B by public houses and clubs. Other matters prosecuted in the Crown Court include cases for the Trading Standards, involving the industrial production of £12m counterfeit perfume, £16m of counterfeit £20 notes and a number of cases for the Financial Services Authority and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Health and Safety. Back to Top

Members of the team have been in numerous prosecutions both for the HSE and for the defence in fatal accidents, serious injuries at work and the storage of fireworks by retailers and major Chinese importers. Cases presently being conducted include a fatal accident in South Yorkshire, an Inquest where we represent the HSE in a fire to a private nursing home, and a fatal accident on a building site in Leeds.  Other cases conducted include a leading case concerning defective ‘cot sides’ and guidance issued by the Medical Devices Agency.

Inquests. Back to Top

With the increase of deaths in custody, members of chambers have appeared in a number of inquests on behalf of police officers who are interested persons, instructed by the Police Federation. We have also represented the HSE and been concerned in fatal cases involving baby rockers, slips on bathmats, motocross and care homes, where wider investigations under Article 2 system failure has taken place.
 
Emerging markets: Back to Top

Chambers is constantly looking at areas where Regulation brings new obligations upon people in business or Sport.  In Waste Management we have represented companies, conducted talks and advised on the new WEE and RoHS directives. In pharmaceuticals, we have considered the European REACH directives, and in manufacturing, the new carbon management, trading and carbon capture and storage techniques and International conventions on climate change.

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