Leigh Day exonerated after longest and most expensive disciplinary tribunal prosecution ever – Legal Futures

‘The longest and most expensive case brought in the history of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has ended with high-profile claimant lawyer Martyn Day, two of his colleagues and his firm Leigh Day fully exonerated.’

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Legal Futures, 9th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rule 44. 11 – Court’s powers in relation to misconduct – 4 KBW

‘Part 44 of the Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2013 (SI 2013/262) was re-enacted on 1st April 2013 and concerns the court’s powers in relation to misconduct. incur Where a party (a) fails to comply with a court rule in assessment or summary proceedings, or (b) acts unreasonably or improperly before or during proceedings the court may disallow all or part of the costs which are being assessed or order the party at fault or that party’s legal representative to pay costs which that party or legal representative has caused any other party to incur. The misconduct extends to the legal representative of a party as well as to the party personally and includes both summary assessment and detailed assessment proceedings and refers to any failure to comply with the provisions of Part 47 and any direction, rule, practice direction or court order.’

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4 KBW, 2nd June 2017

Source: www.4kbw.net

The only way is ethics – Counsel

‘With integrity at the heart of the Bar, dilemmas often arise. Rachel Langdale QC calls to mind the guiding hand of the Ethics Committee, assisting barristers in the heat (or calm) of a crisis. Ellie Cumbo offers an insight into a year at the other end of the helpline.’

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Counsel, June 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Heart surgeon spared jail for molesting women after judge says it may be in public interest for him to operate again – Daily Telegraph

‘A world-renowned heart surgeon has been spared jail for molesting two women after a judge said it may be in the public interest for him to operate again.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th June 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Solicitor fined for making false claims in litigation “while suffering mental illness” – Litigation Futures

‘A solicitor has been fined £7,500 for making false claims about being in possession of documents in personal injury cases – misconduct which a psychiatrist attributed to an illness that temporarily affected her ability to work.’

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Litigation Futures, 7th June 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

‘Trojan Horse’: Cases against teachers dropped – BBC News

Posted May 31st, 2017 in disclosure, inquiries, Islam, news, professional conduct, teachers, witnesses by sally

‘The case against five senior teachers accused of professional misconduct in the so-called “Trojan Horse” inquiry has been dropped.’

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BBC News, 30th May 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Poor vision’ surgeon who removed woman’s ovary instead of appendix struck off – Daily Telegraph

‘A senior surgeon with “poor vision” accidentally removed a woman’s ovary instead of her appendix and then told bosses it was a “trifling error”.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th May 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB consults on changing the standard of proof used in professional misconduct proceedings for barristers – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today launched a new consultation about the standard of proof applied when barristers and others regulated by the BSB face disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct.’

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Bar Standards Board, 2nd May 2017

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Lawyers must be able to bring cases against government ‘without fear of reprisals’ – The Guardian

‘Lawyers must be able to bring cases against the government “without fear of recrimination or reprisals”, the high-profile solicitors’ firm Leigh Day has declared on the eve of its trial for alleged professional misconduct.’

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The Guardian, 24th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court ruling on meaning of ‘lack of integrity’ to cause SRA and other regulators problems – Legal Futures

Posted April 21st, 2017 in disciplinary procedures, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The High Court ruling last week that said a lack of integrity on the part of a solicitor is the same as dishonesty could cause regulators real problems when prosecuting cases where they are not sure they have enough to establish dishonesty, it has been claimed.’

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Legal Futures, 21st April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal lays out Clyde & Co’s “glaring” failures – Legal Futures

‘The failures which led to a record fine for Clyde & Co were “particularly glaring” as it was “a large and, previously, reputable firm”, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has declared in approving the sanction.’

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Legal Futures, 19th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal warns judges against interrupting witness evidence too much – Litigation Futures

‘The Chancellor of the High Court has urged judges to “temper eagerness with restraint” in the way they conduct trials, after a circuit judge was found to have made excessive interventions while witnesses were giving evidence.’

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Litigation Futures, 10th April 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

BSB to launch plans for ‘barrister apprenticeships’ – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is to launch a consultation this summer setting out the rule changes it needs to implement its fiercely contested training reforms, and among them will be a new route to qualification similar to solicitor apprenticeships.’

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Legal Futures, 4th April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Julian Cole nightclub incident: Police officers face no criminal charges – BBC News

‘Five police officers will not face criminal charges over the way they dealt with a man who broke his neck outside a nightclub, the BBC has been told.’

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BBC News, 29th March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Magistrate disciplined after Facebook comments on case he oversaw – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 13th, 2017 in internet, magistrates, news, professional conduct by sally

‘A magistrate has been reprimanded after posting a Facebook message about a court case he had overseen.’

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Daily Telegraph, 11th March 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rotherham sexual abuse scandal: no misconduct found so far, IPCC says – The Guardian

‘Hundreds of allegations of police wrongdoing during the investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham have not resulted in a single case of misconduct against an officer, the police watchdog has said.’

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The Guardian, 9th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The only way is ethics – Counsel

‘Minding our standards: in the first of a new column for Counsel, Andrew Walker QC outlines fresh imperatives and initiatives for barristers to enhance their knowledge of ethics in practice and stay ahead of the curve.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Police officers who delayed attending a 999 call to go to McDonald’s ‘likely to keep their jobs’ – Daily Telegraph

‘Two police officers who delayed attending a 999 call about a suicide to get refreshments from McDonald’s are likely to keep their jobs, a disciplinary hearing has ruled.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Girl, 5, dies of asthma attack after ‘volatile GP refused to see her because she was several minutes late’ – The Independent

Posted February 27th, 2017 in children, doctors, health, inquests, news, professional conduct, reports by sally

‘A five-year-old girl died of an asthma attack after an “unapproachable and volatile” doctor refused to see her because she and her mother arrived a few minutes late for her appointment, the General Medical Council has found.’

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The Independent, 27th February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Judgement of Others – How Should a Disciplinary Panel Deal with the Findings of Another Professional Disciplinary Tribunal’s Decision: Analysis and Comment on Peckitt v GDC [2016] EWHC 1803 (Admin) – Drystone Chambers

Posted February 21st, 2017 in disciplinary procedures, doctors, news, nurses, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘What happens if a registrant is registered with two or more professional bodies and is then disciplined by one and is later disciplined by his or her other professional body? I recently appeared for the NMC, in the case of NMC v Benyu, where this situation arose. Ms Benyu was both a practising solicitor and nurse. She was struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) for the mishandling of client funds. The client had mental health issues and originally was referred to her through her work as a nurse. Following the decision of the SDT, Ms Benyu was referred to the NMC.’

Full story (PDF)

Drystone Chambers, 30th January 2017

Source: www.drystone.com