Matt is an Associate Director with extensive experience in health and safety and fire safety. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Matt was a Police Officer for 5 years.
Matt has helps organisations and individuals in their response to investigations by enforcing authorities following serious incidents. These have included the explosions at Buncefield, Pembroke Oil Refinery and the Croydon tram derailment.
The sectors in which Matt has advise include property, construction, manufacturing, energy and transport.
Utilising his experience of incident investigations to inform areas of potential risk, Matt provides strategic safety advice, including corporate governance, due diligence and the development of procedures. This includes looking at both organisational and individual health and safety liability within complex corporate structures.
Matt has a particular specialism in fire and building safety, this is an area of increasing focus for clients and enforcement.
Matt has also represented clients at a number of multi-day inquests, conducting his own advocacy.
Listed as a Rising Star "with particular experience of handling the fallout from serious incidents." Legal 500
"The OC H&S team provides responsive, holistic, commercially savvy, practical advice to their clients." Legal 500
Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world
Matt's building and fire safety work includes advising alternative living providers.
Urbanisation, the way in which we live and work and how that can be achieved safely is very relevant as residents become more informed and standards are raised.
Matt is also a director on the board of Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, a Victorian garden cemetery that is of recognised historic importance. As well as providing a venue for events it is also a precious conservation space. Matt is keen to help this local charitable asset to thrive.
Multinational chain of coffeehouses
Successful defence of health and safety prosecution.
National Retirement Living Provider
Advised on response to Fire Service enforcement resulting in withdrawal of proceedings.
Advising holding company and asset owning SPV's on portfolio of large UK shopping centres
Advice on health and safety obligations, including how to structure monitoring and reporting.
Multinational funding advisor in renewable energy sector
Advising on response to health and safety investigation following a fatality.
Insights
Regulatory Outlook | January 2022
Developers should pay unsafe cladding costs, says UK government
Build Safe Live Safe | the Building Safety Bill: what will be the impact on property investors?
Build Safe Live Safe | The Building Safety Bill: How golden does the 'golden thread' need to be?
Build Safe Live Safe | The Building Safety Bill: meet the duty holders
Build Safe Live Safe – Video Series
Build Safe Live Safe | The Building Safety Bill: who and what does it apply to?
Building safety: government supports removal of EWS1 forms for lower risk buildings
An independent expert report has urged for a more risk-based and proportionate approach to building fire safety in medium and...
Building Safety Bill: the future of funding building safety measures
Draft legislation for high-rise buildings heralds change for construction and investment across the residential sector but is likely to have...
Fire Safety Act brings changes on scope of fire safety responsibility
The new legislation heralds new obligations in the sphere of fire safety for building owners and managers, but further change...
Fire safety in residential buildings: where are we now?
Fire safety within residential buildings has become an increasingly prominent issue for developers, building owners and occupiers alike since the...