Sarah-Jane Dobson

Global Head of Product Liability and Regulatory Risk, Ashurst

Sarah-Jane Dobson is the global head of Product liability and Product Regulatory Risk (safety and regulatory compliance) at Ashurst, where she is a Partner in London. She specialises in regulatory, litigious and policy matters across the full product lifecycle in product safety, compliance and liability, and in consumer litigation. She has extensive experience defending corporate clients in high-stakes litigation (including in high-profile class actions), regulatory enforcement actions, inquests, public inquiries and judicial reviews, and she acts on regulatory compliance, advertising issues, global product recalls and corrective actions. Sarah-Jane’s degree in science makes her particularly well-placed to navigate clients’ highly technical product matters. Her dual legal qualification in England and Wales and Australia, her international experience and her language skills make her particularly adept at multi-jurisdictional and multi-lingual matters. She is leadership roles in prominent industry organisations, including a Board of Director and Chair of International Student Mentorships with the European Commission and OPSS for ICPHSO, Chair of International Legal Issues for DRI and Chair of International Class Actions for IADC.

Contributed to

1

The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022

Practice Notes

This Practice Note introduces the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTIA 2022), as it applies to cybersecurity, particularly in smart devices and the Internet of Things (IoT). Part 1 of PSTIA 2022 (the focus of this Practice Note) seeks to regulate IoT, network connectable and internet connectable products, with a focus on product safety and cybersecurity; Part 2 makes provision for telecommunications infrastructure. This Practice Note discusses PSTIA 2022 scope, duties imposed on manufacturers, importers and distributors, key guidance, practical steps for businesses, and dates of entry into force.

Information Law

Practice Area

Panel

Contributing Author

Qualified Year

2013

Experience

Kennedys (2021 - 2024)
Cooley LLP (2017 - 2020)
Hogan Lovells International LLP (2016 - 2017)
DLA Piper (2011 - 2016)
Ashurst LLP (2024 - Present)

Membership

International Consumer Health and Safety Organisation, Board of Directors, Chair of International Student Mentorship Programmes (EU with European Commission and UK with OPSS)
International Association for Defence Counsel, Chair of Class Actions (International), Product Liability Committee,
Defence Research Institute Chair of International Legal Issues SLG