Disciplinary & Regulatory

Members of Chambers have significant experience in the healthcare field, primarily advising or acting for professionals. In the medical field barristers advise and appear before, among others, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), General Medical Council (GMC), General Dental Council (GDC), General Optical Council (GOC), Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). We are frequently instructed to act for other healthcare professionals including: nurses, pharmacists, opticians (SEE GOC) and chiropractors. Members also regularly appear at internal hospital trust disciplinary and Employment hearings, and advise and represent clients in High Court injunctive relief hearings, and appeals to the Administrative Court.

We also have a very well established relationship with the Medical Protection Society, the Medical Defence Union, Dental Protection, Dental Defence Union, and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.

Our members have particular expertise and experience in representing healthcare professionals, facing dual disciplinary and criminal investigations, covering the full range of criminal charges (for example fraud, sexual assault, sexual abuse and medical manslaughter) due to their unique expertise in civil and criminal “cross-over” work.

We also have particular expertise in matters involving overlapping disciplinary and employment disputes, with members often advising on applications for injunctive relief on behalf of doctors (for example involving disciplinary proceedings).

We have longstanding experience in representing hospital trusts facing Health & Safety criminal charges in the Crown Court and the landmark corporate manslaughter case, R – V – MISRA.

Medical public inquiries are a particular specialty. Three members were instructed in the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths in Northern Ireland (involving paediatric deaths at the Royal Belfast Hospital). Our barristers have also appeared in significant public inquiries, such as the Shipman Inquiry and Rosemary Nelson Inquiry.

Chambers has a substantial and recognised presence in the legal professional disciplinary field.

We regularly act for members of the legal profession, including solicitors (Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal – SDR) and barristers (Bar Standards Board – BSB), in disciplinary proceedings especially in more heavyweight cases where lawyer’s careers are at stake

Our Disciplinary & Regulatory Team has extensive experience in the regulation of the financial services industry with members regularly appearing in the Regulatory Decisions Committee of the FCA.

Instructions in Financial Services regulatory cases involving professional misconduct and discipline are regularly received from the FSA, Lloyds of London, and city firms, as well as from individual professionals facing high-level disciplinary proceedings or action.

Members have also appeared before the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries on regulatory cases involving pensions and insurance as well, the ICAEW on behalf of accountants and for other regulators, such as the CLC.

We have a strong defendant Police Disciplinary team acting for forces including the Metropolitan Police in disciplinary proceedings and Employment matters.

Members of Chambers are frequently instructed on Sports related matters, including anti-doping regulations, Legal Advisors for Selection Committees, Advising on the Creation of Rules and Regulations for Regulatory Bodies. Members are on the Sports Resolutions (UK) Arbitrators and Mediators Panel and on the British Equine Federation’s Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Hearing Body.

Chambers is unique, at least amongst sets in London and the South-East, in having a team that undertake the defence of professionals from the commercial transport industry before the transport regulators, in cases in which such professionals face disqualification from the industry. The team includes some of the leading practitioners at the Bar in this field in the last 15 years. The work spans both haulage and bus and coach sectors.

Since the Transport regulatory and professional disciplinary work that Chambers’ undertakes has its roots in EU law and applies across the EU, it has an international dimension: and Chambers’ unique strength in this area is reflected in the fact that members of Chambers are frequently instructed not only by the leading solicitors in the field in the UK, but also from lawyers acting for transport professionals in other EU jurisdictions.

The team includes barristers with unparalleled international practices representing people before the internal disciplinary tribunals of multi-lateral organisations such as the World Bank and the International Criminal Court.

The team includes members of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers, Criminal Bar Association, Financial Services Lawyers Association, Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association, New York State Bar Association, Law Council of Australia.

Outer Temple Chambers has been previously named Chambers & Partners Professional Discipline Set of the Year. Fiona Horlick KC has been nominated for their Professional Discipline Junior and James Leonard is a historic winner of Chambers & Partners Professional Discipline Junior of the Year.

The team boasts a number of members ranked in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. Please view our barrister profiles for ranking details on individuals.