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Risks for retailers are risks for us all. That's why we bring together leaders and industry experts from retail and leisure for our Future of Retail: Risk & Resilience Conference.
Hosted by Helena Davies, Partner and Head of Retail, this year's free and invitation-only event will take place in London on Tuesday 21 April 2026.
We'll cover how to protect against threats, health and safety management, cybersecurity and the integrity of your IT systems, artificial intelligence (AI), counterfeiting and social media risks as well as how to address false claims — all designed to equip you with the practical knowledge to protect your customers, employees and brand.
Figen Murray OBE, a counter-terrorism expert and the force behind Martyn's Law, will deliver a powerful keynote on why regulation matters — especially when it's designed to protect lives.
Figen is the mother of Martyn Hett, one of 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. She's since transformed her grief into action, campaigning tirelessly to improve public safety.
Her efforts — from an online petition to a 200-mile walk from Manchester to Downing Street — led to Martyn's Law receiving Royal Assent in spring 2025.
Our opening panel will tackle compliance, safety and crisis management, chaired by Claire Burrows, Partner in our regulatory team, with Dawn Holmes (Campus Security Manager, Google), Jack Busby (Head of Retail, Landsec), James Hiom (Director, JKH Partnerships) and Chris Brook-Carter (CEO, Retail Trust).
We’ll be discussing how to protect retail environments, employees and the public from external threats such as crime, looting and terrorism, as well as internal health and safety crises including workplace incidents, system failures and operational hazards.
Partner and Head of Intellectual Property and Technology Colin Bell will chair the second panel with Shakie Kawuyu (Data and Analytics Director, RSM), exploring the opportunities and threats facing retail as digital transformation accelerates — including AI, social commerce, cybersecurity, ransomware, counterfeits and deepfakes.
The final panel will explore how reputation is built, shared and challenged in today’s commercial landscape, where brands increasingly operate within complex environments shaped by technology, public scrutiny and multiple stakeholders.
Chaired by Partner and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney Hannah Fawcett with panellists including Nick Thornton (Founder, Aver), John Mulvihill (The Regatta Group) and litigation Partner Helen Otty, we'll delve into how trust is earned through consistency, credibility and clear values — rather than surface‑level messaging — and how reputational risk often arises not from a single event but from how organisations respond when issues emerge.
With insights from brand, destination and legal perspectives, the conversation will highlight the growing impact of misinformation, fake reviews and impersonation on both individual businesses and shared destinations.
We'll also examine the role of trade marks as visible trust markers and the importance of proportionate, well‑judged enforcement.
A specialist property litigator, Helena has led our retail sector team since 2021. She’s a regular industry commentator in publications such as Estates Gazette, Business Live and This is Money and both hosts and speaks at conferences across the country.
Helena is deeply committed to advancing sustainability objectives and enhancing retail’s social impact contribution within local communities. She has led multiple thought leadership initiatives, established new professional networks, organised industry events and produced extensive video and social media content to highlight exemplary practices and notable achievements in this field. Her projects have included contributions from prominent retail leaders like The Trafford Centre, as well as insights from media commentators.
In collaboration with legal experts and consultants across the retail sector, Helena offers legal services that address a broad spectrum of ESG-related challenges, including B Corp certification and environmental compliance. She’s also proactively developing initiatives focused on advertising standards, influencer partnerships and strengthening the role of retail in placemaking.
It’s vital for retailers to have a true legal partner on their side to withstand the challenges and take advantage of opportunities presented by the ever-changing retail landscape.
We act as that partner — one which deeply understands the sector and can help to achieve your commercial goals.
As a leading independent full-service retail law firm, we work closely with the UK’s largest retailers across beauty, fashion, leisure and hospitality, food and drink, automotive and health.
We also have specialisms in ESG and placemaking as well as RetailTech and eCommerce.
We brought the retail sector together in London for a focused look at the risks, from physical threats, digital disruption and reputational challenges.
We explore the drivers behind the second-hand fashion trend and consider the opportunities and risks that it presents for retailers.
We explore why retailers are particularly affected by deepfakes and the implications around data protection, IP, advertising compliance and more.
We explore the key challenges retailers face with Martyn’s Law, how to balance compliance with operations and the common misconceptions.
We outline the steps that retailers can take to contain an emerging online issue and the legal remedies available for responding to false statements.
We set out seven practical steps to help retailers to prepare, respond decisively and recover quickly when the unexpected happens.
We break down what’s changing, where the risks sit and how businesses can turn this shift into an opportunity to prepare for the new rates landscape.
We look at the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 and outline how the GDPR can apply to both organisations and individuals as data controllers.
We explain the impact of the cyber-attack on JLR's workforce and outline what to do to protect your business and minimise the impact if an incident occurs.
We explore recent examples of how brands are responding to dupe culture and outline practical steps that retail businesses can take to protect their brand.
We explore safety considerations around Christmas markets and outline practical steps to comply with relevant safety legislation.
We explore what the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill means in practice and how its reforms may affect both retail tenants and landlords.
We break down the case of AB v Grafters Group Ltd and explore some key lessons for employers.
At the Future of Retail: Risk & Resilience Conference 2025, leading voices explored the challenges and opportunities shaping the sector.
We explore the upcoming changes to UK accounting standards, offering practical guidance on how retailers can prepare for the new rules.
We explore the key legal and practical considerations for retailers hiring seasonal staff.
We explore the main issues that influencers and brands need to consider before entering into partnerships.
We explore the Crime and Policing Bill and what it would introduce to protect retail workers.
The Product Regulation and Metrology Act is ushering in a new era for consumer protection and market oversight, laying the foundations for significant regulatory change.
Our retail law team explore what retailers must do to stay compliant with consumer protection laws, advertising standards and more when looking to capitalise on social commerce.
Employment lawyer Lee Jefcott outlines three key steps for employers to take now to prepare for the new guaranteed hours contract landscape.
We lay out the must-know legal considerations to aid the compliant roll-out of AI in any retail business.
It’s estimated that over half of retail workers have considered resigning as a result of workplace stress. We explore what retailers can do to support colleagues facing mental health issues.
We delve further into cyber attacks on three major retailers and outline five key steps to take in any cyber-attack preparedness and response plan.
A recent change to the Jamaican law of what constitutes ‘Jamaican Rum’ has provoked great debate among rum distillers.