Nathan Buckley

Nathan is a partner in Kennedys’ Crime & Regulatory team and is head of the national team’s Manchester hub. He qualified in England and Wales in 2006.

Nathan specialises in regulatory defence work, particularly corporate manslaughter/gross negligence manslaughter, health and safety, food safety, environment, trading standards and motor crime investigations and prosecutions, together with associated inquests across all industries.

His practice is focused on representing both organisations, as well as individuals, and he is highly experienced and skilled in providing strategic and pragmatic advice in the immediate aftermath of an incident to protect his clients immediate and long-term position, reputation and revenue.

Nathan commenced his legal career in 2004 as an orthodox crime lawyer where he undertook thousands of police interviews under caution and conducted his own advocacy in the Magistrates’ Court, which included summary trials. He has specialised in regulatory crime since 2008 and continues to attend interviews under caution and undertake his own advocacy both in the Magistrates’ Court and Coroner’s Court.

In 2014, he represented a leading canoe and kayak manufacturer for corporate manslaughter, which was one of the first cases to be prosecuted under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

He has been involved in many high-profile cases over the years which includes the Marks & Spencer’s asbestos exposure incidents and the Alton Towers ‘Smiler’ ride crash. More recently, he acted for a Costa Coffee franchisee in connection with a police and local authority investigation arising from the death of a 13-year-old girl on 8 February 2023.

Nathan’s skills, experience and profile are such that he is properly recognised by Chambers & Partners as a leading lawyer and Legal 500 as a leading partner. 

Nathan routinely provides training to insurers, brokers and organisations, and is widely known as the ‘go to’ lawyer for specialist health and safety advice. His clients include household names, sport’s governing bodies and local authorities.