Your drivers get fines. You get chain of responsibility.
Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, your business can be prosecuted for breaches you didn’t commit, didn’t know about, and couldn’t directly control.
The penalties start at five times those for a driver.
Secure intake. Your documents go directly to Megan for review.
This isn't a driver problem. It's a business problem.
Chain of Responsibility provisions in the Heavy Vehicle National Law mean that operators, schedulers, consignors, consignees, and loading managers can all be held liable for HVNL breaches – not just the driver. If your business created pressure, failed to implement the right systems, or simply didn’t ask the right questions, that can be enough for a prosecution.
The maximum penalty for a company is five times that of an individual driver.
Companies hand over documents that hurt them because they don’t understand what’s being requested or what it means in context. Getting legal advice before you respond to any investigation or Notice to Produce is not paranoia. It’s the right move.
What we handle
CoR matters we advise on
01
CoR Investigations and Notices
When the NHVR or police start requesting records and issuing improvement notices, most companies don’t realise that is the moment to get a lawyer – not after charges are filed.
02
Notices to Produce
A Notice to Produce is a formal document requesting records or information. In a routine matter, it is straightforward. In an investigation asking for years of documents, what you produce, and how, can directly affect whether charges follow. Get advice before you respond.
03
Director and Officer Liability
Executives and managers can be personally prosecuted if they knew, or ought to have known, about systemic non-compliance. The company and the individual can both be in the frame at the same time.
04
Post-Incident Response
After a serious crash or fatality, companies need legal advice before investigators arrive and before anyone has said too much. First statements matter enormously and cannot be undone.
05
Prohibition Orders
These can stop your fleet operating immediately. The commercial urgency is real and the response window is short. You need someone who knows the system and can move quickly.
06
Enforceable Undertakings
In some CoR matters, enforceable undertakings can be negotiated as an alternative to prosecution. That is a business-facing outcome, but only if you are at the table with the right advice early enough.
Who we defend
Any party in the chain
Transport operators
Fleet owners and transport businesses responsible for vehicle and driver management.
Schedulers
Anyone who plans or influences trip timing, routes, or delivery windows.
Consignors
Businesses that arrange for goods to be transported.
Consignees
Businesses that receive goods. You are in the chain too, whether you knew it or not.
Loading managers
Anyone responsible for loading, packing, or securing freight on a heavy vehicle.
Directors and managers
Directors and managers can be personally exposed under executive liability provisions of the HVNL.
Why Big Rig Law
Why companies and officers choose us
01
Former prosecutor. Now on your side.
CoR investigations don’t announce themselves. By the time you receive a Notice to Produce, investigators have usually already formed a view. Early advice protects what comes next.
02
Heavy vehicle criminal defence only.
We don’t do general commercial law, employment disputes, or civil matters. Heavy vehicle criminal defence is all we do. You won’t be handed to a junior or treated as a side matter.
03
Straight talking. No surprises.
No legal jargon, no runaround. You’ll know what you’re facing, what it means for your business, and what can realistically be done – from the first conversation.
About Megan
Megan knows this process from both sides.
Most CoR solicitors have only ever defended. Megan has worked both sides. That means she knows how investigators build a case – and where your exposure is before you respond to anything.
Big Rig Law handles these matters exclusively. You won’t be speaking to a generalist who happens to know a little about transport law – this is all we do.
Principal Solicitor | Heavy Vehicle Criminal Defence | Former Prosecutor
“On your side when the system isn’t.”
A CoR investigation or charge is not a routine compliance matter. The stakes are real – for the business, and for the individuals named. Megan understands both sides of the process, and she’s in your corner from the moment you make contact.
What to do right now
Here's what happens next
1
Submit your matter now
Use our secure intake form to tell us about your CoR matter and upload any documents you’ve received. This goes directly to Megan.
The earlier you get advice, the more options you have. Don’t wait until a charge is filed.
2
Megan reviews what you've sent
Megan will look over your matter and arrange a short call to discuss your situation.
3
A short call to talk through your position
Megan will explain what your matter involves and what working with Big Rig Law would look like, including fees. Straightforward, no surprises.
4
You decide how to proceed
No pressure. You decide whether to engage us for your defence – but you’ll make that decision knowing exactly where you or your company stands.
What Our Clients Say
Big Rig Law
Your business. Your exposure. Don't leave it to chance.
If your company has received a Notice to Produce, been named in an investigation, or is facing a Chain of Responsibility charge, the right move is to get your matter in front of a specialist now. Megan will review it and tell you exactly where you stand.
Secure intake. Your documents go directly to Megan for review.