Experience
With over 20 years of experience, Neena provides sharp, strategic advice immediately after incidents to safeguard her clients. Proficient in PACE interviews, her expertise is acknowledged as a leading individual in Legal 500. Testimonials praise her exceptional dedication, tactical astuteness, and realistic advice, highlighting her popularity with both lay and professional clients.Neena is a Director at DWF within the Regulatory, Compliance and Investigations team. She joined DWF in March 2023 having been a Partner at Keoghs for over a decade within the Criminal & Regulatory team. She was also a founding member of the Criminal & Regulatory team at Keoghs. Neena also sits as an Assistant Coroner.
Neena has extensive experience in all types of motor crime cases, more recently she has been involved with fatalities involving Smart motorways. Neena is known to receive cases with wide ranging circumstances and offences not commonly associated with the motor crime arena. By way of example, Neena has represented clients at police interview for offences such as attempted murder, GBH and ABH. She has also represented corporate clients in relation to firearm offences. She is highly knowledgeable with regards to all aspects of PACE. Neena represents clients at PACE interviews in relation to road traffic offences, ranging from minor road traffic offences to causing death by dangerous driving.
Neena is renowned for representing corporate and individual clients in relation to investigations conducted by the Police, HSE, local Councils, Trading Standards and the CPS. She also acts for clients who have been subject to allegations of corporate manslaughter and/or individual gross negligence manslaughter. R –v- Chargot Limited –Defence Solicitor for Ruttle Contracting Ltd up & Mr. Ruttle to appeal stage –part of the defence team. This case went to the House of Lords and is now a leading case in the health and safety arena.
Neena also represent clients at Safeguarding meetings where allegations of abuse arise in Nursing/Care Homes through to investigations and prosecutions by the CQC.
Neena has represented numerous clients at inquests (with and without juries) as representative for Interested Persons over a career spanning over two decades, typically for organisations in private prison sectors, nursing and care homes, drivers involved in fatal road traffic collisions and companies following deaths at work and several other organisations. She advises clients on a range of issues involving the Mental Health Act 1983/Mental Capacity Act 2005/Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. She regularly advises organisations on a range of information governance matters.
Neena regularly delivers training to insurers and large organisations in relation to PACE interviews and investigations by the HSE/Police and CQC. She recently presented at the Transport & Logistics Safety Forum Conference organised by The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, which was attended by HRH Princess Anne.
Testimonials
Legal 500 has previously stated: "the exceptional Neena Sharma, who is passionate about doing right by her clients" and 'Neena Sharma - extremely experienced in all aspects of this work. A very safe and reliable pair of hands. Always goes the extra mile, very astute tactically. Gives sensible, realistic advice and is very popular with both lay and professional clients. Can’t praise her enough. ''Excellent sympathy at a very traumatic time following the incident and great help during the investigation.'
Previous client testimonials included: " Neena Sharma: incredible energy. Passionate about doing right by her clients, as many a custody sergeant has discovered. Knows when to fight a case, knows when to plead."
Memberships
Health & Safety Lawyers Association
Recent cases
R –v- Diggles –acquittal based on a defence on unintended acceleration, R –v- BL – causing death by dangerous driving discontinued and consideration of Smart Motorways, R –v – June Mills – oldest woman to be prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving (suspended sentenced).
Woman, 96, spared jail after causing deadly Formby crash - BBC News, Woman, 96, sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving | UK News | Sky News
Pensioner, 96, thought to be oldest person in UK to be convicted of dangerous driving | The Independent
R –v- Mawson- charge of gross negligence manslaughter discontinued in exchange of guilty plea to corporate manslaughter.
R –v- Lodhia - Smart motorways row escalates as coroner warns 'lives are at risk' (telegraph.co.uk)
R –v- Buckett Family of Isle of Wight woman crushed by car calls for law change | Isle of Wight Conty Press
R –v- LC suspended sentence for causing death by dangerous driving after a goodyear indication which is rare (family seeking to appeal to the AG on the basis it is an unduly lenient sentence).
Driver caused 75-year-old cyclist's death while she was 'distracted' - BBC News, Dentist, 40, told her father was dying on hands-free call just moments before she ploughed into cyclist, 75, and killed him is spared prison | Daily Mail Online, ‘Distracted’ dentist avoids jail after killing cycling pensioner | Warrington Guardian
In addition, Neena represented one of the interested persons who had been accused of perverting the course of justice in the recent Inquest touching on the death of Benjamin Leonard, which resulted in conclusions of unlawful killing by two Scouts leaders, contributed to by neglect by The Scouts Association. The two Scout leaders applied for judicial review of the inquest findings of unlawful killing. The High Court rejected the applications for judicial review.