Louisa is regularly instructed to appear and advise in matters before professional regulatory bodies and tribunals, including the NMC and HCPC – primarily in the healthcare sphere, but also teaching, financial services and sports law. She acts for both the registered individual and the regulator, and advises on witness evidence, disclosure, admissibility of evidence and case tactics pre-hearing. She appears in fitness to practise final hearings, registration appeals, interim order hearings and substantive order reviews. Louisa represents clients in respect of a range of allegations including dishonesty, discrimination, violence, sexual misconduct, lack of competence, ill-health and bringing their profession into disrepute.

Louisa’s practice in the Employment Tribunals, as well as her experience before joining Chambers as a Presenting Officer and Case Manager for the HCPC, mean she is well-placed to represent and advise individual registrants or employees, trade unions, regulators, employers and other organisations in relation to the range of regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, including complex and multi-dimensional cases.

Notable cases:

[An Athlete] v the UK Polocrosse Association (UKPA): Louisa represented an athlete in respect of their appeal to the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) of a disciplinary decision and sanction made by one of its member bodies (UKPA). The athlete was alleged to have breached the code of conduct and brought the sport into disrepute. Louisa advised the athlete on next best steps, drafted submissions and appeal statements, and compiled the appellant’s bundle. Louisa was due to represent the athlete at a hearing before the BEF, but managed to facilitate an early resolution for her without any need for the hearing to take place. The resolution included the UKPA agreeing to all remedial aspects requested by the athlete, including overturning the sanction, issuing an apology and submitting themselves for an independent governance review of their policies and procedures.

NMC v Catherine Geddes & Elizabeth Foster: Louisa represented Nurse Geddes (instructed by the RCN) in a 22-day Final Hearing, facing Charges of acting dishonestly and without integrity in concealing documents, and unfairly and unprofessionally in submitting a nurse employee to disciplinary proceedings because they were a whistleblower. Louisa successfully achieved an outcome of No Case to Answer in respect of the vast majority of Charges, with those remaining being found Not Proven against her.

NMC v Collis Mudarikwa: Louisa represented Nurse Mudarikwa against the NMC applying for an Interim Suspension Order following repeated allegations of medicines mismanagement. Louisa was able to persuade the NMC Panel the risk of repetition was so low Nurse Mudarikwa should be permitted to continue practising without restriction whilst the investigation was underway.

NMC v Reni Kirilova: Louisa represented Nurse Kirilova at a Review hearing of her Substantive Suspension Order, following proven charges of dishonesty, and persuaded the NMC Panel Nurse Kirilova’s fitness to practise was no longer impaired, and she should be permitted to return to unrestricted practise as a nurse.

M Shafi: Louisa represented an individual appealing the NMC Assistant Registrar’s decision to refuse his application to join the NMC Register. The prospective registrant had a previous conviction in relation to unlawfully obtaining a colleague’s personal details from case records. Louisa successfully persuaded the panel the prospective registrant was able to practise safely and effectively as a nurse and should be permitted to join the NMC register.

NMC v Francesca Cottam: Louisa represented Nurse Cottam at Final Hearing facing charges of dishonestly failing to disclose previous periods of employment and suspension and dismissal from the same employer, in respect of future job applications. Louisa successfully achieved a finding that Nurse Cottam had not acted dishonestly but in error, and as a result her fitness to practise as a nurse was not impaired.

NMC v Debbie Coward: Louisa represented Nurse Coward at an Interim Suspension Order Review Hearing, and successfully persuaded the Panel the Suspension was disproportionate, and should be replaced with an Interim Conditions of Practice Order, permitting Nurse Coward to return to work subject to conditions.

NMC v Florin Daraban & Mihai Damian: Louisa represented Nurse Daraban at Final Hearing facing Charges he had dishonestly completed an untruthful reference for a friend making a job application. Louisa was successful in having all Charges found Not Proven.