Professional Discipline and Disputes

We regularly raise, investigate, and defend disciplinary proceedings brought against individuals, including those who are members of regulated professions or professional membership bodies, as well as those in ecclesiastical, political and judicial contexts.

We also advise individuals in the event of a relationship breakdown with their employer and/or a dispute with their governing body. We have acted for individuals from the investigation stage through to representing them at tribunals and disciplinary panels. We are acutely aware of the stress that individuals experience when faced which such allegations and the importance of defending their reputation.

Our team has over 25 years’ experience in advising professional regulatory and membership bodies across the UK and internationally on a wide range of matters. We have advised organisations in all manner of sectors, including legal, judicial, accountancy, education, medicine and investment. The depth of our experience is what helps set us apart from other law firms.

We understand the often complex duties which governing bodies are required to carry out to maintain standards and uphold principles of good conduct. We are skilled at immersing ourselves in the disciplinary mechanisms of our clients to understand the framework in which they operate and any governance issues causing the concern.  We can then advise on disciplinary strategies and the associated risks.

We have wide-ranging experience advising partners where there has been a dispute or relationship breakdown. We understand that a partnership dispute can be both disruptive and time-consuming. Having worked with all types of partnership formations, we are expertly placed to assist in all matters related to a partnership dispute, whatever your structure.

This experience includes advising GP, dental, accounting, architectural, fund management and legal practices on all aspects of partnership disputes including partnership departures (both voluntary and non-voluntary) and subsequent litigation including in relation to the following:

• Partnership departures/team moves
• Employment status and avoidance of discrimination issues
• Applicability of Equality Act
• Enforcing restrictive covenants and protective measures such as interim interdict
• Dissolving partnerships
• Partnership succession planning

We have decades of experience raising and defending judicial reviews and statutory appeals of disciplinary and related decisions, on grounds such as actual and institutional bias, conflicts of interest, lack of independence, error in fact or law and failure to take into account relevant considerations.

We understand how professional and regulatory bodies operate. We listen to their key priorities and challenges and work creatively to advise how their objectives can be achieved while managing any regulatory risks.

Our work in this space typically includes:

• Interpreting the organisation’s governing legislation
• Support in understanding and managing regulatory risk across a number of areas, including data protection and freedom of information
• Drafting statutory rules and voluntary codes
• Advising on organisational strategy (including disciplinary strategy, and how to manage and investigate complaints)
• Corporate governance advice