Bio

Having spent the first part of my career as an academic lawyer in the University of Manchester, I qualified as a barrister as a mature student, and was appointed a part-time employment judge. I am an expert in employment law and occupational health law, and have written the leading text on Occupational Health Law, now in its sixth edition (2020). I continue to publish regularly in books and journals and am in demand for training of occupational health professionals, safety advisers and human resources professionals in employment law: I am well known for my ability to explain complex legal issues in an accessible way. I remain an honorary Senior Lecturer in the University of Manchester, and in 2011 was appointed visiting Professor at London South Bank University. I am also a honorary senior lecturer at Cardiff University. I am an Associate Member of St John’s Buildings barristers’ chambers, St John Street, Manchester. Over the years I have been a member of a number of government committees, including the Expert Advisory Group on AIDS and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, and was appointed MBE in 2009 for my services to occupational health. In 2010 I was appointed as Chair of the Council for Work and Health, an organisation representing all the bodies involved with the provision of occupational health. After 7 years in the post I handed the Chair on to Dr Steve Boorman in February 2018 but was elected hon President in recognition of my services. My work has been recognised by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians, which has awarded me an honorary Fellowship and by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, which has given me a Distinguished Service Award. In 2014 I was awarded an honorary fellowship by London South Bank University, presented at the Royal Festival Hall, and was invited to give presentations at conferences in Bahrain and Trinidad. In 2016 I gave lectures in Munich and The Hague and in 2017 was invited to speak in Dublin and Milan. In 2019 I was invited to give a lecture at the conference of the Industrial Law Society in Cambridge. In 2021 I remain in demand, though remotely because of Covid 19! I remain a member of the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and contributed to the latest edition of the Guidance on Ethics for occupational health professionals (2018). The 6th edition of my text book Occupational Health Law was published by Wiley Blackwell in 2020.