Sarah Wheadon

Sarah is a regulatory solicitor and experienced advocate who helps clients navigate the regulatory law that impacts on business life such as data protection, health and safety, fire safety, food safety, trading standards and environmental.

She acts for all types of organisations and individuals, including directors.

Sarah’s advisory work includes advising clients on compliance with regulations affecting their business, undertaking legal ‘health checks’, drafting policies and procedures and providing training.

Sarah’s objective is to help her clients stay on the right side of the law to minimise the risk of something going wrong and the possibility of an investigation and prosecution (which inevitably mean key people in the business being taken away from their usual roles), adverse publicity, hefty fines and a potential impact on future business.

When something does go wrong, Sarah works with her clients to achieve the best possible outcome and support them through the process. This includes representing clients at interviews under caution and at court.

As well as compliance and defence work, Sarah also prosecutes for private prosecutors. She believes that acting for prosecutors and defendants assists with how she approaches cases and is of benefit to her clients.

Sarah is also Trethowans’ Privacy Officer.

Notable work highlights

Data protection

Drafting privacy notices, data protection policies, retention policies, cookies policies, legitimate interest assessments, records of processing activities.
Advising clients on responding to data subject access requests, including reviewing documents and advising on exemptions from disclosure. Also advising on requests for erasure of personal data and other data protection rights.
Advising clients on responding to correspondence from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) following data breaches or complaints.
Advising clients on actions needed following a data breach, including whether the thresholds for reporting the breach to the ICO and notifying affected individuals have been met. Advising on the content of reports to the ICO and notification letters.
Advising clients on making and responding to Freedom of Information Act requests.

Environmental

Assisting Trethowans’ corporate team on transactions involving environmental due diligence and warranties.

Food safety

Advising business investigated by local authority in relation to alleged food hygiene offences. Advising client on responding to requests for interview under caution and putting forward case as to why enforcement action should not be taken. A prosecution was avoided.

Health and safety

Advising client investigated by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following allegation that contractor had been exposed to asbestos. Reviewing client’s relationship with contractor, the policies and procedures in place and relevant documents. Assisting the client with a detailed response to a Notice of Contravention that had been served. The client avoided an improvement notice and prosecution.
Advising client on whether an accident was reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
Advising client on powers of health and safety inspectors.
Advising a client investigated by the HSE following a farming accident. Advising the client in relation to answering written questions under caution. Following submission of the client’s answers, no further action was taken by the HSE.

Accreditations & Memberships

Solicitor Advocate (All Higher Courts)
Member of the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association
Member of the UK Environmental Law Association Member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals

Areas of expertise

Testimonials

What our clients say about Sarah

“Sarah Wheadon’s strengths are her attentiveness, sharp eye for detail, strong knowledge of criminal procedure and litigation and excellent communication skills.”

Legal 500, 2024

“Sarah Wheadon and her team have a remarkable success rate in terms of convictions and subsequent ancillary orders, thereby helping to protect the welfare of the subject animals.”

Legal 500, 2024

“Sarah Wheadon’s strengths are her attentiveness, sharp eye for detail, strong knowledge of criminal procedure and litigation and excellent communication skills.”

Legal 500, 2024

“Sarah Wheadon provided me with professional help a few years ago now when I had a brush with the legal system. Her advice at that time was absolutely spot-on and the outcome was much as was predicted. We were both happy with that. More recently I had another incident requiring legal advice and Sarah was my first thought, based on my previous experience… It was a slightly more complicated scenario this time, so the range of options were greater, but these were all clearly laid out by Sarah. Because of the more complicated situation, Sarah took additional third-party advice, which seemed appropriate at the time, and produced excellent further advice. The final court outcome on this occasion was much better than I could have ever hoped for. I put this success down to Sarah’s diligence in dealing with the details of the case in the first place, her professional attitude and considerable legal knowledge, her approachable style of operating, and knowing when best to take further advice…”

Client

“Absolutely first class.”

Chambers, 2023

“Louise and Sarah, this was an excellent [training] session, the feedback is great and we all really do appreciate you taking the time to guide us through the murky world of DP and PECR!”

Client

“During the last 12 months I have been greatly impressed by the work done by Sarah Wheadon and Louise Thompson. I am sure they are juggling many clients, however given the attention I receive, I always feel like I am their only client. They have given me clear, well timed advice on several separate but connected areas of legislation and practical help also. They have helped us to project a more knowledgeable, assured & professional face when dealing with the subsequent customer interactions.”