Penningtons celebrates SRA and Farriers Registration Council tender wins

Penningtons Solicitors LLP's professional regulation group is celebrating two key appointments with the news that it has been successful in tenders to advise both the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and The Farriers Registration Council.

The SRA has appointed Penningtons to its Disciplinary Proceedings Panel following the completion of its first ever tender process for professional regulatory work. The appointment is for a three year period and involves prosecution of regulatory cases before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), undertaking appeals against SDT decisions and providing general regulatory legal advice. The new structure replaces a previous arrangement involving a panel of individual advocates. Penningtons is one of 16 firms to be selected following a detailed tender process in which 47 firms submitted a formal response and 143 firms initially expressed an interest. Katrina Wingfield, who heads Penningtons' professional regulation group and is a solicitor advocate with higher rights of audience in civil courts, will lead the team advising the SRA.

The Farriers Registration Council has confirmed that it has selected Penningtons as its solicitor after inviting specialist professional regulation teams from a range of practices to tender for the position. An important factor in Penningtons' success was its knowledge of veterinary (and, in particular, equine) matters gained from the work it has undertaken for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons over the past ten years. This appointment enhances its highly respected position in the field of professional regulation for veterinary matters. Partner Geoff Hudson will lead the team advising the Farriers Registration Council.

Penningtons' professional regulation group is acknowledged as a leader in its field by both The Legal 500 and Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession. The 2009 edition of Chambers describes Katrina Wingfield as 'the matriarch of the professional discipline world' and commends Geoff Hudson for 'his impeccable performance in the courtroom and high-quality representation'.