Lisa Roberts KC

Call To The Bar: 1993

Leader of the Northern Circuit 2020-2022

Lisa Roberts KC specialises in regulatory law, inquiries and advisory work for utility companies and large public bodies. She took silk in 2015 and is consistently ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as a leading silk.

Inquiries: Lisa acts on behalf of police officers, large companies and public bodies in inquests and inquiries and has earned a strong reputation for guarding the interests of her clients.

Notable Inquiries: Lisa has led large legal teams for the North West Ambulance Service in the Manchester Arena Inquiry (2020-2023); for the Health and Safety Executive in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry (2021-2023); for the former ACC of West Midlands Police in the Hillsborough Inquests.

Energy Sector: Lisa has represented most of England’s Water Companies and is regularly instructed to advise them on regulatory compliance, engagement with the regulators and throughout court proceedings when prosecuted by the regulators. She is instructed by Thames Water in the largest ever investigation brought by the Environment Agency and by United Utilities in the largest ever prosecution for over abstraction. As well as regularly representing utility companies who are facing prosecution by the regulators, she also carries out private prosecutions on behalf of the utility companies. Lisa was instructed by United Utilities to represent them throughout a prosecution brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, which followed the cryptosporidium event of the summer of 2015 (the largest of its kind) and has represented water companies in 4 of the last 6 prosecutions brought by the DWI.

Regarded as a first-class, specialist silk in Health and Safety and Environmental Law, Lisa is instructed in some of the country’s leading cases.

Lisa is regularly instructed to act on behalf of Federated and senior ranking police officers in criminal matters and Police Misconduct (disciplinary) hearings.

Lisa also accepts privately-funded instructions on behalf of individuals facing criminal offences. Recently she has dealt with a number of high-profile footballing legends.

Lisa regularly presents seminars and webinars on crime, regulatory and trading standards’ law to defence solicitors, corporate clients and industry regulators.

In the Legal Guides over the past 5 years alone Lisa is described as:

“An Excellent and Impressive Barrister.” – Chambers & Partners, 2023 – Health & Safety

“A formidable advocate in prosecution and defence.” – Chambers & Partners, 2022 – Professional Discipline

“She is a very classy operator – very authoritative and a really persuasive advocate.” “One of the most prominent leading silks in the North. She’s easy to work with, a team player and she stands out thanks to her strategic thinking.” – Chambers & Partners, 2022 – Health and Safety

“Absolutely first rate. First class in her approach and manner and she goes the extra mile in supporting instructing solicitors and representing her clients.” “excellent attention to detail and is very thorough.” “brilliant in court and clients love her.” – Chambers & Partners, 2021 – Health and Safety

“Very well prepared and a very good advocate who is very easy to work with.” “An excellent barrister.” – Chambers & Partners, 2021 – Professional Discipline

“A fantastic silk – she’s really bright, really switched-on, utterly charming and captivating.”

“Very thorough and has a great manner with her clients.” – Chambers & Partners, 2020

“A class act”, “She is very bright and makes very persuasive arguments.” – Chambers & Partners, 2019

“A very capable, outstanding young silk.” – Legal 500, 2018

“Great at presenting and great with clients”, “Very well respected.” – Chambers & Partners, 2018

“An excellent advocate. Clear, concise and persuasive.” “Very bright.” – Chambers & Partners, 2018

Having built a formidable reputation over many years in the criminal courts, Lisa’s primary focus now is on Inquiry work, Regulatory work & Professional Discipline.

Regulatory Law

• Health and Safety
• Environmental
• Water Industry
• Police Federation – criminal and disciplinary
• Trading Standards
• Medical Profession – criminal and GMC (defence)

Inquests & Inquiries

Private client criminal defence