Partner
Chris has spent the majority of his professional career as part
of the Professional Regulatory team acting for
regulators. His role includes the management of relationships with
a number of regulatory clients, managing and supervising
professional regulatory and criminal prosecutions, advocacy before
Disciplinary, Professional Conduct, Professional Competence and
Fitness to Practise Committees and sitting as Legal Adviser to
Conduct/Competence Committees. Chris also undertakes the drafting
and review of statutory frameworks and guidance for regulators and
membership associations in a number of regulatory fields as well as
Higher Education Institutions.
Chris is a member of the Association of Regulatory and
Disciplinary Lawyers and the Solicitors Association of High Court
Advocates. He has worked in-house with a regulatory client as
Deputy Registrar and he assists in the training of Committee
members and in-house legal teams.
particular areas of experience and expertise
Chris has managed some of the most complex conduct and clinical
cases brought by the team in respect of healthcare, education and
accountancy regulatory prosecutions. His ability has been noted by
clients for whom he has undertaken reviews of regulatory
frameworks, statutory guidance, prosecution protocol in addition to
case analysis and prosecution.
Advising and presenting a case which raised a number of issues
including the management of a vulnerable witness; allegations of a
failure to appropriately supervise and monitor the standard of care
provided; the adducing and examining of expert opinion. This case
involved complex arguments regarding the scope of legal restraint
and was reported in national media.
Successfully prosecuting a case before a Professional Conduct
Committee involving three registrants who failed to provide
adequate maternity care for a Complainant whose child had been
severely handicapped by the delivery of poor care. The case
included examination of expert opinion, adducing significant
witness and documentary evidence.
Providing advice for a regulator involving two respondents in a
complex healthcare prosecution. The case involved the regulator’s
first prosecution of performance review allegations which adopted
new protocols within that profession’s training programme.
Leading an investigation with the NHS Counterfraud Service in
respect of allegations of inadequate and fraudulent domiciliary
care services involving significant volumes of documentation,
document analysis, policy recommendation and over 35 witness
interviews.
Leading a successful investigation and prosecution of
allegations relating to a national television investigation and
documentary into the care provided in a UK hospital. Arguments in
the case touched on issues concerning the right to freedom of
speech, provision of adequate patient care and the healthcare
regulator’s jurisdiction.
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