England - London • Dispute resolution
1

Professional discipline

Weightmans LLP

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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.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The practice is unique in that it specialises in the area of regulatory law, especially involving solicitors in practice. '

  • 'The practice has the necessary expertise in dealing with matters effectively and efficiently. Clients can be assured they will achieve the desired result. In addition the firm offers value for money.'

  • 'Recommended to any solicitor who has a professional conduct issue with the SRA.’

  • ‘Nigel West is a leading author of books on solicitors' disciplinary law and his success rate is excellent.'

  • 'Susanna Heley is an excellent advocate. She represents clients before the Solicitors Tribunal methodologically and effectively. Any solicitor with a disciplinary issue is recommended to hire her services.’

  • ‘The go-to firm for healthcare professional discipline defence. Without a doubt the leader in this field, with vast experience and an excellent team of committed and knowledgeable lawyers.’

  • ‘Standout partners include Sam Flew, Mike Scherp and Ian Sadler, who are all excellent lawyers and a pleasure to work with. They have unrivalled knowledge and provide an excellent service to clients.’

  • ‘Tom Thurlow is very competent in managing a diverse team and keeping the clients focused on the issues, while William Childs is brilliant with tricky cases and awkward clients.’

Key clients

  • Assent Building Control
  • Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Turner Architects

Work highlights

  • Secured an expunging of a previous disciplinary record.
  • Secured a complete exoneration of an architect before the Architects Registration Board.
  • Succeeded in significant unfair dismissal and whistleblowing claim that was brought by a doctor who was dismissed for systematically falsifying patient records.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Nigel West
Hall of fameWeightmans LLP
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).
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Sam Flew
Weightmans LLP
Sam is a Partner and Head of the Healthcare Professionals team, specialising in the representation of medical defence organisations (MDOs) and healthcare professionals in regulatory, disciplinary and criminal investigations and prosecutions. He is a skilled advocate, with extensive experience in the High Court, Crown Court, inquests, Performer's List hearings and General Medical Council (GMC) and General Dental Council (GDC) proceedings. He also undertakes judicial review applications. Two of his notable cases include Cheatle v The General Medical Council and Lim v Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust. Sam has recently defended a doctor accused of manslaughter and a surgeon facing serious allegations at the GMC.
Ian Sadler
Weightmans LLP
Ian is a Partner in the Healthcare team advising and representing medical defence organisations (MDOs) and doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals with criminal, employment and regulatory matters. Ian’s practice includes: appearing regularly before Tribunals and disciplinary panels on behalf of clients, considerable experience of General Medical Council/Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service Panels, and General Dental Council committees, appeals to the High Court from decisions of health regulatory bodies including those involving the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, Crown Court trials including appeals to the Court of Appeal Criminal Division, NHS employee disciplinary proceedings and appeals, First Tier Tribunal Primary Health List hearings and subsequent appeals, and Employment Tribunal hearings and High Court claims for breach of contract and injunctive relief for healthcare professionals. Ian frequently receives plaudits from clients for the quality of his work and the commitment given to individual cases. He also advises on claims for judicial review arising out of the above and undertakes such proceedings on behalf of clients. One senior healthcare professional wrote in 2015: “I am very grateful for your help with my [...] problems and thankful that your expertise resulted in the successful outcome. I was impressed by your insightful opinions and clear thinking and mostly by your articulate delivery at the hearing.”
William Childs
Weightmans LLP
Will is a Partner in the Healthcare department, specialising in advising medical and dental defence organisations, healthcare professionals and other professionals in regulatory, disciplinary and criminal matters. Will is a skilled advocate, frequently appearing before statutory regulators, disciplinary panels and coroners with challenging cases involving complex clinical and legal issues. He has particularly strong experience in cases of alleged sexual misconduct and impropriety.Some of his notable cases include Kulkarni v Milton Keynes Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which established the contractual right for medical staff to be legally represented in disciplinary proceedings, Chauhan v General Medical Council guiding professional and disciplinary panels that they must restrict themselves to the ambit of the charges faced by the practitioner, and Abdullah v General Medical Council regarding the nature and duration of interim restrictions placed upon a practitioner by a regulatory body.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Sam Flew, Nigel West, Susanna Heley, Tom Thurlow

Other key lawyers

Richard Jolly, William Childs, Anne Green, Simon Gomersall, Ian Sadler, Alistair Hewitt, Michaela Nicholas, Mickaela Fox, Michelle Garlick, Stewart Duffy, Alex Leslie, Richard Privett, Tom Thurlow, Ricardo Bassani, Mike Scherp, Richard Palmer, Sadie O’Reilly

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Registered address: 188 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2AG