Teresa Hitchcock

Teresa Hitchcock

Partner

International Co-Head of Product Liability and Mass Torts

Head of Safety, Health & Environment, UK

About

Teresa is a partner in the Sheffield office of DLA Piper. She is International Co-Head of Product Liability and Mass Torts and UK Head of Safety, Health and Environment (SHE).

Teresa's practice is broad-ranging, and covers all areas of environmental, health and safety, product safety and food safety law, licensing and gambling, and the regulatory aspects of healthcare.

Teresa's client base is very diverse. She regularly advises large international businesses, government departments, non-profit organisations and local authorities. Key areas of Teresa's practice include regeneration projects, SESG, climate change law, large-scale international product liability, the impact of conservation law on industrial operations allocation of regulator liabilities in corporate transactions, defending remediation requirements both statutory and civil, a number of major health and safety investigations and legal compliance projects.

Product Stewardship is an integral part of her practice and Teresa is often involved in strategic decision making on product compliance and recall matters.

Before qualifying as a solicitor, Teresa worked as a senior environmental and health and safety regulator in local government, and thereby acquired extensive practical experience of regulation and compliance.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales
Education
  • Trent Polytechnic, Environmental Health and Science Degree (MIEH DIP)
  • Nottingham Trent, LLB (Hons) Degree 2:1

Awards

Teresa is described in Legal 500 2011 as 'excellent' and 'extremely knowledgeable' who 'understands issues, and is very experienced and responsive'.

Pro Bono

Teresa has strong connections with local business in the Sheffield area. For many years she has been a leading figure in the South Yorkshire Green Business Club, an organisation which enables smaller businesses in the area to benefit from the expertise of larger businesses, regulators and the academic community and improve their contribution to sustainable development. Teresa was recently appointed a Board Member for Sheffield First for Environment, the local partnership established by Sheffield City Council to champion environmental issues in the area.

Seminars

Teresa is a well-known speaker at national and international conferences on environmental and health and safety compliance.

Prior Experience

1991 to date, DLA Piper (National Head of SHE (Safety, Health & Environment) since 1996)
1986 to 1990, Principal Grade Environmental Health Officer North West Leicestershire District Council Food Safety/Health and Safety/Pollution Control
1984 to 1986, Senior Grade Environmental Health Officer Erewash Borough Council, Ilkeston Pollution and Health and Safety
1981 to 1984, District Environmental Health Officer Erewash Borough Council, Ilkeston Food Safety

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
  • Law Society
  • UKELA

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