Mr Manslaughter

 

 

Reviews

2012

In Chambers and Partners 2012 he is ranked as a leading Silk in Health and Safety.

Gerard Forlin QC of 2-3 Gray's Inn Square is admired by peers for "the flamboyance with which he presents his cases." He is a specialist in numerous fields and has notable expertise of the rail and aviation sectors. His health and safety practice has led him to undertake the defence of many corporate manslaughter prosecutions. Solicitors say: "He is exceptional as he is both very good with clients and very good at keeping a team together."

2011

In Chambers and Partners 2011 he is ranked as a leading new Silk in Health and Safety. Interviewees describe him as "an old-fashioned jury advocate with excellent knowledge of his subject and a great feel for his cases." A seasoned defender of international blue-chip companies in fatality cases, he is a tireless performer.

In Legal Experts 2011 he is ranked as a leading new Silk in Consumer and Health and Safety. Click here for details.

In May Gerard was awarded a Finance Monthly Law Award 2011. Click here for details.

2010

In Chambers and Partners 2010 he is ranked as a leading junior in both Crime and Health and Safety. He is ranked in the top tier for Health and Safety law, being praised as “phenomenally pithy”, acknowledged as “one of the most compelling advocates that you could ever see in a courtroom.” Aside from litigation work, he regularly lectures and is retained to do consultancy work across the globe. He also pens many articles on health and safety law. His recent cases have included acting for Hillgrove School with regard to a playground fatality.

The Legal 500 continues recognition of Gerard's practice. Having taken Silk, Gerard is ranked in the newly amalgamated groupings 'Consumer and product liability', and 'Health, safety and environment'. In Consumer law Gerard is singled out as showing ‘impressive judgement and strategic skill’.

2009

Gerard is singled out as a leading health and safety junior in the most recent edition of the Legal 500 where he has been recognised as the top junior for the last three years. He is described as a ‘formidable advocate with strength in technical and industrial product claims'. In consumer law Gerard is singled out as ‘managing the evidence well and is very good with juries'.

In Chambers and Partners 2009 he is recognised as having "acted on a number of significant health and safety cases over the past year, one of which involved representing a school headmaster who was prosecuted for the death of a child in the playground." The client was ultimately granted leave to appeal. Forlin has a wealth of experience on cases involving fatalities, on both the defence and prosecution sides. Solicitors confirm that he is “great at planning and doesn’t skirt around the necessary issues,” while clients praise his capacity for approaching cases with an open mind'."

2008

Gerard is singled out as the leading health and safety junior in the 2008 edition of the Legal 500 where he has been recognised as the top junior for the last two years. He is described as a ‘manslaughter specialist’, clients praising his ‘great industry knowledge’ and ‘incredible work ethic’, recent cases include acting for Balfour Beatty on the Hatfield crash. “Forlin’s robust style of advocacy, easy client manner and market awareness all combine with the above to merit a first-tier ranking."

In consumer law Gerard is described as having "an unrivalled, and well-deserved reputation as leading counsel in this field, matched only by his drive, enthusiasm and commitment to the client’ with‘ a unique combination of rhetorical skill, and superb technical knowledge’.”

In Chambers and Partners 2008 he is described as “a master of thinking on his feet” who exudes “a compelling charisma that makes people want to listen.” He has been involved in over 250 fatality cases and has appeared in the vast majority of major cases in this field in the last ten years. He also acts for the environment agency on policy issues.

2007

In Legal 500 (2007) he is mentioned in three categories:

(Consumer Law) "2-3 Gray's Inn Square is instructed by numerous local authorities, central government departments and public bodies. New entrant, leading junior Gerard Forlin acted on two global product recalls for FTSE top 25 companies worth £100m."
(Health and Safety Law) "2-3 Gray's Inn Square has a solid reputation for corporate manslaughter and fatality work. Top junior Gerard Forlin is a 'manslaughter specialist' and clients praise his 'great industry knowledge' and 'incredible work ethic', recent cases include acting for Balfour Beatty on the Hatfield rail crash. Forlin's robust style of advocacy, easy client manner, and market awareness all combine with the above to merit a first-tier ranking."
(Public Inquiries)

2006

In Chambers (2006) he is described as "… with a sound reputation and big personality he is one of the very few workplace manslaughter specialists due to his tremendous experience in defence, prosecution and regulatory work. He is a clear communicator with an unfussy style and possesses an insider's knowledge of what is happening in the industry. He has published extensively on health and safety law issues, including corporate manslaughter and lectures regularly on these topics."

In Chambers (October 2006) "Personality just oozes out of the "redoubtable" Gerard Forlin. He is "Mr Manslaughter" and has been appointed as a general adviser to the Bar Council on the Corporate Manslaughter Bill. His is a very big and successful health and safety practice and he acts in relation to approximately 30 fatalities a year. Commentators confirm that he "undoubtedly knows his health and safety law." Forlin was instructed to act for Balfour Beatty in the appeal of the decision in the Hatfield trial. He has also been retained for an appeal arising out of the Purley train crash."

In Legal 500 (2006) he is described as "… one of the very few workplace manslaughter specialists and an excellent advocate, successfully defended the first ever local authority charged with corporate manslaughter."

2005

In Chambers (2005) he is described as a "powerful orator and has been involved in most of the big cases in this field. He combines his prosecution and defence work with a substantial level of regulatory work and is regularly seen on the lecture circuit. Interviewees praise him as "conceptually very bright" and "ahead of everyone else." He was singled out as an expert in the field of corporate manslaughter and has published extensively in this field. His caseload has involved work on behalf of numerous major companies."

In Legal 500 (2005) he is only one of two barristers in the very top band in Health and Safety where he is described as having "defended the first-ever local authority corporate manslaughter case". In the section on leading Environmental lawyers he is described as "Health and Safety expert ... also recommended for his environmental law knowledge". He is also one of the Leading Barristers in the section on Public Inquiries.

2004

Described in Chambers (2004) as "one of the very few workplace Manslaughter specialists who combines a flamboyant manner with an astute and tactically sound approach".

In the Legal 500 (2004) it says "Excellent advocate, … one of the best known juniors in the field. Specialising in 'the real disaster stuff', he is one of the Bar's few workplace death specialists."