Every Professionals Nightmare

Imagine you walk into work and you are presented with allegations made by a patient alleging professional misconduct, or the police knock at your door and seek to arrest you or one of your family members.

The nature of any such allegations call into question the moral and professional status of the person accused. You are devastated to hear about the nature of the serious complaint and consider the ramifications for you professionally and personally; your livelihood, your family, finances and social standing. It now all hangs in the balance

The experience of those involved in the Criminal Justice system for the first time can be be devastating. Often there is a social stigma attached to certain types of allegations. Depression and insecurity in the work place is often a common symptom and personal and professional relationships are affected. The accused individual’s mind becomes pre-occupied with clearing their name. Many have often asked “why did this happen to me?”

What should be your first step if you do find yourself in such a position?

The sensible thing to do is seek legal advice at the first available opportunity. What seems to you like a mine field, is in fact a route which most specialist legal teams, in particular Garrick Law undertake on a daily basis. Seeking advice at the outset can ensure that you do not make elementary but damaging mistakes which affect the ultimate outcome. It enables you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, albeit sometimes the tunnel is a long one.

In the interim whilst the investigation takes it course, it is often possible for individuals and professionals to continue with their employment with safeguards and conditions imposed (depending upon the nature of the allegation). Garrick Law can often identify situational professional challenges, which inevitably arise in such circumstances. This enables you and colleagues to implement good practice management to ensure such challenges are met.

Often those in business and professionals are in a partnership or in practice with other professionals. The mere nature of such allegations can have financial and logistical implications for the business. Garrick Law can assist on advising on what practical steps can be taken to reduce the impact on your business and practice during the period of the investigation.

Media coverage is something which is often not considered by those who find themselves in this situation. Coping with the pressure and upset again is something which Garrick Law can advice upon by drawing form their pool of experience.

The hearing is often an extremely stressful process, partly because most individuals have no idea what to expect and so much to lose. The assistance of a legal team from the outset results in advice and guidance from the initial stages regarding procedure and what to expect from the hearing. There are inevitable delays and interruptions during the course of a hearing, which often increases stress levels for those accused. Again, Garrick Law can seek to reduce such administrative matters by working on your case from the outset.  Areas, which are often considered at the hearing, are credibility, contemporaneous record keeping and good practice. Your legal team will be able to draw upon their pool of often-utilised expert witnesses to support any evidential issues in your case.  At the actual hearing submissions from an experienced and able advocate carry great weight with the adjudicating panel. Often an able Barrister can persuade the panel that allegations are untrustworthy, unfounded and uncorroborated and the case concludes.

Instructing and working with a legal team from the outset means you can draw and benefit from their understanding, knowledge and professionalism.  Trust and working closely with your legal team means that you can take steps from the outset to ensure you have support, survive the experience and ensure that you obtain a just outcome.