The Solicitors Regulation Authority today appointed 16 law firms and solicitor-advocates to work on its disciplinary and regulatory actions.

The new disciplinary proceedings panel replaces the existing panel of individual solicitor-advocates. Firms and advocates will serve on the panel for three years and work on: prosecutions and other forms of advocacy before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal; appeals against SDT decisions; and appeals against regulatory decisions, such as a refusal to admit to the roll or the imposition of practising certificate conditions. Firms and advocates will also provide general legal advice.

The successful firms and advocates are:

  • Bevan Brittan
  • Townshends
  • Penningtons
  • Geoffrey Williams & Christopher Green Solicitor Advocates
  • David Barton Solicitor Advocate
  • Finers Stephens Innocent
  • Morgan Cole
  • Gorvins
  • Jameson & Hill
  • Jon Goodwin Solicitor Advocate
  • Bankside Law
  • Russell-Cooke
  • HMA Law
  • Capsticks
  • Field Fisher Waterhouse
  • Blake Lapthorn

The appointments follow the first tender process for the disciplinary proceedings panel. Some 143 firms and advocates initially requested a tender pack, with 47 submitting a formal tender response in November 2008.

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.’