Shepherd & Wedderburn offers a one-stop shop where specialists in health & safety, employment, immigration, data protection, personal injury, litigation and licensing are able to tailor advice for clients and ensure all relevant issues have been considered. Clients across the UK and Ireland seek our advice from our offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, London and Dublin.
The Workplace Risk and Regulation team pool together legal expertise in traditionally separate sectors to offer clients the most comprehensive advice to the workplace regulatory challenges they face. Our team of experts advise clients on the practical measures that they can take to ensure compliance with the relevant legal obligations, mitigate risk, or respond to intervention from the regulatory authorities.
Health & Safety
The health and safety team provides on-site support to clients during investigations, liaising directly with enforcement authorities/agencies, advising clients on interviews under caution and any disclosure obligations, and defending clients where criminal proceedings have been raised.
Employment
Our employment team advises on day-to-day employment issues, such as disciplinary and grievance, absence, performance, dismissals and industrial relations, as well as supporting corporate transactions, providing advice on TUPE transfers and change management, including redundancy programmes and restructuring and handling employment litigation.
Immigration
Our immigration lawyers regularly advise on: relocating or establishing a business in the UK; obtaining and maintaining a sponsor licence; recruiting and retaining international staff; sponsor duty compliance and right to work check training for HR professionals; and challenging civil penalties and revocation of sponsor licences.
Data Protection
Organisations face significant challenges as they navigate changes in the complex regulatory environment of data protection. Dealing with advances in technology, increased digitisation and, more recently, COVID-19, means that organisations must ensure their uses of data are fair, lawful, proportionate and accountable to ensure that they maintain trust and avoid adverse regulatory consequences.
Litigation and Licensing
Our outstanding team of practitioners, which includes four Solicitor Advocates, has the specialist experience and expertise to represent clients in some of the most high-profile, complex and high value litigation in the UK before the Court of Session and the High Court as well as in conducting cases before the sheriff and county courts and in a range of specialist courts and tribunals.
Each client is unique. That’s why our response is unique too. We aim to understand our client’s business needs and advise on the relevant legal issues. Whether you are a director seeking a full review of a company’s policies and procedures or your company is being formally investigated by a regulator, the team at Shepherd & Wedderburn is on hand to assist your business with these challenges.
UK forestry company
Advising a UK forestry company on its response to investigations by SEPA, Natural Resources Wales, and local authorities, representing directors at interviews under caution, and resolving the investigations on the best terms possible, including persuading the regulator that no formal enforcement action was necessary or legally justified.
Construction clients, sporting governing bodies and religious organisations
Advising construction clients, sporting governing bodies and religious organisations in relation to fatalities on site, supporting the client through the investigation process undertaken by the HSE and local authorities, and liaising with Crown Office in respect of prosecutions.
House building clients
Advising house building clients in relation to fire safety/cladding issues, especially in light of the issues arising in the sector as a consequence of the Grenfell tragedy.
UK energy company
Defending a UK energy company in relation to industrial disease claims from former employees concerning its liability to historic exposure to asbestos, as well defending public liability claims.
Worldwide sport governing body
Advising a worldwide sport governing body on its health & safety obligations, its interpretation of COVID guidance in respect of staff, players and spectators, and its right to work check requirements for staff and volunteers across a number of UK events.
Distiller and distributor client
Advising a distiller and distributor client in connection with a workplace injury, specifically advising on its RIDDOR obligations in respect of agency workers.
Construction companies
Advising construction companies on post-Brexit right to work for staff and UK work permissions for sub-contracted installers travelling to the UK from Europe
