Findings and sanctions of past hearings
Details of published findings and sanctions imposed by Disciplinary Tribunals since BTAS started operations on 1 February 2013 are provided here. Please note that, in line with the BTAS Publication Policy, findings will be removed from the website after 2 years, unless the finding of the Disciplinary Tribunal involves a suspension or disbarment. In these cases, the finding will be posted on the BTAS website indefinitely.
Details of findings and sanctions are published in accordance with the BTAS Publication Policy: Disciplinary Tribunals and other adjudication hearings.
In exceptional circumstances, a tribunal can require the Bar Standards Board to suspend the defendant’s practising certificate from a date determined by the tribunal and which can take immediate effect (rE227 and rE228 of the Bar Standards Board Handbook). In all other instances, the sanction described in the finding sheets attached will only come into effect after the time for appeal has expired. The date is further determined either by a decision of the Treasurer of the defendant’s Inn or the disposal of the appeal should one be made. For specific detail, please refer to the Enforcement Regulations at rE239 and rE241.
Appeals against relevant decisions of Bar Disciplinary Tribunals made before 7 January 2014 were heard by the Visitors to the Inns of Court. Since that date appeals fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court (rE236). The outcome of Visitors’ Hearings (appeals) and appeals to the High Court are also listed on this section of the website.
Using the facility below you may search by: name of barrister; date; type of hearing; sentence and section of the code.
Each set of findings is accorded a status on the following basis:
Open to Appeal: The case is within the period that a barrister can appeal the finding but no appeal has been submitted.
Appeal Pending – Sanction Stayed / Appeal Pending: The barrister has submitted an appeal, which is yet to be heard and the sanction will not be implemented until after the outcome of the appeal is known. This will be the case unless the Disciplinary Tribunal has ordered that the sanction should take effect immediately.
Final – The finding has been pronounced either after the appeal period has expired or following the result of an appeal.
New findings are posted within seven days of a decision, although it can take up to 24 hours for the finding to appear on the website following its posting (or for a finding to not show on the website following its removal).
Details of all publishable findings and sanctionss imposed by Disciplinary Tribunals from 2002 to the present date can also be found on the Bar Standards Board website by clicking here.
An alternative means of dealing with professional misconduct complaints is provided by the Determination by Consent (‘DBC’) procedure. This process is where the Professional Conduct Committee exercises its power to determine the outcome of a disciplinary case with the barrister’s consent. It is designed to provide a more speedy resolution of straightforward cases without the need for a formal Disciplinary Tribunal hearing. Further information on the procedure can be accessed here.
Details of the practising status of any barrister can be found on the Bar Standards Board website, click here for further information.
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Mon 27 May
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Tue 28 May
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Wed 29 May
- Defendant
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Amjad Hussain
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 3 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
- Finding and sentence
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On 29 May 2024 the Tribunal issued Mr Hussain with a £5,000 fine and a Reprimand.
Costs - £2,670 awarded to the BSB. - Status
- Final
- Date
- Wednesday 29 May 2024
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Thu 30 May
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Fri 31 May
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Sat 01 Jun
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Sun 02 Jun
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Mon 03 Jun
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Tue 04 Jun
- Defendant
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James Dean
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
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- Her Honour Judith Hughes KC (Chair)
- Mr Alexander Horne
- Mr Matthew McGhee
- Mr Vince Cullen
- Ms Rita Eaton
- Status
- Convened
- Dates
- Tuesday 4 - Thursday 6 June 2024
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Wed 05 Jun
- Defendant
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James Dean
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
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- Her Honour Judith Hughes KC (Chair)
- Mr Alexander Horne
- Mr Matthew McGhee
- Mr Vince Cullen
- Ms Rita Eaton
- Status
- Convened
- Dates
- Tuesday 4 - Thursday 6 June 2024
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Thu 06 Jun
- Defendant
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James Dean
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
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- Her Honour Judith Hughes KC (Chair)
- Mr Alexander Horne
- Mr Matthew McGhee
- Mr Vince Cullen
- Ms Rita Eaton
- Status
- Convened
- Dates
- Tuesday 4 - Thursday 6 June 2024
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Fri 07 Jun
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Sat 08 Jun
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Sun 09 Jun
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Mon 10 Jun
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Tue 11 Jun
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Wed 12 Jun
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Thu 13 Jun
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Fri 14 Jun
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Sat 15 Jun
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Sun 16 Jun
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Mon 17 Jun
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Tue 18 Jun
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Wed 19 Jun
- Defendant
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Matthew Feargrieve
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 3 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
- Finding and sentence
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On 19 June 2024 the Tribunal requested the BSB not to issue Mr Feargrieve with a practising certificate for 12 months from 19 June 2024.
- Status
- Open to appeal
- Date
- Wednesday 19 June 2024
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Thu 20 Jun
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Fri 21 Jun
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Sat 22 Jun
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Sun 23 Jun
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Mon 24 Jun
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Tue 25 Jun
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Wed 26 Jun
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Thu 27 Jun
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Fri 28 Jun
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Sat 29 Jun
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Sun 30 Jun