Patrick Sadd is recognised for his empathetic approach with vulnerable clients combined with extensive expertise in inquests and inquiries personal injury and clinical negligence.
More recently this experience has led to providing advice on safeguarding within the charity sector ranging from serious incident reporting obligations to the Charity Commission to advising on consent and confidentiality in the provision and management of helplines.
By contrast, Patrick is recognised as one of the leading barristers in the UK in European road transport regulatory law, a reputation established over 25 years in the sector.
Patrick’s years’ of experience in logistics and regulatory transport law means he is regularly instructed on behalf of haulage and coach operators in public inquiries before the regulator as well as by the DVSA. He appears in appeals to the Upper Tribunal and the Administrative Courts. He has acted for the Secretary of State for Transport (the Attorney General approving his instruction as specialist counsel) in a test case on large goods’ vehicles and emission control. He was instructed by for the DVSA in Scotland in two of the largest public inquiries in Scotland relating to tachograph fraud.
His regulatory expertise extends to other industries too and he has recently drafted guidance and procedures for a number of organisations within the charity sector.
He has recognised expertise in historical and present day abuse claims involving religious institutions and groups, schools, care and foster homes, football clubs, youth and scouting groups and family settings, as well as acting for vulnerable adults in long-term residential or psychiatric care. He was Lead Counsel in both the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry (2013-2016) and in the IICSA investigation into the sexual abuse of children in the care of the Nottingham Councils (2017-2019).
Chambers & Partners quote him as having “superb medical knowledge needed for complex inquest cases.”
Patrick also has a long-established clinical negligence and personal injury practice. He is highly sought after in sensitive cases involving still-birth and neo-natal deaths, as well as in inquests including those arising out of clinical treatment and psychiatric care. He also specialises in catastrophic injury and fatal accident claims. Legal 500 say of Patrick; “He has significant amounts of experience in dealing with these most complex of cases.”
His experience also extends to medical device litigation and group actions including the Leicester Epilepsy claims, Trilucent Breast implant, PIP litigation and De Puy litigation.
Patrick is a recognised leading expert in European road regulatory law. He is regularly instructed on behalf of UK and European haulage and coach operators as well as by the DVSA. He appears at business-critical public inquiries under the Goods Vehicle Licensing of Operators Act and the Transport Act and in appeals to the Upper Tribunal and the Administrative Courts.
In January and May 2023, he acted for the DVSA in the two largest ever public inquiries in Scotland in M&M Kerr Ltd/RW Stewart Ltd.
He acted for the Secretary of State for Transport as specialist counsel in the leading test case test case on large goods’ vehicles and emission control, Midland Container Logistics Limited & Others v Secretary of State for Transport [2020] UKUT 0005(AAC).
Since Brexit, he has advised a broad range of businesses based both in the UK and in the EU on issues relating to cabotage under the retained EU Regulation 1072/2009, the UK Exit Regulations 2019/208 and the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2000 as well as operating under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (May 2021) in relation to ATA carnets.
He also advises hauliers on civic penalties in clandestine migrant cases (most recently in 2023) as well as a broad section of specialist haulage business on applicable exemptions under tachograph and operator licence regulations including water utility, waste disposal and motorway maintenance contractors.
He is regularly instructed to act for operators at preliminary hearings and public inquiries relating to regulatory compliance including bridge strikes, financial standing, fronting and all aspects of fleet compliance.
He is widely seen as an authority in this area of transport and logistics and is regularly invited to speak at logistics events as well as being invited to speak before Traffic Commissioners at their annual review meetings.
Re: S (2025)
Representing 2,000 vehicle multi-operator licence holder road haulier at public inquiry called under sections 26-28 of the Goods Vehicle( Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 to address a series of bridge strikes. Extensive review of preventative steps taken. Formal warning given.
Re: W (2025)
Representing long-established specialist haulier following unsatisfactory TEVR : called to public inquiry for consideration of regulatory action including revocation. Formal warning with undertaking.
Re: Y (2025)
Advising on financial standing,the interpretation of EU Regulation 1071/2009 Articles 7.1-2 and Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Doc 2 on Finance in context of multiple licences and parent holding company.
Re: A
Representing 180 vehicle haulier at public inquiry following 3 bridge strikes over two year period for consideration of regulatory sanction. Formal warning with undertaking.
Re: E (2024)
Representing specialist Operator operating a fleet of car transporters following unsatisfactory DVSA maintenance audits. Regulatory action including revocation and suspension being considered. Operator licence suspended over Christmas period.
Re: T (2024)
Advising bus operator on judicial review under the London Service Permit scheme.
Re: A (2023)
Advising road haulier in this regulatory case on use of a fleet of specially designed vehicles on exemption from EU regulations and obligation to have operator’s licence. Special vehicle classification. Issue whether abnormal indivisible load vehicle or engineering plant ‘permanently fixed’. Critical impact on business.
Re: C (2023)
Specialist utilities company carrying out repair and maintenance for water companies and operating under a restricted licence called to public inquiry following concerns regarding correct operating entity. Instructed to represent at inquiry. Patrick filed a written case and drafted witness statements. Public inquiry did not go ahead.
Re: E (2023)
Advising film production company operating throughout Europe under a restricted UK Operator’s licence on regulatory issues. Concerns about risk to lorries being impounded under cabotage rules. Application of the Trade & Co-operation Agreement (2021) in relation to use of ATA carnets.
A combined local authority (2023)
Advising on the regulatory impact of proposed environmental regional transport plan.
M&M Kerr Ltd/RW Stewart Ltd (2023)
Instructed by DVSA in two substantial public inquiries relating to a large number of driver infringements carried out in each case by substantial number of drivers. Detailed evidence over 4 and 5 days respectively. These were two of the largest ever public inquiries in Scotland (M&M Kerr Ltd/RW Stewart Ltd (2023) )
Re: L (2023)
Acted in a successful appeal in the Upper Tribunal against revocation of standard international operators’ licence. Procedural and administrative unfairness.
Re: M (2023)
SEMTA public inquiry. Restricted licence. Instructed on behalf of operator against whom allegations were made of fronting (running an operator’s licence on behalf of revoked operator & disqualified director) and illegitimate ‘Phoenix’ operation. Operator allowed to continue.
Re: CE Ltd (2022)
UK wide company with 900+ fleet and 8 operator licences. Police and DVSA investigation into serious defected lorry running on public road. Called to preliminary hearing before Traffic Commissioner – comprehensive review of nationwide transport management and compliance – Patrick represented at hearing and there was no need to go to public inquiry.
JXG (2022)
Disqualified director applying to have disqualification lifted to be able to apply for operator’s licence. Written application – Traffic Commissioner determined on paper and disqualification lifted.
EXR (2022)
Patrick advised a European and UK based logistics company on applicable UK cabotage regulations and permissible EU haulage in UK under the Licensing of Operators and International Road Haulage (Amendment Etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/SI 2019 No.708 and the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2000 and impact of Nolan Transport v (1) VOSA (2) Secretary of State for Transport.
London tour bus operator (2022)
Advising large European tour and hotel group regarding operating tour buses under TfL London Service Permits. Called to inquiry with other operators over concerns of operating without operators’ licence. Following written submissions the Traffic Commissioner decided an inquiry no longer necessary.
PSV case (2021)
Advising substantial regional bus operator on response to bus monitoring report. Local bus regulations involving financial penalties for timetable failures.
3 day test case before Upper Tribunal instructed by DfT on recommendation of Upper Tribunal (‘specialist counsel needed’). Permission of Attorney General needed to instruct non-government counsel. Emissions in HGV and use of emulators to disguise lack of emission control. Level and severity of regulatory penalty in using fraudulent device. Three separate operators’ appeals – Midland Containers.
As part of his regulatory law practice, Patrick has provided advice to a number of charities and religious organisations on reporting to the Charity Commission, compliance reviews and drafting of their policies and procedures.
2025
Advising a mental health charity regarding its helplines and safeguarding policies and procedures in relation to both call-handlers and callers. Reviewing policies in relation to consent and confidentiality and on extent of duty of care amongst other issues. Pro-bono.
2024
Instructed by CEO of religious charitable organisation to carry independent review of its serious incident reporting procedures to the Charity Commission. Reviewed extensive documentation and conducted interviews within charity. Completed 75 page Independent Review with Executive Summary and recommendations (all of which were accepted).
Patrick is regularly instructed to represent bereaved parents at inquests into the deaths of neo-natals, infants, and young children. He is also instructed for families at inquests arising out of deaths in hospital and psychiatric units.
Patrick was Counsel to the Independent Jersey Abuse Inquiry (2013-2016) and Lead Counsel in the investigation into the sexual abuse of children in the care of the Nottinghamshire Councils as part of the national Independent Inquiry in Child Sexual Abuse (2017-2019) chaired by Professor Alexis Jay.
He is recognised by Chambers & Partners (Band 3) for his expertise in inquests and inquiries; “Patrick is measured and on top of details in difficult matters” and “He provides exceptional client care and has superb medical knowledge needed for complex inquest cases.”
Legal 500 also include Patrick as a Leading Junior in their rankings (Tier 3); “Patrick is a bright advocate with good judgement, who quietly commands the attention of his audience.”
Patrick has a long-established personal injury practice acting predominantly for claimants in high-value cases involving mainly serious orthopaedic injuries, amputations and brain injury.
He also has over twenty years’ experience in claims arising out of abuse of children and vulnerable adults in a whole variety of institutional and other settings. He has advised the Official Solicitor on a series of claims in the wake of the Supreme Court decision in GN v Poole (2019). He has acted for claimants in group actions and for Irish citizens claiming redress for childhood abuse in Industrial Schools. He was also instructed in the Savile litigation.
Patrick has written various articles and appeared on BBC News and radio on abuse claims. He is also ranked by Legal 500 (Tier 3) for his expertise in this field; “Patrick is an extremely sensitive and able child abuse barrister. He has significant amounts of experience in dealing with these most complex of cases.”
Patrick is instructed in a large number of claims relating to still-births and neo-natal deaths, birth injuries, mis-diagnoses and surgical negligence. He also provided mediated advices in the Leicester Epilepsy Litigation looking into the negligent diagnosis of over 600 children.
He acted in the Gosport Hospital deaths inquest and has been instructed in medical device litigation such as the Trilucent Breast claims and the PIP breast implant cases.
Patrick Sadd is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.
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