Hannah Leese

Hannah joined Roythornes' Litigation team in 2019 as a dispute resolution solicitor, with a particular focus on the food sector.

Organisations involved in food production come up against a number of challenges that are unique to their sector. For over 15 years, Hannah has been guiding her specialist clients through the myriad of regulatory obligations they face under both European and domestic food legislation.

Hannah advises in respect of any regulatory enforcement action by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Trading Standards and local councils.  She regularly assists with criminal investigations, including attending interviews under caution and defending criminal prosecutions in both Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. 

In addition to her criminal work, Hannah is also involved in challenging the decision-making of both the FSA and DEFRA in civil proceedings, such as appealing against the service of inappropriate enforcement notices, or bringing claims for judicial review where it is considered that these departments have acted unlawfully, for example, in respect of charges levied against a business for the supply of FSA staff.

Hannah has also gained significant experience in the fresh meat sector and possesses an in-depth understanding of the regulatory sphere in which these businesses operate.