SRA appoints new Disciplinary Proceedings Panel
2 June 2009
Sixteen firms have been appointed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to a Disciplinary Proceedings Panel following the first tender process for this type of work which received an encouraging response from the profession.
One of the key aims of the tender was to ensure fairness and transparency in the selection of suppliers of legal services as well as to promote equality and diversity.
The firms selected are
- Bevan Brittan LLP,
- Townshends LLP,
- Penningtons LLP,
- Geoffrey Williams and Christopher Green Solicitor Advocates,
- David Barton Solicitor Advocate,
- Finers Stephens Innocent LLP,
- Morgan Cole,
- Gorvins,
- Jameson & Hill,
- Jonathan Goodwin Solicitor Advocate,
- Bankside Law Limited,
- Russell-Cooke LLP,
- HMA Law,
- Capsticks Solicitors LLP,
- Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP, and
- Blake Lapthorn.
The appointments will replace the previous arrangements whereby a panel of individual advocates had developed over the years.
A total of 143 firms, with a wide range of size including sole practitioners, initially requested a tender pack, with 47 submitting a formal tender response in November 2008.
The firms will serve a three-year period and will provide a variety of legal services including
- prosecution and other forms of advocacy before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT),
- appeals against SDT decisions,
- regulatory appeals against decisions such as refusal to admit to the Roll or the imposition of practising certificate conditions,
- legal advice.
SRA Chief Executive Antony Townsend said: "When we advertised for the panel appointments, we actively encouraged applications from all parts of the legal community and as a result I am confident we have a high quality panel which will serve us well over the next three years.
"We are pleased that the objectives of the tender were met. The firms selected had to demonstrate their competence in professional regulatory work, and their commitment to equality and diversity principles."