Shepherd and Wedderburn has an unusually clear perspective on professional regulation. Not only do we work for the professional in their dealings with the regulators, we also work for the regulators themselves. This privileged standpoint gives us a genuine insight into the issues on both sides and ensures our advice is considered and comprehensive.
But we’re more than advisors, we’re advocates too. That gives us significant expertise in the courts and in tribunals and means we can call on the services of our in-house solicitor advocate team as required. Our experience covers highly sensitive matters involving, on occasion, allegations of criminality or inappropriate conduct.
We act for major professional institutions both in handling disciplinary cases and in advising on the complexities of internal governance. We are recognised as leading practitioners and run an annual Regulation Conference, bringing together key players from regulatory bodies across the UK.
A Scottish Church
Representing a Scottish Church in a clerking role in relation to disciplinary proceedings involving an individual. This is an extremely sensitive matter and has attracted attention from the press for some time. We have had to liaise with the Crown, the Police, and advise the church generally on difficult issues around confidentiality and disclosure.
Medical Protection Society
We are still acting for the Medical Protection Society in a sensitive and highly technical matter that is before the GMC. This high value case involves very difficult areas of professional practice, requiring advice on an ongoing basis in relation to the ability of a senior practitioner to continue in practice. At present the team are involved in preparation for an Inquest outwith the jurisdiction.
The Security Industry Authority
We are sole advisors to The Security Industry Authority in Scotland. In addition to handling statutory appeals following the refusal of license applications, we also advise the Authority more generally on issues of statutory interpretation and the legal effect of their internal processes. Recently we have advised the Authority on the actual and intended scope of its licensing criteria set against previous editions. We have also been engaged in developing and strengthening an argument to ensure that regulatory bodies are not, in appropriate circumstances, found liable in costs before the courts.
The following is a selection of our clients:
- British Medical Association
- Faculty of Advocates
- Medical Protection Society Limited
- Medical Research Council
- Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
- Standards Commission for Scotland
- The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
- The Law Society of Scotland
- The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
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