Laura Stephenson

Professional Discipline

Laura is ranked in the Legal 500 as a leading junior in professional disciplinary and regulatory law. She prosecutes and defends in a range of professional disciplinary settings, particularly specialising in healthcare matters.

She is regularly instructed to defend registrants before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service at both interim and final hearings. She also defends at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Social Work England and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Laura’s experience of financial crime and tax matters is of particular value when defending professionals before accounting and financial regulators, or registrants in any field facing accusations of financial impropriety.

Some recent examples of Laura’s work include;

• At the MPTS, representing a consultant accused of sexually assaulting and harassing two patients under his care;
• Representing a doctor before the MPTS in proceedings relating to health and misconduct following dishonest self-prescribing of medication;
• The defence of a nurse in an 8-week NMC hearing involving the death of a patient following surgery in a private hospital;
• Cross-examination of a vulnerable complainant on behalf of a doctor in MPTS proceedings, following which an allegation of sexual assault was found not proved;
• Representing a doctor before the MPTS in respect of a number of drink-driving convictions. He was able to retain his registration;
• Representing a senior social worker accused of misleading the family court when acting as an independent expert witness.

Laura also prosecutes on behalf of the General Osteopathic Council in fitness to practice proceedings involving misconduct and clinical competence. She recently prosecuted the case of a well-known osteopathic academic who was struck off after findings that he had inappropriate sexual relations with a patient.

She has prosecuted at the National College of Teaching and Leadership (now TRA) in cases concerning misconduct and dishonesty, and involving the questioning of child witnesses. She has also presented cases on behalf of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and General Optical Council.

Laura’s experience across coronial and criminal proceedings enables her to approach professional discipline cases in a holistic manner and seek pragmatic solutions for clients.