Insurance: policy covers Law Society investigations

The insurance broker behind the Solicitors Defence Scheme (SDS) - the policy launched last month to provide cover in the event of a Law Society investigation or disciplinary proceedings - has set up a heavyweight panel of solicitors.


The panel established by Giles (Alton) is headed by solicitor silks Andrew Hopper QC, who runs a defence practice in Glamorgan, and Geoffrey Williams QC of Cardiff firm Geoffrey Williams & Christopher Green.


It includes three partners from London firm RadcliffesLeBrasseur - Gillian Benning, Nigel West and Paul Saffron. Mr Saffron acted for sole practitioner Anal Sheikh, who last month made the first successful High Court challenge to a Law Society intervention (see [2005] Gazette, 16 June, 1).


London and south-east firm Penningtons provides two members - the head of its professional regulation department Katrina Wingfield and consultant Rodney Stubblefield. London firm Wright Son & Pepper also contributes two panel members in Nicholas Wright and Iain Miller.


Other firms represented include London firm Russell-Cooke and regional firm Morgan Cole. There are also several sole practitioners who specialise in professional conduct and regulation work.


Mr Hopper said: 'The scheme is aimed at the ordinary, working solicitor - a decent person who is handling demanding work and clients but is suddenly caught up in something that requires considerable resources and usually to a tight time-limit.'


Claire Russell, head of client liaison at Giles (Alton), said: 'Few solicitors will do themselves justice in the short time usually allowed by the regulator for the provision of explanations and answers to concerns without external, objective and specialist help.'