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Key definition
Risk management definition

What does Risk management mean? In legal practice, risk management is the structured process by which organisations identify, assess, prioritise and treat legal, regulatory and operational risks, allocating resources to prevent, minimise, monitor and control them. It supports client protection, regulatory compliance and professional standards. The term is descriptive rather than defined in statute or case law, but specific laws require documented risk assessment and controls, for example: anti‑money laundering (UK Money Laundering Regulations 2017; Ireland’s Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts), data protection impact assessments (UK GDPR/EU GDPR and Data Protection Acts), and health and safety (HSWA 1974 and Management Regulations; Ireland’s Safety,...

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Product liability and safety risk management across the supply chain in Great Britain: contractual protections, insurance, compliance and recall planning

Practice notes
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This Practice Note sets out the exposures producers face regarding their responsibility to Members of the public for hazardous or sub-standard products placed on the Great Britain market, and the measures that producers can adopt to control that risk.

Risks

Any business supplying consumer Goods (or items that could end up in a consumer’s hands) must be alert to current legislation and common law remedies, and to the dangers it confronts if a product fails to work properly or creates a risk to users or other members of the public.

End-users who buy dangerous or sub-standard goods may be able to bring claims:

  • for breach of contract against the seller under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA 2015)
  • directly against a manufacturer under a product guarantee
  • where there is personal injury or damage to property other than the product supplied:
    • in negligence
    • in strict liability under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 (CPA 1987)

Importers and others in the supply chain may face direct financial claims, as well as contractual claims from customers. In turn, they may seek to recover any losses from...

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Simon Castley
Simon Castley chambers

Simon is a partner in the Litigation and Arbitration group at CMS. He has extensive expertise in product liability, regulation, and class action issues with a sector focus on consumer products and manufacturing industry, including major FMCG and automotive companies. Simon is increasingly involved in supporting manufacturers in connection with new legislation that has the potential to create an unfavourable regulatory environment and adversely impact the levels of claims against them.  Simon was previously the London office managing partner of a prominent US litigation (defendant) practice specialising in product liability law....

Elizabeth-Anne Larsen
Elizabeth-Anne Larsen

Elizabeth-Anne Larsen is a Senior Associate – Solicitor Advocate in CMS’ London office, specialising in both regulatory and litigation primarily in the fields of product liability, lifesciences, consumer products, tech, media, and healthcare. Elizabeth-Anne is an active member of the Product Liability, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Consumer Products, and Disputes sector groups at CMS.  She also leads various associate groups by serving as Co-Head of CMS’ Global Life Sciences and Healthcare Associates Group, as Co-Head of the UK Life Sciences Associates Group, and she established and leads CMS’ Global Product Liability Group. Elizabeth-Anne is dual-qualified in both the US (Texas) and England & Wales.  She has vast experience in both jurisdictions in various matters of life sciences and healthcare law, including advising life sciences, consumer products, tech, and media companies on regulatory, compliance, and liability issues; managing multi-district litigation (US) and group...

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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