Department profile
Crown Office Chambers

Health & Safety

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)


Crown Office Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Health & Safety - London (Bar)

Band 1

Band 1


What the Team is Known For

Crown Office Chambers houses a strong bench of senior and junior barristers who are experienced in the handling of prosecutions arising from a wide range of health and safety offences. Areas of expertise for the team include food safety prosecutions and cases brought under the HSWA. Members are noted for their expertise in corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter cases, and regularly appear in inquests and major trials. A recent case includes HSE v Exolum, a three-week trial relating to risks posed to workers from an oil pipeline. The team is well regarded for its representation of major corporations and their directors. Instructing solicitors emphasise the depth of team, reporting: "Crown Office boasts a wealth of outstanding barristers at both KC and junior level." Other interviewees state: "Senior and junior counsel are all genuine experts."

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Their clerking sets them apart: head clerk Toby Sparrow is second to none. He is really good at helping us out; he is very straightforward. It's just a really good service.

    Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • The clerking team is always very responsive.

    Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • The clerking is very well organised and responsive.

    Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • They have a strong clerking team and barristers who want to go the extra mile.

    Health & Safety respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Star IndividualsDominic Kay
    Star IndividualsDominic Kay

    Dominic Kay

    Dominic Kay KC handles a large volume of health and safety prosecutions, regularly undertaking corporate and individual manslaughter prosecutions for clients from various industry sectors including the retail, construction and agriculture sectors. He has particular expertise in multi-fatality accident cases.

    • Dominic has a real talent for breaking down complex legal issues and strategy into straightforward, layman’s terms, making even the most intricate matters easy to understand.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Dominic is simply excellent and is someone I would instruct for any client, as he can adapt for any situation. His experience in this field is unmatched.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's a real specialist in strategy in complex health & safety trials. He immediately instils confidence in clients.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is smooth as silk, amazing - one of the most experienced KCs in this field.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Star IndividualsSimon Antrobus
    Star IndividualsSimon Antrobus

    Simon Antrobus

    Simon Antrobus KC represents companies in high-profile health and safety prosecutions and corporate manslaughter cases, and is considered a go-to barrister for a long list of major corporations and private individuals. He is regularly instructed to undertake the most serious fatality cases.

    • He's really good because he really cares about the clients. Simon puts in 100% effort to prepare the best submissions for them.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is so personable and so meticulous. Simon is open to collaboration and he is such a good advocate. He is the whole package.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is an extremely big brain and condenses technical, complex scientific information into an understandable manner. He is very astute, able and a knowledgeable operator.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Simon is excellent, he makes everything seem simple. He has an ability to advocate and articulate complex matters in an easy-to-understand format.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's hard-working, very strategic and great with clients.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Harry Vann
    Band 1Harry Vann

    Harry Vann

    Harry Vann is an experienced barrister with a respected health and safety practice which entails handling cases of serious injuries and death. He has a wide client base consisting of those in the transport, construction and manufacturing sectors, which he regularly represents in HSE prosecutions and various other regulatory matters.

    • He is calm under pressure and the right person to have by your side in a challenging case. He is also good with clients and solicitors and is dedicated to his work.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is a legal force of nature. He's very personable with incredibly sharp intellect.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's great with clients, including individuals and large companies. His strategic thinking is great, and he knows when to push forward and when to peg back.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Harry is really lovely to work with, really good with clients and tactically very clever. He helps to steer clients in a pragmatic way.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1James Ageros
    Band 1James Ageros

    James Ageros

    James Ageros KC is a specialist health and safety silk who handles an array of defence and prosecution work. He has a number of enviable clients, including construction companies, hospitals and local authorities, which he has represented across the full spectrum of health and safety matters. He is particularly expert at undertaking complex inquests and high-profile inquiries.

    • He's a superb advocate and is fantastic with clients.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's a strong advocate with encyclopaedic knowledge of the area, and is a pleasure to work with.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1James Maxwell-Scott
    Band 1James Maxwell-Scott

    James Maxwell-Scott

    James Maxwell-Scott KC advises clients on both civil and criminal matters pertaining to fatal and non-fatal accidents, and represents a wide range of clients from private individuals to large organisations. He has been involved in some of the most high-profile public inquiries and inquests involving multiple fatalities, including the Grenfell Tower fire.

    • He is incredibly calm and always identifies the correct approach to adopt. He's academically brilliant and has a fantastic ability to identify key points from a significant volume of documents.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He has a really lovely manner with clients and is very practical. James gets what they are trying to achieve and has a way of explaining really technical safety law in a really palatable fashion.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is unflustered and very measured in his approach. He is good at giving difficult advice to clients, and his written work is exceptional.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He has outstanding technical knowledge combined with tactical vision.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1John Cooper
    Band 1John Cooper

    John Cooper

    John Cooper KC is hailed for his extensive knowledge and expertise in the health and safety and regulatory arena. He is praised for the volume of inquests and trial work he undertakes on behalf of major companies and directors. He is routinely called upon to handle cases arising from serious injury or death.

    • He is a particularly strong advocate with encyclopaedic knowledge of the practice area.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is the doyen of Crown Office Chambers regulatory team. He's at the top of his game.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's a real specialist in the big-picture strategy for complex trials.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • John is excellent in a battle. He's incredibly knowledgeable and able to find a route through.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Lucy Wright
    Band 1Lucy Wright

    Lucy Wright

    Lucy Wright possesses experience in both the prosecution and defence of health and safety matters. Her work covers explosions, gross negligence manslaughter and fatal falls.

    • Never underestimate her. She is exceptionally detailed, methodical, committed and excellent in court.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • She's extremely good.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Lucy excels in both advocacy and client care. She has an exceptional ability to understand what clients need, including the level of support and reassurance required in sensitive or complex matters.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Malcolm Galloway
    Band 1Malcolm Galloway

    Malcolm Galloway

    Malcolm Galloway specialises exclusively in health and safety and is instructed to undertake high-profile investigations on behalf of a wide range of clients including local authorities, transport companies and multinationals. He is particularly sought out by commercial clients facing prosecution and is an expert in corporate manslaughter investigations.

    • He is incredibly personable, precise in his advice and outstanding with both lay and professional clients. He's calm under pressure, but a formidable adversary when on his feet.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's an excellent team player and gives very high-quality written advice and legal submissions.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is very personable and very good on his feet. He gets good outcomes.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Malcolm is a thoughtful and trusted adviser who provides clear advice to clients facing the most serious of charges.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Mark Balysz
    Band 1Mark Balysz

    Mark Balysz

    Mark Balysz KC is a leading health and safety law barrister who defends clients in highly complex prosecutions. He is experienced in the handling of both individual and corporate manslaughter cases.

    • He is academically very bright and a first-class advocate.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He's a great strategic thinker and leader who is good with clients.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is one of the best trial advocates in the health and safety world. He is personable, which really matters, and he can deal with complex issues.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Mark is always prepared and has a great way with clients; he is always realistic and is great to have on the team.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Mike Atkins
    Band 1Mike Atkins

    Mike Atkins

    Mike Atkins is a leading practitioner in the criminal regulatory field who represents individuals and companies facing charges of corporate and gross negligence manslaughter. He also possesses expertise in fire safety cases and food safety law. His clients include multinational corporations, company directors, public bodies and employees.

    • He's brilliant on the law, and an all-rounder. He's a star performer, he's good on his feet and great with clients.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Mike is a very strong junior with superb attention to detail.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • There is nothing he doesn't know, and he is also good fun and has a great client-friendly manner about him.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He has a keen eye for detail and he's the man for document-heavy instructions.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 1Sandesh Singh
    Band 1Sandesh Singh

    Sandesh Singh

    Sandesh Singh represents clients in various health and safety-related matters which include HSE and police investigations, prosecutions and inquests. He handles sensitive cases concerning on-site accidents resulting in death and serious injury to employees, hospital patients and members of the public.

    • He's an impressive advocate who can get straight to the nub of the issue.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is lovely to work with, he was easy to deal with and he came to a sensible conclusion.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He is smooth as silk and does excellent work.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • He has attention to detail and is strong on his feet. Helped to navigate difficult issues; I can't praise him enough.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Jack Murphy
    Band 2Jack Murphy

    Jack Murphy

    Jack Murphy advises clients on a variety of health and safety matters, including manslaughter cases and prosecutions under the 1974 Act. His clientele includes both large-scale companies and individuals.

    • He's a great junior. He's energetic, responsive and quick on his feet.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Julia Kendrick
    Band 2Julia Kendrick

    Julia Kendrick

    Julia Kendrick regularly receives instructions covering the full spectrum of health and safety law. She handles health and safety prosecutions arising from serious and fatal accidents, and is also regularly sought after for cases relating to food safety, fire safety and road traffic offences. Kendrick is an expert in cases arising out of accidents on construction and demolition sites.

    • Julia is immaculately prepared and tenacious. She sticks to her guns when judges and prosecutors are trying to push her in a direction. That wins my vote.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • She's a really strong advocate, pitches things exactly how the court will respond well to it, and she explains her approach to the client as well.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • It has always been a pleasure to work with her.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • She is above the detail, she cuts through the nonsense and she gets good results.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
  • Band 2Katie Sage
    Band 2Katie Sage

    Katie Sage

    Katie Sage is adept at both defending and prosecuting health and safety cases. She has experience handling fatal accident and serious injury matters. She frequently appears in both the Crown and magistrates' courts.

    • A great junior asset, incisive, switched on and great with clients.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • Katie really got into the weeds of the case; she was very good.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • She is very bright and capable in even the toughest of cases.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar
    • She's hugely knowledgeable, explains complex things in a simple way and she's very good to work with.

      Health & Safety respondentUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Crown Office Chambers (14)

London (Bar)

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