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Health and Safety: Prosecutions of directors on the rise.
Melinka Berridge
Melinka is an experienced regulatory and criminal lawyer who became the Head of the Regulatory Team in November 2023.
She leads a talented team of over 50 solicitors, barristers and paralegals who investigate and prosecute regulatory cases, as well as defend students, professionals and regulated organisations facing investigations and disciplinary action.
Melinka works across the practice areas of regulatory law, health and safety, private prosecutions and public inquiries. She is ranked highly in all the legal directories, including Legal 500's Hall of Fame.
Regulatory Law
Melinka helps regulators and public bodies to take proportionate enforcement action against those who fall short of their standards or break the law. She also supports regulators to defend against public law challenges to their decision-making. Her current client list includes: The General Dental Council, the Education Workforce Council, and the Teaching Regulation Agency, and the General Pharmaceutical Council.
She is ranked band 2 in Chambers 2024, and a ‘Leading Individual’ in Legal 500 2024 in the field of Professional Discipline.
Health and Safety
Melinka acts for directors and senior officers accused of committing health and safety offences. She also advises boards on what constitutes ‘good governance’ of their regulatory obligations within their organisations. She specialises in advising clients in the leisure and hospitality, and built environment sectors.
She is recognised in Legal 500 2024 as being in the ‘Hall of Fame’ in the field of Health & Safety.
Private Prosecutions
Melinka co-leads the team responsible for advising on and bringing private prosecutions. She helps individuals, corporates and charities to commence criminal proceedings when the state prosecuting agencies are unable or unwilling to act.
She is ranked band 2 in Chambers 2024 in the field of Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions.
Public Inquiries
Melinka has considerable public inquiry experience of representing individuals, institutions, public figures and senior professionals in major public inquiries. Most recently she has represented individuals in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
What clients and directories say
She knows her stuff and is very impressive."
Chambers and Partners, 2025
Melinka is very good, sensible and collaborative."
Chambers UK 2025 - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
Melinka Berridge is absolutely first-rate in every aspect of work. She inspires total confidence, and the same applies for Hannah Eales."
Legal 500 UK, 2025
She is absolutely excellent, approachable and a team player. She has a sharp intellect, is commercial and is a very personable colleague."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2021
She has excellent knowledge and is flexible in her approach to issues."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2021
She is bright, knowledgeable, solution-driven and empathetic."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2021
She is extremely impressive, has extensive knowledge and achieves great results for clients."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2020
Melinka Berridge is extremely experienced - there are not many issues which she has not come across and tackled before. The breadth of her knowledge on regulatory issues and processes is staggering; she is a real heavyweight, and definitely someone clients want in their corner."
Legal 500 UK, 2020
Her knowledge of the regulatory process and issues is excellent and her attention to detail is second to none."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2018
...in command, utterly organised and entirely efficient."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2017
…Astute, inventive and clever.”
Legal 500 UK, 2017
… talented, very intelligent and very well thought of in the space.”
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2016
…outstanding in terms of preparation and presentation.”
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2015
… is considered ‘exceptionally well-prepared, concise, articulate, responsive and unfailingly courteous’.”
Legal 500 UK, 2014
...known for the high calibre of her work. Sources describe her as 'an unsung hero' and 'a heavyweight'...
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2014
...'“The ‘truly outstanding' Melinka Berridge, who leads the team that acts for the National College for Teaching and Leadership, is considered ‘exceptionally well-prepared, concise, articulate, responsive and unfailingly courteous'.”
Legal 500 UK 2014
“…has total command, meticulous preparation and I think she’s outstanding in all respects…”
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2013
Recent cases
- Advising a client on various matters arising out of the Grenfell Tower fire.
- Advising a corporate and its directors on a private prosecution against a number of competitor businesses regarding a conspiracy to defraud.
- Representing an individual who conducted a private prosecution against a former business partner for forgery in respect of a planning agreement.
- Advising a national charity on the merits of commencing a private prosecution in circumstances where the local authority had failed to prosecute.
- Advising two national industry regulators on the use of criminal investigation and enforcement powers in conjunction with their civil enforcement regime.
- Representing witnesses in state run criminal proceedings to ensure that their interests and reputation were protected throughout the proceedings.
- Advising a Chief Executive of a Fitness Club of his personal liability in respect of regulatory and criminal offences committed within his business.
- Defending an individual who was facing allegations of illegal or unregistered practice by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
- Acting for a several London-based private members’ clubs in respect of their licensing matters.
- Representing an individual subject to a review of their personal management licence by the Gambling Commission.
- Appearing as a presenting officer in various high profile and complex cases on behalf the regulators responsible for regulating the teaching profession in both England and Wales.
Professional societies and memberships
- Private Prosecutors’ Association
- Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)
- Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association
