Simon Castley

Managing Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon International LLP

Simon focuses his practice in the area of product liability and managing regulations that affect clients' brands and businesses in United Kingdom, United States and Europe. He has worked extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East. His experience also includes litigation on corporate and commercial matters. His client base includes major multinational food and beverage, consumer goods and motor manufacturers.

Simon, a U.K. national, is fluent in English and French and has a good working knowledge of German. He is a delegate of Shook's Product Liability Forum, run by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. He has been included in Expert Guides: Guide to the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers, Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, The Legal 500 United Kingdom, and Chambers UK, where sources described him as "a very good lawyer in command of his subject, who understands the science not just the law." In Chambers UK 2016, sources also highlight his strength in handling international disputes, describe him as "very strong on the regulatory side" of product liability and identify him as one of a “very solid team in London” that is "excellent" in client service and responsiveness.

Simon has spent a significant amount of time in the United States gaining experience of U.S. litigation methods. He works frequently in Europe, the Middle East and Asia and has extensive experience in the various legal systems within these jurisdictions.

Contributed to

3

Product liability and defective products

Practice notes

This Practice Note summarises the law on product liability and defective products under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 (CPA 1987). CPA 1987 imposes liability on producers of defective products. This Practice Note considers what constitutes a defective product under CPA 1987, who in the supply chain may be liable, their degree of liability and any contributory negligence issues, the type of damages that may be awarded and the various defences available to a producer. It considers significant case law impacting the definition of defect and burden of liability under CPA 1987 as provided for in Wilkes v DePuy and Colin Gee v DePuy and also considers the plans for future reform in this area.

Commercial

Product liability risk management for producers

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the risks faced by producers in respect of their liability to members of the public for dangerous or sub-standard products, and the steps which producers can take to manage that risk.

Commercial

Statutory product safety regime

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the statutory product safety regime in the UK, covering civil and criminal liability under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 (CPA 1987), the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR 2005) and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA 1974). It considers emerging case law impacting the definition of defect and burden of liability under the CPA 1987 as provided for in Wilkes v DePuy and Colin Gee v DePuy.

Commercial