About Us

The Health and Safety Lawyers' Association ("HSLA") is a national organisation aimed at those practitioners and academic lawyers who have an interest in an area of law that is rapidly increasing in scope and importance. Its aims and objectives include:

To promote the development of health and safety law;
To further research and educate and train its members in the discrete area of health and safety law;
To promote the expertise of its members in dealing with issues of health and safety law.

HSLA seeks to include not only practitioners within the legal profession, but also academic lawyers whose areas of study include an interest in health and safety law. It aims to place emphasis on the increasing awareness of legal health and safety duties and the way in which they are complied with, enforced, investigated and ultimately form the basis for action in court.

The HSLA's Current Committee Members

President – Right Honourable Lord Justice Scott Baker
Vice President – Roger Henderson QC, Henderson Chambers in London, a leading silk in health and safety.
Chair – Madeleine Abas, one of the UK’s leading health and safety lawyers, heading up niche firm Osborn Abas Hunt.
Vice-Chair – Richard Matthews, 2 Bedford Row Chambers in London, Standing Counsel to the Health and Safety Executive and Office of Rail Regulation.
Secretary – Sean Elson, senior associate with Pinsent Masons.
Vice-Secretary – James Mack is a prosecutions lawyer at the Office of Rail Regulation.
Treasurer – Melissa Jones is a partner at Bond Pearce Solicitors specialising in health and safety.

Please click here for a full list of Council members and their contact details.