The Legal 500

Capsticks has a market-leading disciplinary practice, with 2008 seeing the firm prosecute over 600 fitness-to-practise cases for clients that include the General Dental Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. The year also saw the practice gain new instructions from the Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board. The ‘well-versed and experienced’ team is headed by the ‘effective and client-friendly’ John Witt and includes regulatory expert Daniel Purcell. Clinical negligence specialist Gerard Hanratty joined the firm from Weightmans LLP.

Providing ‘excellent all-round service coupled with key regulatory players’, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP’s disciplinary practice has historically had a strong healthcare focus. 2008 saw the firm appointed by the GDC to prosecute illegal dentistry cases, as well as undertake an audit of the General Osteopathic Council’s fitness-to-practise procedures. Practice head Matthew Lohn draws praise for his ‘broad knowledge of professional regulatory matters’, as does ‘solid and dependable advocate’ Tom Rider. Clients also recommend healthcare regulatory expert MaryTimms.

RadcliffesLeBrasseur’s disciplinary practice covers both the medical and solicitors sectors, fielding specialists in both disciplines. Nigel West leads the solicitors disciplinary group, which exclusively handles defence work, and was recently involved in challenges to the speed at which the SRA prosecutes complaints, as well as new policy on the publication of regulatory and disciplinary decisions. On the healthcare side, under Alex Leslie, the firm has the distinction of being alone in acting for all three medical defence organisations. Ralph Shipway, considered ‘a legend in his own lifetime’, is particularly recommended for his defence work for dentists.

Bevan Brittan LLP’s Iain Miller is a member of the SRA’s panel of prosecutors and heads a team with considerable expertise in solicitors disciplinary hearings. Recent highlights include acting for the Law Society against an appeal before the Master of the Rolls relating to the revocation of a student’s membership of the Society. Neil Grant specialises in health and social care, and undertakes a variety of work for the General Social Care Council. Associate Margaret Bromley is also recommended.

Blake Lapthorn’s reputation in the healthcare and education fields informs much of its disciplinary work. Hampshire-based Bradley Albuery heads the practice, which was recently appointed to the General Teaching Council’s panel of solicitors, as well as continuing to act for the General Osteopathic Council. Nick Leale has been advising a healthcare regulator on the successful prosecution of an internet provider of healthcare appliances.

Hempsons’ core disciplinary work revolves around defending healthcare practitioners before the GMC and the GDC, supplemented by prosecution work for a number of professional regulatory bodies including the General Social Care Council. Regulatory head Chris Morris acted for Mr Shiekh in his appeal against the GDC’s decision to remove his name from the Dentists Register.

Mills & Reeve LLP built on its successful panel appointments to the GDC and General Chiropractic Council in 2007, picking up instructions from the GMC as well as advising individuals or their employers in regulatory investigations. Recent highlights include acting for a PCT seeking the disqualification of a dentist from its dental performers list. Fiona Hawker leads the team.

Penningtons Solicitors LLP has ‘outstanding knowledge of the professional discipline sector’, and has developed a broad spread of work in the healthcare and financial services sectors. Practice head Katrina Wingfield is rated for her ‘high-quality advice and experience’ and was recently appointed Chairman of the new regulatory board of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), while ‘highly skilled advocate’ Geoffrey Hudson carries out a substantial amount of work for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Bankside Law was appointed to the SRA panel in 2008, as well as acting for the Architects Registration Board in misconduct hearings. ‘Astute strategist’ John Williams leads the team, which continues to receive instructions from the MDU and the United Chiropractic Association.

At Beachcroft LLP, Stephen Hocking’s financial services and public sector disciplinary practice has seen an increase in work arising out of the current climate of increased scrutiny in the financial sector. The team has been acting for a number of local authority chief executives in standards board investigations.

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP's London and Manchester offices combine to field a nationwide disciplinary practice with varied expertise and a sizeable team, acting for professional clients across a broad spectrum of industry sectors. In London, clinical negligence specialists Gary Allison, Vicki Swanton and Juliette Mellman-Jones regularly appear before the GMC, GDC and GOC, and the firm also handles police disciplinary matters and is increasingly acting in the finance and legal sectors.

Bindmans LLP lost employment law specialist Alison Downie to Goodman Derrick LLP at the start of 2008, hiring Shah Qureshi to shore up the team. He recently acted in one of the first cases before The Independent Safeguarding Authority, while John Halford acts as standing adviser to The Association of Child Psychotherapists.

Andrew Lidbetter’s public law expertise gives Herbert Smith LLP’s disciplinary practice a strong bedrock on which to advise regulators and professionals, particularly in the legal and financial services sectors. Recent highlights include successfully defending ACCA in judicial review proceedings.

Clients sing the praises of Kingsley Napley’s ‘prompt, informed’ professional regulatory practice. The team counts the Health Professions Council as a key client, while ‘master tactician’ Stephen Parkinson acts in police disciplinary proceedings. Practice head John Harding and the ‘efficient’ Nicola Hill are also recommended.

Peter Fitzpatrick’s regulatory practice at Nabarro LLP was strengthened by the arrival of Chris Horsefield; formerly at Beachcroft LLP in Leeds, he joins the firm’s Sheffield office. The group handled over 500 cases for the MDU last year.

Baker & McKenzie LLP handles fitness-to-practise cases for the CHRE.

Charles Russell LLP is recommended for its pharmacist disciplinary practice.

Eversheds LLP is noted for its work before the GMC.

William Twidale’s team at Farrer & Co is praised for its ‘good case management and client handling’.

Fox is recommended for its work for solicitors.

At Irwin Mitchell LLP, Sarah Wallace’s FSA work demonstrates ‘experience beyond her years’.

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s practice encompasses defence work in the healthcare and financial services sectors.

Scott Ingram is recommended at Russell Jones & Walker, which represented the police officers in the Stockwell inquiry.