Professional Discipline

Fountain Court has a market-leading and award-winning professional discipline practice. We act for both regulators and respondents across the full range of disciplinary proceedings. We regularly help clients navigate the continually developing regulatory landscape through our advisory work and support them through contentious proceedings and investigations.

Our work extends to a wide range of regulated professions, including the legal, medical, architectural, and accountancy sectors. We have a particular depth of expertise in the legal and financial services sectors and many of our members have acted – often on opposing sides – in major cases in these sectors. Members receive instructions from major regulators including the Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Reporting Council, Solicitors Regulation Authority, and Bar Standards Board, as well as from the regulated firms and individuals they investigate. This dual perspective gives the set unrivalled insight into how disciplinary proceedings unfold from both sides.

We are regularly called upon to advise on regulatory and disciplinary issues that arise as a result of high-profile company collapses including the likes of MG Rover, Carillion and Silentnight. Our work also extends to advising on sensitive matters, such as in relation to sexual misconduct and MeToo related issues, and to matters where professionals are accused of acting dishonestly or in relation to issues such as conflicts of interest. Much of our work is highly confidential and, where they appear in the public domain, they are very often high-profile and attract significant press attention.

Many of our members have held, and continue to hold, important roles in the wider industry including within the Association of Disciplinary and Regulatory Lawyers, the Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board.

Our work includes cases relating to:

• Legal professionals or entities including solicitors, barristers and law firms
• Financial services professionals including accountants, auditors and financial advisors
• Property and construction professionals
• Medical professionals
• Insurance professionals
• Insolvency practitioners
• Other professionals such as mortgage advisors and IT and technology professionals