Jon's practice extends throughout the UK (including Scotland) and he regularly appears before Courts and Tribunals all over England and Wales. Jon’s practice encompasses all aspects of contentious and non-contentious health, safety and environmental issues including advising on formal investigations and prosecutions, advising on appeals against Notices and dealing with judicial review proceedings relating to health, safety and environmental issues. Like all members of the team, Jon regularly appears as an advocate before the criminal Courts and employment tribunals on health and safety matters. He also advises on formal investigations and Boards of Inquiry.
Jon advises clients in the private and public sector, including on formal investigations by the HSE, Police, Environment Agency and local authorities, criminal investigations and defending prosecutions, statutory nuisance proceedings on behalf of local authorities and others and advising on judicial review relating to environmental issues, particular in the nuclear industry. He has considerable expertise in the energy sector and is an acknowledged expert on COMAH regimes.
Jon and his team have been involved in many of the leading health, safety and environmental cases in in the last decade. He is a regular speaker at national seminars and conferences in his fields of practice and sits on the editorial advisory Board of Lexis Nexis HSWA publication.
He is a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association; United Kingdom Environmental Lawyers Association.
Experience
Examples of experience include:
- The Buncefield Oil Terminal explosion 11 December 2005 – advising on the investigation into the incident by the Competent Authority and acting on behalf of the Competent Authority in the successful prosecution of five companies arising from the explosion which resulted in multiple injuries, damage to commercial and residential property and widespread environmental pollution
- R v Junttan Oy – a House of Lords case involving important issues on Section 6 HSWA 1974, the impact of European Directives/Regulations and the nature and extent of domestic powers of prosecution
- R v Environment Agency ex p Kelly – Judicial Review proceedings relating to the legality of nuclear discharge.
- Advising companies (throughout the UK including Scotland) on on-going investigations into potential offences of corporate manslaughter
- Advising on and appearing as an advocate in numerous high profile Inquests including that arising from the Channel Tunnel rail link fatalities.
“A veritable doyen of health and safety solicitors ... he is generally acknowledged to be the leading health and safety solicitor in the country ... a star individual.”
“A star performer.”
Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession
"Without a shadow of a doubt, he is the best lawyer I have ever worked with. He takes the time to see what we require and how to articulate regulatory requirements in a business so that we get tangible results."
Chambers and Partners, 2020
"Highly intelligent lawyer."
"Stands out for his experience, skill and knowledge of the health and safety area."
Chambers and Partners, 2020
"He provided us with the highest level of expertise for health and safety and regulatory matters."
"He's extremely thoughtful and has a profound understanding of the area. He's also extraordinarily good at advising clients - he's proactive and very wise."
"He's very well respected by clients and he's well regarded by them. He's clearly a leader in the field."
Chambers and Partners, 2021
"Jon Cooper is the man when it comes to health and safety work. Perhaps the most experienced lawyer of his kind in the UK. He has dealt with almost every big case in this area of the law for years. He knows it inside out. A quality operator."
"One of the country’s leading solicitors in defendant health and safety and regulatory crime. His background as a prosecutor for the HSE gives him a particular insight into the tactics of defending cases. He is a delight to work with."
The Legal 500, 2021
