Ward Hadaway LLP

Licensing and Regulatory

Partner

Richard specialises in licensing, gaming and regulatory law.

He has a national reputation as a licensing specialist, representing pub companies, nightclub operators, convenience stores and supermarkets, hoteliers and restaurateurs, as well as local authorities and police forces on all aspects of the law relating to the sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment.

Richard regularly speaks on licensing topics to both the trade and the media.

He is a former Regional Director of the British Institute of Innkeepers and a member of the Association of Multiple Licensed Retailers. He has contributed to the Licensing Review, the legal section of The Morning Advertiser and to The Off Licence News.

Richard was a keynote speaker at the 2017 MA300 Event hosted by The Morning Advertiser Magazine.

Richard is a member of the Government’s Better Regulation Delivery Office Licensing Group. He also regularly attends IGD industry events.

He was named Lawyer of the Year for Licensing Law in England in the 2017 Corporate INTL Global Awards.

Richard has represented clients in a number of significant and nationally reported cases.

In addition, he advises clients, including two of the top five supermarket operators, on general regulatory investigations and prosecutions.

Richard has many years’ experience appearing before Magistrates’ Courts in matters including food labelling, sell-by date prosecutions, food hygiene and underage sales.

He has also prosecuted matters for a number of enforcement agencies, as well as having formerly been the Deputy Force Solicitor at Northumbria Police. Richard has acted on behalf of many gaming clients, including betting office operators and casinos. He also represents clients in road traffic matters.

Richard represents two of the top five supermarkets in licensing and also regularly receives instruction from the country's largest retailer in regulatory matters.