Elaine Barker

Expertise

Elaine is a Legal Director in the Product Safety & Disputes team. She specialises in complex product liability, mass tort and regulatory disputes, with a particular focus on the life sciences and consumer sectors. She acts for global manufacturers, corporate clients and government bodies on high-profile, multi-jurisdictional matters and is known for her clear, commercially focused approach to litigation and risk management.

Elaine has extensive experience in defending large-scale medical device and pharmaceutical litigation, as well as advising on product risk, recalls and regulatory strategy. She has particular experience in claims involving implantable and other healthcare products, including group and mass claims, large-scale recalls and cross-border disputes across the UK and EMEA. Her practice spans contentious and advisory work, from managing claims before the English courts and coordinating defence strategies across multiple jurisdictions, to engaging with regulators and supporting clients in response to government-led reviews in the UK and EU.

Alongside her core life sciences practice, Elaine advises on non-life science product disputes and broader product and supply-chain risks. Her experience includes advising on product safety framework reviews, insurance and commercial disputes, and emerging risk areas such as PFAS-related exposure. She also advises on matters of wider public significance, including work connected with compensation issues arising from the Post Office Horizon scandal.