Prior to transferring to the Bar in July 2024, Tristan practiced as a solicitor and has over 25 years’ experience in Health, Safety and Environmental regulation, inquests, general regulation and white-collar crime. He has defended complex SFO and HMRC fraud cases and advised on Bribery Act, Trading Standards and product safety, Advertising Standards compliance and criminal defence. He has acted in cross-jurisdictional fraud cases (civil and criminal, including POCA matters) and in the private prosecution of a complex fraud in the energy sector.
He has particular expertise in anti-trust, subsidy control and general competition law, having acted in some of the best-known anti-trust cases of recent years. He was rated as a key individual in the North-West for competition law in Chambers 2018/19, 2020/21.
Legal 500 described Tristan as a ‘first-class health and safety lawyer. ‘He has significant experience of complex and high-profile cases under his belt and is a great tactical thinker. He has formidable judgement and fantastic client skills’. Meears-White has particular expertise in helping to develop crisis management planning and incident response protocols and is ‘so calm and supportive when advising on regulatory issues. He is very responsive to tight deadlines and offers very practical advice’.”
He has acted in numerous fatal accident cases and high-profile H&S and environmental matters across sectors and has had recent instructions acting for and advising core participants in major Public Inquiries including the Manchester Arena, Infected Blood and Covid Inquiries.
He has designed and delivered compliance, risk management and accident impact training to key commercial clients in various sectors and contributed thought leadership pieces to numerous publications.
Cases of Note:
- Manchester Arena Public Inquiry
- Lion Steel Corporate Manslaughter prosecution
- Advising presumptive core participant in proposed Covid19 Public Inquiry
- Design and delivery of SHE compliance project for leading UK housebuilder
- Acted for higher education provider in relation to high profile fatal accident on attached nursery premises.
- Advised plc engineering contractor in relation to fatal accident at oil refinery
- Advised plc food manufacturer in relation to corporate manslaughter investigation at R&D facility
- Advised several individuals in relation to gross negligence manslaughter investigations
- Acted for client in just and equitable wind-up proceedings, then in follow on defence of SFO prosecution for fraud.
- Representing construction/joinery organisation in respect of CMA cartel investigation and response to statement of objections.
- Defending follow on claims in the CAT and High Court arising from infringement finding. Managing related mediation process and settlement.
- Represented 14 of the 112 respondents in OFT Construction Bid-Rigging investigation.
- OFT Replica Football Kit investigation.
- Advising household name brand in CMA Supermarket Suppliers investigation.
- Obtaining clearance for completed bus sector acquisition in West Midlands.
- Advising in recent CMA Part 8 Enterprise Act investigation into CPRS 08 infringements by certain furniture and carpet businesses.
