Stephen Hockman Archives

Stephen Hockman

Stephen Hockman QC has specialised in all forms of regulatory law for approximately the last 30 years. He is a leader of exceptionally high standing who has a broad environmental, health and safety and planning practice encompassing judicial review, inquiries, arbitration, civil claims and criminal prosecution and defence work.

Stephen has a varied client base, including corporates and individuals, regulator and (alleged) polluter, and he is equally at home undertaking effective cross-examination as in sustained legal submission at any level of tribunal. His particular strength lies in the breadth and varied nature of his practice. He is able to draw on his extensive experience in his specialist areas of regulatory and health & safety law, civil and commercial law, and planning and environmental law to provide a unique service in complex and high profile litigation.

Stephen is recognised as one of the leading practitioners in the fields of Health and Safety Law and Energy and Natural Resources, where his experience includes appearing for TOTAL UK in the health and safety prosecution arising out of the Buncefield explosion.

His practice also encompasses in particular environmental law – making and resisting public law challenges to environmental decisions, appearing for claimants/defendants in environmental cases in the common law courts, for example nuisance, and prosecuting and defending in major pollution cases.
Stephen’s practice incorporates too a significant element of local government work, and he has appeared for and advised local authorities in every part of the country on a regular basis, on issues such as town and country planning and internal governance.