Nigel West > Weightmans > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Weightmans Offices

Weightmans
85 FLEET STREET
LONDON
EC4Y 1AE
England
Visit website 020 7222 7040 020 7222 6208

Nigel West

Nigel West photo
020 7227 7232 nigel.west@rlb-law.com View profile View profile

Work Department

Commercial Litigation
Solicitors Regulation

Position

Nigel is a Partner at RadcliffesLeBrasseur, where he heads the litigation department. He has a niche practice specialising in defence work for solicitors and firms facing SRA investigations and disciplinary proceedings, and has over twenty years’ experience of work in the field. Most of his work is carried out without any publicity at all, but he and his team have represented solicitors and firms in a number of the leading reported cases on solicitors regulation in recent years including SRA v Wingate and Malins (definition of integrity), SRA v Scott (definition of integrity), SRA v Bryant & Bench (right to rely on character references), SRA v Ebhogiaye (SDT restriction orders), SRA v Moosavi (using client account as a banking facility) SRA v Sheikh (interventions), SRA v Neumans (interventions) and Yussouff v SRA (right to oral hearings on adjudication).

Career

Nigel is a co-author of “The Solicitors Handbook 2019” (the Law Society’s guide to Solicitors’ conduct) and the Law Society’s guide to the SDT, ‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal – law and practice‘. He is the contributing editor for the solicitors’ regulation section of Cordery on Legal Services and for the legal services section of Atkins’ forms and precedents. He is also the cases editor for The Law Society’s Legal Compliance Bulletin.

Memberships

Nigel is a committee member of the Solicitors’ Assistance Scheme and a member of The Law Society’s Regulatory Processes Committee. He sits as a Defence Representative on the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal Users Group. He is also a member of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Dispute resolution > Professional discipline

(Hall of Fame)

Nigel West – Weightmans LLP

Recently merged with RadcliffesLeBrasseur LLP, Weightmans LLP is ‘without a doubt the leader in this field‘. The practice is highly experienced in representing healthcare professionals, and has enviable expertise in solicitor and legal services-related regulation. The team additionally acts in matters concerning architects and accountants. Richard Jolly is national health sector lead, while William Childs, Sam Flew, Anne Green and Simon Gomersall are also health sector specialists. Likewise highly rated, Susanna Heley ‘represents clients before the Solicitors Tribunal methodologically and effectively‘; Ian Sadler acts for medical defence organisations and healthcare professionals; Nigel West‘s ‘success rate is excellent‘; Alistair Hewitt is experienced in a range of disciplinary investigations; and Michaela Nicholas defends doctors, dentists, nurses and podiatrists before their regulatory bodies. Healthcare expert Stewart Duffy is an active legal director, while Alex Leslie and Richard Privett are experienced consultants. The ‘very competent‘ Tom Thurlow is a partner since May 2023.

London > Corporate and commercial > Partnership

Led by the ‘ever-excellent’ Andrew Cromby, who frequently handles partnership disputes, professional partnerships in management and restrictive covenants, Weightmans LLP provides ‘top level advice’ particularly in relation to the team’s niche offering in restructuring and insolvency matters in partnership practices. Alongside expertise in structuring LLPs and alternative business structures, the team is also instructed by clients in the health sector with Edwina Farrell leading on matters relating to medical partnerships. The firm’s June 2022 merger with RadcliffesLeBrasseur LLP saw legal partnership experts Susanna Heley and Nigel West join, bolstering the regulatory capabilities at the practice. Michelle Garlick, who is based in Manchester, provides compliance, regulatory support and assistance on partnership matters.

London > Private client > Contentious trusts and probate

Jonathan Shankland and Nigel West co-lead the department at Weightmans LLP, which acts for executors, administrators, beneficiaries and dependants on various high-value trusts and probate disputes, both in the UK and overseas. Other core areas of expertise include advising on claims for reasonable financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Arshoo Singh departed for Warners Solicitors in September 2023.

Lawyer Rankings

Top Tier Firm Rankings

Firm Rankings