
REGULATORY INVESTIGATIONS
We advise both organisations and individuals who are the subject of regulatory investigations, with a particular emphasis on SRA investigations into solicitors, legal professionals and law firms.
We advise on issues which commonly arise in such investigations, including the application of legal professional privilege, the obligation to co-operate with the regulator and respond to requests to attend interviews and/or produce documents, and in the negotiation of regulatory settlement agreements.
We also have experience in advising individuals and law firms who are either subject to or conducting internal investigations into alleged misconduct, as to whether and when an obligation to self-report the matter to the SRA has arisen under the relevant Codes of Conduct.
We have extensive experience in advising on allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and bullying and have had recent instructions in relation to SRA investigations into these issues. We have a particular specialism in this area, having hosted a webinar on the sexual misconduct guidance and a webinar on the new rules relating to the treatment of colleagues and have written extensively about these issues in the legal and national press.
We appreciate that regulatory investigations can be highly stressful, time-consuming and intrusive for both firms and individuals, and we take a calm, discrete and methodical approach to matters.
Our ability to provide regulatory advice enables us to take a multi-disciplinary approach to investigations that can occur in an employment and regulatory context, and complements the existing service we provide to our senior executive, partnership and LLP clients.
Both Andrew Pavlovic and Nick Leale have previous experience of acting for regulators and are able to harness that experience when advising firms and individuals.
Andrew Pavlovic is recognised both as ‘Up and Coming’ by Chambers and Partners UK 2025 and ‘Next Generation Partner’ by Legal 500 UK 2025 for Professional Discipline. He is described as “excellent to deal with and is very knowledgeable” and “a calming influence on any case he works on”... providing “clear, thoughtful and commercially astute advice”. He is “a creative thinker who is persistent in getting the best result for his clients.”
Nick Leale is described by Legal 500 UK as “delivering… extensive knowledge in a thoughtful, measured manner that non-legal people can understand – he also fully considers the human factors played out within regulatory frameworks and reflects those considerations when advising those undertaking investigations.”
For more information or to discuss how we can assist if you are subject to a regulatory investigation, please contact Partners Andrew Pavlovic, Nick Leale, and Partner/General Counsel Beth Hale.