Heavy industry

Heavy industry businesses are subject to the highest degree of regulatory scrutiny in respect of workplace safety.

Our health and safety lawyers defend prosecutions, conduct compliance audits, advise on major accident hazard regulations, and help implement safety management protocols and procedures that protect both workers and your business from criminal liability.

From contaminated land remediation, environmental permitting and carbon reduction initiatives, environmental law is central to heavy industry operations.

We provide strategic and operational advice on environmental compliance, which encompasses air and water emissions, contamination, nuisance and flooding, the environmental permitting regime, waste management, habitats and species protection, due diligence, and advice on carbon neutrality.

Companies in the heavy industry sector are subject to a multitude of regulatory duties, including those relating to workplace safety and the protection of the environment (for example, through the management and transportation of waste product) and each duty is enforced with the threat of criminal proceedings if something goes wrong.

Such breaches can lead to intrusive, lengthy and costly investigations and, ultimately, criminal prosecutions for not only the corporate body, but also its senior managers and directors.

Our corporate crime and regulatory team lawyers assist corporates and their people who face such investigations through the provision of pragmatic advice based on years of experience in dealing with regulators of all types (including the police, HSE, EA and local authorities) and are able to represent you when a prosecution arises.

The team also provides proactive, thorough, balanced and pragmatic advice on regulatory risk management and crisis management to assist the company in having systems in place, so that when an incident occurs or an investigation is begun, it is in the best place possible to evidence its compliance.

Our award-winning corporate team is known for its extensive experience in M&A transactions, private equity work, corporate governance advice and solvent reorganisations.

We regularly advise clients in capital-intensive industries on their plans to buy or sell businesses, assets or divisions.

We are a top tier real estate practice, continually looking for new and better ways to service our clients and help them achieve their commercial goals.

Whether dealing with a developer, investor, landlord or tenant we can help you with negotiating the leasing, acquisition or sale of your business premises.

Our heavy industry team can assist you with everything from planning and construction to funding, tax advice and litigation.

Our intellectual property (IP) team span the whole range of IP rights across both contentious and non-contentious matters, whether it be complex patent litigation, trade mark strategy and protection advice, advertising and marketing matters, copyright-related issues, IP licensing arrangements, R&D and collaboration agreements or design rights advice.

Our employment team provide advice in relation to all aspects of your relationships with your employees, whether that’s assisting with contracts and handbooks, business transfers, inter-company disputes and issues, employment claims and any other employment issues (such as seasonal working).

Additionally, we can assist with compliance audits and offer bespoke training to assist you in managing your employees.