Overview
Defective products expose business to significant adverse consequences. At worst this could be fatal to consumers, cause brand damage, huge expense, fines and even prison. Products need to comply with a range of legislation, standards and quality marks. They are vulnerable to design and manufacturing defects, to poor labelling, instructions, storage and misuse, all or any of which can have serious consequences. Managing that risk is therefore essential and business critical.
Our specialist lawyers advise across a wide variety of sectors from food to automotive, from medical devices and drugs to toys. They assist with statutory interpretation, risk identification and with effective practical and pragmatic risk management systems and procedures, whether in a simple or a global supply chain.
If a problem is identified, it is essential to react quickly. We will work alongside your product specialists and in-house team to identify and understand the problem and its potential consequences, advising on notification to the authorities and customers.
The key judgment is the assessment of the risk from the defect: what is the severity of the possible outcome and how likely is that outcome to occur? Our experienced team will advise you on the control measures to take, whether that be recall, advice or retrofitted solutions, working with you to achieve the best possible commercial and legal outcome.
