Chadwick Lawrence strengthens regulatory team with senior solicitor appointment in Darlington

Northern law firm Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors has appointed highly regarded Teesside solicitor Simon Catterall to strengthen its specialist regulatory law team, bolstering the firm’s presence in the North East.

Catterall joins the firm’s expanding regulatory department, bringing decades of experience representing businesses and individuals facing prosecution or investigation by public authorities across Northern England.

He will be based in the firm’s recently opened office in Business Central, Darlington. The appointment enhances the firm’s ability to support those facing complex regulatory matters across the region.

Widely respected throughout the region’s courts, Catterall specialises in regulatory and criminal defence matters, including road traffic offences, health and safety prosecutions, trading standards investigations, licensing matters, planning disputes and noise nuisance cases.

He is particularly well known within the agricultural sector, having served for more than 25 years as an NFU panel solicitor for the North of England. His extensive work for farmers and rural businesses includes advising on animal welfare and transport matters, rights of way disputes and pollution cases. He is also a former president of the Tees Valley Law Society.

Among his recent high-profile work, Catterall was heavily involved in a 2025 group action involving major egg producers pursuing compensation claims against the government relating to bird flu losses.

Chadwick Lawrence has been offering professional and supportive legal advice to private and commercial clients for 190 years. The firm employs over 250 people in nine offices across the north and turned over £18.1m from 2025-26.

Catterall will work closely with colleagues across Chadwick Lawrence’s regulatory and dispute resolution and Darlington teams.

Commenting on his appointment, Catterall said: “Chadwick Lawrence is an outstanding, progressive firm and I am delighted to be a member of the team. I look forward to working with colleagues across crime and regulatory to build a strong client base in the North East.”

Outside of legal practice, Catterall is an accomplished author, with his most recent novel, The Raven and The Pipe, published to critical acclaim in 2022.

Nils O’Donoghue, regulatory and crime partner, added: “As we continue to grow our presence in the North East from our Darlington office, Simon’s appointment significantly strengthens the support we can offer to businesses, individuals and rural clients facing regulatory challenges across the region. We are delighted to welcome him to the team.”

For more information on the firm’s services in the North East, visit: https://www.chadwicklawrence.co.uk/contact-us/solicitors-in-darlington/.

 

Photo caption: L-R: Chadwick Lawrence partner Nils O’Donoghue with new appointment Simon Catterall