Call: 2017
Direct access
Mark is an established junior with particular specialisms in regulatory (criminal and civil), public inquiries and inquests. His work encompasses:
- Road transport (including public inquiries and impounding hearings before the Traffic Commissioners, appeals to the Upper Tribunal, clandestine penalty entrant appeals and general advice work);
- Health and safety (including criminal proceedings, civil appeals against notices and inquests);
- Environmental and planning (including rights of way issues, enforcement matters, planning inquiries, criminal proceedings and related matters under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002);
- Food law (including acting for major retailers in hearings arising from unsatisfactory food safety and hygiene inspections);
- Fire and building safety (including advising on matters arising from the changes to the fire and building safety regime post-Grenfell and acting in appeals against notices served by fire and rescue authorities);
- Other regulatory (including prosecutions brought by water undertakers, matters involving abattoirs and slaughtermen, actions arising out of the health and social care legislation and housing matters);
- Public inquiries (including the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the UK Covid-19 Inquiry);
- Licensing (including taxi licensing and proceedings under the Licensing Act 2003).
Further details of his recent cases may be found using the links on the left.
Mark is qualified to accept instructions under the Public Access scheme.
Road Transport
Mark has a particular specialism in road transport law (heavy goods and public service vehicles) and is frequently called upon to represent operators, transport managers and drivers at public inquiries and hearings before the Traffic Commissioners.
He also has experience across the full range of transport related matters, including appeals against penalties imposed when clandestine entrants are discovered in vehicles, impounding hearings and related criminal proceedings (for example tachograph offences).
His advice is regularly sought in respect of appeals to the Upper Tribunal.
Specific examples of his road transport work include:
- Securing a warning for a vocational driver who had been involved in a bridge strike;
- Overturning the penalties imposed on an operator for clandestine entrants (as referenced in the Court of Appeal judgment in KLG Trucking SRL v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWCA Civ 737);
- Obtaining a stay of revocation for a major coach operator pending appeal to the Upper Tribunal;
- Appearing for operators at ‘environmental’ public inquiries where local residents object to the continuation of operating centres;
- Advising in respect of the ambit of exemptions and derogations from the scheme of operator licensing and drivers’ hours recording.
He is regularly invited to speak at conferences on road transport law.
Mark is a member of the Association of Road Transport Lawyers.
Health & Safety
Mark has worked on matters concerning health and safety law since joining Chambers as a tenant in September 2017. He is a member of the Attorney-General’s Regulatory List (C Panel) and has experience prosecuting and defending, as well as in respect of appeals against civil notices and attendant inquest proceedings.
Specific examples of his health and safety work include:
- Acting for the HSE in the prosecution of an oil major and its supplier of walk-to-work equipment following an accident in the North Sea (led by Pascal Bates);
- Appearing for one of the world’s largest air services providers in inquest proceedings following the death of one of its workers at Heathrow airport;
- Representing a major supplier of the British Army in respect of an ongoing service inquiry called under the Armed Forces (Service Inquires) Regulations 2008 following the death of a trooper;
- An appeal to the High Court following the decision of the Employment Tribunal to quash an improvement notice served by the HSE (led by Gordon Menzies);
- Prosecuting a private healthcare provider with a turnover of £950m for health and safety offences following an incident of chlorine gas being created in one of its plant rooms.
Mark is a member of the Health and Safety Lawyers Association.
Environmental & Planning
Mark has considerable experience advising and acting for clients across a range of environmental and planning matters, including nuisance, enforcement and planning inquiries, criminal proceedings for environmental offences and judicial review. He is a member of the Attorney-General’s Regulatory List (C Panel).
Specific examples of his environmental and planning work include:
- Securing a significant settlement for clients blighted by nuisance from a wind farm where the case involved consideration of the abandonment of planning uses;
- Prosecuting large scale environmental offending in respect of the improper storage and disposal of medical waste (led by Mark Harris);
- Appearing in a two-week planning inquiry concerned with an application for a major new supermarket within a high risk flood zone;
- Acting for the Environment Agency in one of the only statutory arbitrations established under the provisions of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975;
- Advising a local authority in respect of the appropriate procedure to judicially review one of its own decisions after identifying an error in the process.
Mark is the Secretary of the Planning and Environmental Bar Association.
He is ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in Planning by Legal 500, 2025
Food Law
Mark is experienced in acting for businesses facing the negative consequences of poor food hygiene and safety inspections, including appealing against Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices and acting in subsequent criminal proceedings.
Specific examples of his food law work include:
- Persuading a local authority to accept pleas to three out of eleven charges and to sentence on a low culpability (as opposed to high culpability) basis resulting in a £1,000 fine for a company with a turnover of c.£8.5m;
- Appearing for a major coffee shop group with a turnover of over £16m in sentencing for three offences concerning mice in its premises and securing a total fine of just £4,900;
- Acting for a major retailer in appealing against a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice where the local authority had repeatedly raised issues of poor pest control in store;
- Advising a store owner as to the appropriate responses to a request for written responses to an interview under caution in respect of alleged food safety offences;
- Appearing for a major supermarket chain in respect of proceedings arising out of the Prices Act 1974.
Mark is a member of the Food Law Group.
Fire & Building Safety
From his work on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Mark has excellent familiarity with the fire and building safety framework (including in respect of the Building Safety Act 2022 and its application).
Specific examples of his fire and building safety work include:
- Advising on liability for historic building design faults in light of the post-Grenfell building safety regime;
- Defending a hotel charged with a number of breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005;
- Appearing for a rail operator in an appeal against an enforcement notice served by the local fire and rescue authority;
- Advising on the correct requirements and allocation of responsibility for fire doors in a block of flats;
- Acting on behalf of a major provider of social housing facing proceedings for alleged failures to maintain the safety of a tenanted building.
Other Regulatory
Mark is confident in advising on any matters touching on regulation in addition to his core areas of practice identified above.
Specific examples of his wider regulatory practice include:
- Acting for the director of a major road sweeper company who had been personally prosecuted by a statutory water undertaker for stand-pipe offences;
- Matters arising under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, whether criminal proceedings or civil appeals;
- Advising the executors of an estate as to the appeal of improvement/prohibitions notices served on them under the provisions of the Housing Act 2004;
- Assisting a German company on the regulatory requirements in respect of the import of goods into the United Kingdom;
- Defending several slaughtermen for alleged breaches of the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015.
Public Inquiries
Mark accepts instructions to act for core participants and individual witnesses in statutory and non-statutory public inquiries.
He has considerable experience of the public inquiry process having acted for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (led by Jason Beer KC) throughout the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Department of Health and Social Care (led by Sam Stein KC and Fiona Scolding KC) in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
He is ranked as a ‘Leading Junior’ for Inquests and Inquiries by Legal 500, 2025.
Licensing
Mark is comfortable acting in licensing proceedings, whether taxi or private hire vehicle or under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003.
Specific examples of his licensing work include:
- Appearing for a private hire vehicle whose licence had been revoked following a change in national policy regarding sexual offences where the driver in question had a historic conviction for sexual assault that had always been declared to the local authority;
- Acting for Kent Police in a premises licence review for a nightclub in a major Kent town;
- Acting for Kent Police in the premises licence review of Dreamland in Margate following the tragic death of a 17-year-old girl who had attended an event at the venue;
- Advising on the interplay between the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Gambling Act 2005 in the context of an operating licence appeal before the First-tier Tribunal;
Advising on the application of section 5 of the Gambling Act and section 235 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Recommendations
"Mark is a hardworking dedicated barrister who has the knack to make extraordinarily difficult tasks look easy."
― Legal 500 [2025]Described as "confident in his advocacy ... a skilful negotiator ... very approachable and also easily relatable".
― Legal 500 [2023]Education
- Philosophy with Classical Civilisation, University of Warwick
- Graduate Diploma in Law, University of Plymouth
- Bar Professional Training Course, University of Law
Appointments
- Appointed to the List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates in Health & Safety and Environmental Law (List C)
Memberships
Awards
- Lincoln’s Inn, Lord Denning Scholar
Latest news
15th November 2024
Operator’s Licence Win in Long Planning Saga
Mark Davies, dealing with traffic matters, and Anne Williams, dealing with planning matters, represented Kingswood Pallets Ltd in a public inquiry held on 18...
11th November 2024
Webinar – Clandestine entrants: the lay of the land following the decision in KLG Trucking
Last Friday, Mark Davies joined Jack Trowsdale from Kennedys in the first of their Fleet Friday Compliance Month Webinar series. This first session offered...
20th March 2024
Mark Davies was successful in securing the cancellation of a penalty imposed following the discovery of a clandestine entrant in a heavy goods vehicle
The Designated Civil Judge for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, HHJ Coe KC, has cancelled a penalty imposed on Mark’s client (a major European haulier) following...
15th January 2024
Richard Barraclough KC, leading Mark Davies, concludes Two Multi-Million Pound Mediations
Richard Barraclough KC has concluded two multi million Pound mediations the first involving a £6M claim by a Utilities company for energy supplied the...
15th December 2023
Pascal Bates and Mark Davies in Shell offshore safety case
Pascal Bates had led Mark Davies on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive in a case against Shell UK Limited and Ampelmann Operations...
5th September 2023
Richard Barraclough KC and Mark Davies acted for the applicants in their application for an interim injunction
Richard Barraclough KC and Mark Davies acted for the applicants in their application for an interim injunction. Megan Thomas KC advised on the planning...
29th October 2021
Diversion Orders Webinar
The second webinar in our Public Rights of Way series will cover Diversion Orders.
3rd September 2021
DMMO Applications webinar
The first webinar in our Public Rights of Way series will cover DMMO Applications and be held on 6th September.
14th July 2021
Public rights of way webinar series
Six Pump Court Chambers will be presenting a series of three webinars on public rights of way.
27th March 2020
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020
Mark Watson QC and Mark Davies consider the new Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 and the impact on businesses.
13th January 2020
Maids Moreton Murder – Catch A Killer Documentary
The trial of Ben Field features in tonight’s episode of the Catch A Killer documentary on Channel 4.
21st October 2019
Sentence in Maids Moreton Murder
Sentence in the case of Ben Field was passed on Friday, following his conviction for the murder of the retired Stowe School teacher, Peter Farquhar.
10th September 2019
Deadline approaches for pension schemes
Christopher Badger and Mark Davies have written an article on the implications of amendments to the Occupational Pension Schemes (Investment) Regulations 2005 which require trustees to update their ‘Statement of Investment Principles’ (“SIP”).
13th August 2019
Murder Conviction in Maids Moreton Trial: Oliver Saxby QC and Mark Davies for the Crown
The trial of Field, Smith and Field finished last Friday with the conviction of the principal defendant, Ben Field, of the murder of the retired English teacher, Peter Farquhar.
7th May 2019
Maids Moreton murder trial – Oliver Saxby QC leading for Crown
The trial of Field, Smyth and Field began last Tuesday at Oxford Crown Court. The three face allegations relating to five victims.
22nd February 2019
Comply first and fight later: the law relating to section 20 requests
Gordon Menzies and Mark Davies have written an article concerning the wide-ranging powers provided by section 20 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
3rd October 2017
New Members of Chambers
Six Pump Court Chambers are pleased to announce that Natasha Hausdorff and Mark Davies have been elected to join Six Pump Court Chambers as tenants.
Events
28th November 2022
Helping to shape the environment for the future: making a career at the Planning & Environment Bar
Mark Davies will be speaking at this event organised by the Planning & Environment Bar Association (PEBA).
Blog
27th October 2022
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton KC, Mark Davies and Doug Scott consider the duties required of the Environment Agency under the Habitats Regulations, the results of a crackdown on waste crime in Lincolnshire and evidence that tuna stocks are recovering in marine protected areas.
5th March 2021
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider water pollution fines for Thames Water and fines in the US for a UK company found to be in breach of air pollution limits.
25th January 2021
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Nicholas Ostrowski and Mark Davies consider disputes over riparian rights and related land drainage issues, more public interest litigation from environmental groups and charities and the news that the US will re-join the Paris Agreement.
14th October 2020
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider the new Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill 2019-21, proposed regulations on ecodesign requirements for household appliances and refrigeration and the launch of the Green Homes Grant scheme.
24th July 2020
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton QC and Mark Davies consider a challenge from Plan B over the ‘unlawful allocation’ of Government and Bank of England funds, a commitment by Apple to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and liability for environmental damage from land drainage.
17th July 2020
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan and Mark Davies consider ongoing worries over water supply, delays to the planned incorporation of sewage sludge use within permitting regulations and plans to ‘build back greener’ after the lockdown.
24th June 2020
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider the effectiveness of the Bathing Water Directive, the UK Citizens Climate Assembly's efforts to explore how the UK can achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and further caselaw on Aarhus costs capping orders in judicial review.
16th June 2020
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider mustard gas dumped in a Nottinghamshire lake, a challenge to the Department for Transport’s ‘Road Investment Strategy 2’ and COVID-19 waste in the seas and on the beaches.
3rd December 2019
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Mark Davies, Angelica Rokad and William McBarnet consider the first ever televised climate change debate, coverage of environmental issues in the Conservative election manifesto and the recent prosecution of Weetabix for polluting the River Ise.
6th August 2019
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Nicholas Ostrowski, Charles Morgan and Mark Davies consider a new ECJ case dealing with questions about the meaning of waste, record fines in water pollution cases and the power of corporate law in the environmental sphere.
9th July 2019
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton QC, Nicholas Ostrowski and Mark Davies consider Peter Kellett's UKELA presentation on how to achieve environmental compliance, the publication of the Environment Agency’s quarterly scorecard and the UK Government's new Green Finance Strategy.
8th May 2019
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton QC, Charles Morgan and Mark Davies consider the recent confusion over licensing exemptions for wild birds, Labour's proposals for the water industry and the decline in nature and acceleration of species extinction highlighted in a report from the IPBES.
25th March 2019
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Mark Watson QC, Christopher Badger, and Mark Davies consider evidence given to the Environmental Audit Committee about the new Office for Environmental Protection, environmental announcements in the Treasury's Spring Statement and publication of the European Commission's ‘Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment’.
7th January 2019
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan and Mark Davies consider environmental law predictions for 2019, an unwelcome Christmas present for Thames Water and the latest Water Conservation Report from the Secretary of State.
3rd December 2018
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, William Upton, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider another reminder of the responsibilities of landowners, the government's response to a recent consultation on the waste sector, and new regulations banning combustible materials on new high-rise homes.
30th October 2018
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider the environmental implications of yesterday's Budget, a consultation between the FCA and the PRA on climate change and finance, and a recent case holding that an EIR request was “manifestly unreasonable”.
8th October 2018
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Gordon Wignall, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider the inadequate disposal of clinical waste, a Bank of England report on climate change and the banking sector, and a RoboCop for the environment.
13th August 2018
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Gordon Wignall, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider an ECJ ruling on the treatment of gene editing, new guidance from the Financial Reporting Council on strategic reports and the decision to allow Cuadrilla to proceed with Hydraulic Fracturing at Preston New Road.
2nd July 2018
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, David Hercock, Natasha Hausdorff and Mark Davies consider a Court of Appeal ruling on the meaning of the term “recovery”, a report from the Climate Change Committee advocating legally binding targets on greenhouse gas emissions, and a decision from the Information Commissioner on disclosure and damage to legitimate economic interests.
29th May 2018
Environmental Law News Update
In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Christopher Badger, Mark Davies and Antony Batholomeusz consider an EGC judgment in three linked agricultural pesticide cases, EU infringement proceedings against the UK, France and Germany for breaching nitrogen dioxide limits, and prospects for environmental protection under the EEA Agreement.
Podcasts
18th April 2023
Environmental Law News Podcast – April 2023
In this podcast produced by Lexis PSL, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies look at progress made under the 25 Year Environment Plan, publication of the Green Finance Strategy and more Environment Act 2021 Commencement Regulations.
12th October 2022
Environmental Law News Podcast – October 2022
In this episode Christopher Badger and Mark Davies look at potential new fines of up to £250 million for polluting water companies; the government's designation of Defra as an economic growth department; and new guidance for the packaging waste industry.
13th July 2022
Environmental Law News Podcast – July 2022
In this podcast produced by Lexis PSL, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies look at recent planning decisions concerning exploratory digging for fracking; the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) strategy and enforcement policy; and the Environment Agency’s (EA) Regulatory Statement.
28th January 2020
Environmental Law Podcast – January 2020
The first environmental law news podcast of 2020 presented by Christopher Badger and Mark Davies in association with LexisPSL covers predictions for hot topics in environmental law in 2020, Urgenda’s success in the Dutch Supreme Court, and the Upper Tribunal’s decision in the ongoing ‘fluff’ litigation.
19th February 2019
Environmental Law Podcast – February 2019
The latest monthly environmental law news podcast presented by Christopher Badger and Mark Davies in association with LexisPSL, is now available.
15th January 2019
Environmental Law Podcast – January 2019
The latest monthly environmental law news podcast presented by Mark Davies in association with LexisPSL, is now available.
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