Shauna Ritchie
Expert advocate in crime and health and safety
Shauna Ritchie is a leading advocate specialising in serious crime and health and safety. She regularly appears in very high profile, serious, and complex cases in both fields.
One of only a handful of barristers recommended in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 guides in both Crime and Health and Safety, Shauna won the prestigious Crime Junior of the Year award at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2023. She has twice been shortlisted as Chambers UK Bar’s Health and Safety Junior of the Year (in 2018 and 2022) and has been nominated for Corporate Crime Junior of the Year (2023) and Crime and Extradition Junior of the Year (2024) at the Legal 500 Bar Awards. Amongst her directory rankings Shauna is rated the “Star Individual” Junior Counsel in Chambers and Partners UK Bar 2024 for Health and Safety, and Tier 1 for Crime in Legal 500 UK Bar 2024.
Shauna has extensive experience both prosecuting and defending serious and complex cases. Her practice encompasses the full spectrum of serious criminal and regulatory offences, from murder, rape, and serious sexual and violent offences to corporate and gross negligence manslaughter and HSWA offences. She is renowned for her meticulous case preparation, sound strategic advice, and tenacious and effective court advocacy.
Shauna studied law at Kings College London and the Inns of Court School of Law and was called to the bar in 2000 at Lincoln’s Inn. She is a Grade 4 CPS and Rape Panel Advocate and Specialist Regulatory Panel Advocate in Health and Safety and Environmental Law.
Practice Areas
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Shauna has a substantial specialist practice defending and prosecuting serious Health and Safety matters. Her expertise extends to all aspects of health and safety enforcement, including fire safety offences. Shauna has particular experience in relation to construction, asbestos, road and railways, healthcare, and the leisure industry. Her defence practice ranges from cases concerning individual workers and contractors, to company directors, large organisations, and corporate bodies. She is appointed to the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates in Health and Safety and Environmental Law.
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Shauna is a vastly experienced criminal advocate dealing with particular expertise in dealing with serious sexual and violent offences, and young and vulnerable witnesses and defendants. Her practice encompasses the full spectrum of criminal offences. Recent cases in which Shauna has been instructed include murder and attempted murder, manslaughter, rape, money laundering, corruption, and conspiracy to supply drugs and firearms.
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Particular experience representing medical professionals and cases concerning workplace deaths. In the Coroner’s Court Shauna has represented individuals, companies, and government departments at inquests ranging from deaths on the railway and on commercial premises, to domestic carbon monoxide poisoning, agricultural and construction industry deaths. In recent years these have included a crane collapse and a multi-fatality gas explosion. She has particular experience representing medical professionals at inquests in relation to the death of patients in their care, and corporate clients in relation to work related deaths.
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Shauna defends allegations brought by the Environment Agency and local authorities including in relation to breaches of Environmental Law.
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Shauna has significant experience of acting in professional disciplinary proceedings, both on behalf of registrants and as a case presenter. Her expertise in criminal law, representing medical professionals at inquest, and cross-examination of expert witnesses informs her work before tribunals including the General Dental Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Solicitors Regulation Authority, and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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Alongside her general criminal practice, Shauna has particular experience defending in large and complex multi-defendant fraud and financial crime matters.