Printed from the Field Fisher Waterhouse web site
Web address: http://www.ffw.com/practices/public-regulatory/training.aspx

Practices

Training - professional conduct, disciplinary and fitness to practise

Regulators have to follow specific procedures and be aware of relevant case law when holding conduct or fitness to practise hearings. Without proper training for panel Chairmen, Legal Assessors, case investigators and panel and committee members, they may leave themselves open to legal challenge.

Our service

We have leading lawyers in this field with experience in designing bespoke training for:

  • Committee or panel members, including lay or professional members
  • Chairs of those committees/panels
  • Legal Assessors/advisers to those committees/panels
  • Those who investigate and prepare cases for hearing

We also tailor training courses to the particular legislation governing a body, or the industry in which you operate such as healthcare, social care, sport or finance, so that the training is highly relevant for the specific audience.

We can provide training on topics such as:

  • the public interest
  • the role and expected behaviour of committee members
  • hearings procedures
  • decision making
  • drafting determinations
  • principles and practices of good questioning
  • ensuring fairness
  • case law updates
  • coping with the unexpected at hearings
  • sanctions
  • absence of respondent
  • admissibility of evidence and conflicting evidence
  • mitigation
  • standard and burden of proof
  • appeals
  • Chairmanship skills

Our experience

Our trainers have been providing training to regulators for over six years. Our experience with professional regulatory bodies means that we have been involved in different regulatory regimes across a wide range of different professions, and we are top ranked in both leading legal directories for professional discipline.

Our specialist lawyers focus solely on this area of law and have developed their expertise into designing specific training for your staff and members so you can conduct hearings lawfully, effectively and with confidence.

Our trainers have many years of experience with all aspects of investigating and presenting conduct and fitness to practise cases including interviewing witnesses and drafting their statements, instructing experts, advising on sufficiency of evidence, drafting charges and advocacy at hearings.

We also advise on the case law which governs fitness to practise procedures and have years of experience as Legal Assessors/Advisers to panels.