Solicitors for Professional Disciplinary Investigations and Tribunal Hearings
Draycott Browne’s Professional Disciplinary Solicitors can provide you with specialist legal advice and support should you be subject to a to disciplinary investigation and proceedings.
For a free, no obligation discussion of your situation, call us on +44 (0)161 452 7671 or fill in our contact form to request a callback.
About professional discipline investigations
Simply put, professional discipline investigations are an investigation into your conduct by your chosen profession’s regulator. They will typically be bought because the regulator has been given reason to believe you are behaving in a way which does not befit your profession.
Disciplinary investigations will typically be bought in one of two ways: your employer or directly from your profession’s governing body.
Should your employer investigate, they may decide to keep the matter informal and not involve regulators. This cannot be guaranteed, however, and regulators may insist on being involved if the allegations are severe.
The disciplinary process
Each body will have their own methods when conducting investigations. The overarching process does tend to remain similar, however:
- Formal notification. Initially, you will need to be formally notified of the decision to place you under investigation. This will detail why you are being investigated and further details on the process of the investigation. You may also be informed of the potential consequences should you be found guilty at this stage.
- Investigation. A thorough investigation will then be carried out, during which time all evidence relating to the allegations against you will be collected, investigated and organised. During this phase, you may also be called in for questioning as the team investigating looks to arm themselves with an appreciation of all the facts before making a decision.
- Initial decision. Upon completion of the investigation, your regulator will make an initial decision on the future of the case, deciding whether to move forward to a formal hearing or declare there is not enough evidence to continue.
- Hearing. If the investigators decide to move forward to a formal hearing or tribunal you will be given time to prepare your case. Over the course of the hearing all evidence from both parties will be presented to a neutral panel of experts who will then make the final decision
Overall, this process could take anywhere from weeks to months to complete, depending on the severity of the accusation, the amount of evidence required and many other factors. As such, it is important to remain patient throughout.
The consequences of being found guilty
Should you be found guilty, sanctions can be severe, but they do vary. Sanctions could include but are not limited to:
- Financial penalties
- Losing your job
- A permanent ban from working in the industry
In some cases, you may also be subject to a criminal investigation following the results of the hearing, which could carry even harsher penalties.
Who we work with
At Draycott Browne, we have experience working with people under investigation from a range of regulatory bodies, including:
- The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
- The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- The General Dental Council (GDC)
- The General Medical Council (GMC)
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
- The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)
- The Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
- General Teaching Council for England (GTC)
This is not a complete list. If you are not covered by one of these regulators, call us to discuss our experience in your industry.
How we can help you
Our team of Professional disciplinary Solicitors will help you throughout the process of your professional disciplinary case, providing clear, simple advice designed to make the investigation as easy on you as possible.
Our Professional Disciplinary specialists are part of our wider team of Regulatory Solicitors in Manchester based out of our city centre offices. We are nationally recognised and highly regarded across the legal profession and noted for consistently delivering excellent results. We regularly represent professional clients under investigation or subject to disciplinary proceedings in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London.
As one of the top Criminal Law Firms in the country, our Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary Solicitors possess a high degree of technical knowledge surrounding the investigation strategies various Regulatory bodies. Such expertise is integral to providing you with the quality you deserve in your legal representation. We understand the stress that can be caused when facing an investigation, and the pressure that can place on an individual. We strive to provide the legal support and representation you need to relieve the pressure and pave the way for a positive outcome to your situation. Our team of Criminal Defence Lawyers great pride in our professionalism and dedication to our clients and will work hard to protect you, and your reputation. With our years of experience, you can be confident in knowing you have a first-class legal team behind you.
With your career, license to operate within your professional capacity or your future prospects at stake, you cannot afford to settle for anything less than Draycott Browne. Call Draycott Browne today on +44 (0)161 266 7089.