Professional Discipline

Richard is experienced in work relating to the regulation of professional conduct in a variety of fields, including healthcare, financial services and sports.

Richard has amassed significant experience in sports law having advised on and appeared in a range of regulatory matters including disciplinaries, equalities and discrimination, anti-doping and safeguarding, across a range of sports including football, athletics, and both codes of rugby.

He sits on the Football Association’s Judicial Panel where he chairs FA misconduct hearings up to Premier League level. Richard also has experience of challenges to decisions of sporting governing bodies, including selection and funding disputes.

Other experience includes:

• Member of the British Athletes Commission Olympic selection appeals standby panel, on standby to advise athletes appealing against adverse selection decisions for Tokyo 2020. This included representing athletes to final selection appeal.
• Representing and advising athletes from across the world facing anti-doping charges. Experience includes the investigation stage, disciplinary proceedings and hearings before anti-doping panels.
• Experience of advising football clubs on commercial and employment contracts.
• Advising in respect of FA Agents Regulations.

Richard spent one year on secondment to the Nursing and Midwifery Council where he appeared daily in interim order, substantive order review and substantive hearings in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland of up to four weeks in length. Richard subsequently appeared and advised on NMC and HCPC matters. He has experience in the full range of healthcare disciplinary cases in settings ranging from large hospitals to nursing homes, for both registrant and regulator. Experience includes:

• Conduct cases
• Health cases
• Conviction cases
• Competence

Richard has experience of financial services regulation having spent time on secondment at the Financial Conduct Authority and having previously worked at HM Treasury. He has experience of a broad range of regulations with a particular focus on pensions, insurance and the Financial Ombudsman.