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Brian - The case of Ms Scott illustrates how difficult it can be to take the action you describe.

Those at the very start of their career will probably have significant debts. They have probably spent a long time trying to get a training contract. They will be well aware of how difficult it is to get any training contract, let alone to transfer a training contract to a different firm.

Could you blame anyone for being doubtful whether other firms would welcome them with open arms if the reason they left their previous firm was reporting them to the SRA?

I see it is unrealistic, and blatantly unfair, to expect such junior people to commit what they would reasonably see as career suicide without very clear guidance and protections in place.

In other areas, such as the NHS, there are supposedly clear protections in place for whistleblowers. The reality though is that those raising concerns are frequently victimised, with the classic response being to immediately sling as much mud as possible at the whistleblower. We don't even have those theoretical protections in place.

Even for those who are brave enough to take action at the first hint of impropriety in their firm, the SRA's actions of course make it clear that its current cultural response will be to give no quarter if even a fraction of the mud slung at the whistleblower sticks.