Trading Standards & Licensing Solicitors | Expert Regulatory Defence

Regulatory investigation or a threat to your operating license can bring your business to a standstill. Whether you are a local retailer facing a Trading Standards prosecution, a venue owner navigating a complex licensing review, or a company director facing a PACE interview under caution, immediate and strategic legal intervention is critical.

At Huttons Law, our specialist regulatory defence team provides robust, uncompromising representation for businesses and individuals across England and Wales.

Trading Standards Investigations & Prosecutions

Trading Standards authorities possess extensive powers to investigate, seize goods, and bring criminal prosecutions against businesses and company officers. Early intervention is the most effective way to prevent an investigation from escalating into a court case.

Our expert regulatory lawyers advise and represent clients across all areas of Trading Standards enforcement, including:

• Consumer Protection Breaches: Misleading pricing, aggressive sales tactics, and breaches of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs).

• Product Safety & Recalls: Defending claims regarding dangerous or defective goods.

• Counterfeit & Trademark Infringement: Allegations involving the sale of counterfeit goods or intellectual property breaches.

• Age-Restricted Sales: Defending businesses accused of selling alcohol, tobacco, or knives to minors.

• Weights and Measures offenses

• PACE Interviews Under Caution: If you have been invited to a voluntary interview or arrested, you have the right to legal representation. Do not attend an interview without a specialist solicitor present. We will manage the authorities, control the flow of information, and advise you on the strongest defense strategy.

Licensing Applications, Hearings & Appeals

Your license is the lifeblood of your business. If it is revoked, suspended, or subjected to unworkable conditions, your operations cease. We provide strategic advice to pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, taxi firms, and retail outlets to secure, maintain, and defend their operating licenses.

Our specialist licensing services include:

• Premises Licenses: Applications for new alcohol and entertainment licenses, variations to existing licenses, and Temporary Event Notices (TENs).

• Licensing Committee Hearings: Robust representation at local authority sub-committee hearings for contested applications or license reviews initiated by the police or local residents.

• Appeals: Drafting and presenting complex appeals to the Magistrates’ Court following adverse decisions by a licensing committee.

• Taxi & Private Hire Licensing: Representing drivers and operators facing the suspension or revocation of their badges by local authorities.

• SIA (Security Industry Authority) Licensing: Defending security professionals and firms against license revocations and regulatory action.

 Why Instruct Huttons for Regulatory Defense?

Regulatory law is highly specialized and requires lawyers who understand both the criminal justice system and the commercial realities of running a business.

As a Lexcel-accredited firm, our approach is proactive, discreet, and commercially pragmatic. We frequently negotiate with local authorities and regulatory bodies to resolve issues behind closed doors, avoiding the devastating public relations fallout of a formal prosecution. When court or committee hearings are unavoidable, we are formidable advocates who will fiercely defend your position.

Protect Your Business Today

Regulatory authorities do not wait, and neither should you. Time is of the essence in both Trading Standards investigations and licensing disputes.

Contact us on 02920 378621