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NLJ this week: Fitness to practise panels & the relevance of proceedings

03 September 2021
Issue: 7946 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Disciplinary&grievance procedures
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Nick Hall, barrister at Red Lion Chambers, considers the relevance of inquest proceedings in fitness to practise proceedings in professional discipline law, in this week’s NLJ

His article focuses on a recent case, Towuaghantse v GMC [2021] involving a Medical Practitioners Tribunal’s decision to strike a doctor off the Medical Register, and the doctor’s appeal on several grounds.

There has been a longstanding principle that the conclusions of another body are not relevant to the panel’s findings when determining the fact stage in fitness to practise cases. Hall investigates whether the case suggests this is no longer true.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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