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 29 Jan
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Tue 30 Jan
- Defendant
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Kelly Fernandez-Lee
(Middle Temple)
- Type of hearing
- 3 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
- Finding and sentence
- £10,000 fine and Reprimanded. £1,560 costs awarded to the BSB.
- Status
- Final
- Date
- Tuesday 30 January 2024
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Wed 31 Jan
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Thu 01 Feb
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Fri 02 Feb
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Sat 03 Feb
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Sun 04 Feb
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Mon 05 Feb
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Tue 06 Feb
- Defendant
-
Allan Ntata
(Middle Temple)
- Type of hearing
- 3 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
- Finding and sentence
- BSB not to issue practising certificate for 3 months, reprimanded and the Panel advised Mr Ntata regarding his future conduct. Costs of £250 to be paid to the BSB.
- Status
- Convened
- Dates
- Tuesday 6 - Wednesday 7 February 2024
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Wed 07 Feb
- Defendant
-
Allan Ntata
(Middle Temple)
- Type of hearing
- 3 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
- Finding and sentence
- BSB not to issue practising certificate for 3 months, reprimanded and the Panel advised Mr Ntata regarding his future conduct. Costs of £250 to be paid to the BSB.
- Status
- Convened
- Dates
- Tuesday 6 - Wednesday 7 February 2024
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Thu 08 Feb
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Fri 09 Feb
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Sat 10 Feb
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Sun 11 Feb
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Mon 12 Feb
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Tue 13 Feb
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Wed 14 Feb
- Defendant
-
Wayne Lewis
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
-
- His Honour James Meston KC (Chair)
- Ms Hayley Firman
- Mr Robert Earl
- Ms Janine Green
- Mr Ian Arundale
- Finding and sentence
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Suspended for 18 months and prohibited from public access work until the requisite course has been completed upon return to practise.
Mr Lewis has appealed against the Tribunal's decision - Decision on appeal pending - Status
- Appeal pending
- Dates
- Wednesday 14 - Thursday 15 February 2024
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Thu 15 Feb
- Defendant
-
Wayne Lewis
(Lincoln's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
-
- His Honour James Meston KC (Chair)
- Ms Hayley Firman
- Mr Robert Earl
- Ms Janine Green
- Mr Ian Arundale
- Finding and sentence
-
Suspended for 18 months and prohibited from public access work until the requisite course has been completed upon return to practise.
Mr Lewis has appealed against the Tribunal's decision - Decision on appeal pending - Status
- Appeal pending
- Dates
- Wednesday 14 - Thursday 15 February 2024
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Fri 16 Feb
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Sat 17 Feb
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Sun 18 Feb
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Mon 19 Feb
- Defendant
-
Lewis Tresman
(Gray's Inn)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
-
- Ms Monica Stevenson
- Mr Kenneth Cameron
- Mr Andrew Ward
- Her Honour Janet Waddicor (Chair)
- Ms Ruth Gray
- Finding and sentence
- Disbarred. No order for costs.
- Status
- Open to appeal
- Date
- Monday 19 February 2024
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Tue 20 Feb
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Wed 21 Feb
- Defendant
-
Farzana Akram
(Middle Temple)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
-
- Ms Claire Cheetham
- Mr John Vaughan
- Ms Ruth Gray
- Her Honour Janet Waddicor (Chair)
- Mr David Brooke KC
- Finding and sentence
- Disbarred. BSB ordered not to issue practising certificate pending any appeal. £750 costs payable to the BSB.
- Status
- Final
- Dates
- Wednesday 21 - Thursday 22 February 2024
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Thu 22 Feb
- Defendant
-
Farzana Akram
(Middle Temple)
- Type of hearing
- 5 Person Disciplinary Tribunal
- Panel members
-
- Ms Claire Cheetham
- Mr John Vaughan
- Ms Ruth Gray
- Her Honour Janet Waddicor (Chair)
- Mr David Brooke KC
- Finding and sentence
- Disbarred. BSB ordered not to issue practising certificate pending any appeal. £750 costs payable to the BSB.
- Status
- Final
- Dates
- Wednesday 21 - Thursday 22 February 2024
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Fri 23 Feb
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Sat 24 Feb
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Sun 25 Feb
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Mon 26 Feb
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Tue 27 Feb
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Wed 28 Feb
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Thu 29 Feb
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Fri 01 Mar
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Sat 02 Mar
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Sun 03 Mar