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Richard A Matthews

Partner
Head of Product Liability

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Richard leads the firm's pan-European product liability practice and is a leading partner in our contentious procurement team. 

Richard has over 20 years' experience of advising major global businesses on their responses to product incidents and associated product liability actions, the defense of cross-border and multi-party proceedings as well as claims involving insurers, supply chain disputes, the implementation of product recalls and effective crisis management. Whether you are a consumer, B2B or food business, Richard can help you in minimising the impact of product defects or recovery of losses from suppliers or insurers. 

Richard also supports businesses like yours with the preparation of product recall and incident management plans and associated training, so you can be well prepared to prevent an incident arising or limiting any brand damage.    

Richard is also one of the firm's lead partners in the firm’s contentious procurement practice which is ranked Tier 1 in Chambers UK legal guide. He has worked extensively for utilities, central government departments and publicly-funded bodies. In particular, he has supported clients in relation to major IT and infrastructure projects to minimize the risk of challenge and, where necessary, defending procurement challenges and Judicial Review applications often under intense public scrutiny.

Richard is adept at securing the early and favorable resolution of cases. However, he is a very experienced and tenacious litigator, who brings a forensic eye and the full armory of contentious skills to the fore in securing the best outcome for his clients.

Outside of the office, Richard enjoys playing and watching sport, skiing and travel.  

Richard's experience includes:

Product liability

  • acting for lenders in the PIP Breast Implant litigation
  • advising a leading electronics company in a global consumer recall and regulatory notification program concerning over 800,000 domestic appliances
  • supporting clients in a number of high-profile cross-border food contamination recalls, including benzene in carbonated drinks, migration of ink from food packaging, Sudan 1/Para Red, dioxins in Irish pork, melamine in milk, horsemeat and ETO
  • advising manufacturers and suppliers of various medical devices (including breast implants, gastric bands and patient lifting devices) on defending personal injury claims, regulatory compliance and CE marking issues

Procurement

  • acting for a leading utility in relation to the procurement for its £2 billion AMP7 capital works investment program
  • acting for a Central Government Agency in relation to a flagship IT infrastructure project procured through Competitive Dialogue
  • acting for a rail sector utility in defending a High Court challenge to a major £2bn framework agreement including a successful application to lift the automatic suspension
  • defending a challenge to the appointment of the preferred bidder in a c.£1.2 billion waste infrastructure procurement
  • defending an expedited procurement challenge and parallel Judicial Review proceedings in relation to the appointment of an automated diagnostics software provider to support the UK Government’s mass Covid-19 testing program

 

Richard co-authored the Management of a Global Product Recall in the 2019 International Comparative Legal Guide to Product Liability

Richard authored the on-line Butterworths LexisNexis guidance for practitioners on product liability

Richard is listed as one of the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers in Euromoney's 2022 Expert Guide 

Richard is a ranked lawyer in the Chambers & Partners 2022 legal directory for both Product Liability and Litigation, quoting that:

  • "Richard Matthews does a fantastic job managing cases with unusual dynamics"; and 
  • "[Richard] is regularly instructed by clients from an array of sectors, including manufacturers from the automotive, technology and construction spheres, for advice in relation to product safety claims, recalls and regulatory proceedings

Richard is identified as a leading individual in the Legal 500 2022 legal directory for Litigation, quoting:

  • "Richard Matthews is one of the best and most thoughtful lawyers I have come across. I would rate him as exceptional and other partners are also very good (but not as shrewd as he is)”.

In relation to Product Liability for 2022, Legal 500 quotes:

  • "Richard Matthews is a hugely skilled and able case leader and tactician. He combines immense intellectual ability with unparalleled legal knowledge. He exudes calm authority in pressuries situations"; and 
  • His team is "unmatched in its expertise and experience of dealing with Europe-wide product liability issues."  

Richard is an active member of the Procurement Lawyers Association.

Ranked in Chambers UK 2018, 2019

Richard is the Litigation and Dispute Management Head for Leeds, with responsibility for Commercial Dispute Resolution across Leeds and Manchester.

BA Hons Law, Durham University

Richard Matthews

Partner

Head of Product Liability

Richard Matthews

Partner

Head of Product Liability

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