Sarah Harris

Sarah is a Partner in the Regulatory team. Sarah advises, investigates and presents cases on behalf of a large number of healthcare regulators.  She is an experienced advocate who presents cases of all levels of complexity, ranging from allegations of sexual misconduct to lengthy and complex competency cases. 

Sarah was called to the Bar in 2007 and joined the Regulatory and Professional Discipline Team at Kingsley Napley in 2010, initially on secondment from 23 Essex Street Chambers, having had a broad and varied criminal practice.   

Regulatory Prosecution

Sarah has extensive experience of investigating and presenting fitness to practise cases on behalf of a number of regulatory bodies including the Health and Care Professions Council, the General Optical Council, the General Dental Council and the National College for Teaching and Leadership.   Sarah’s cases are often of a high profile nature attracting media attention.  Articles include:

• "Pair of lewd paramedics who boasted of their sexual conquests to female colleagues are suspended from work for a year"
• "Paramedics Ian Powell and Lindsey C. Brown 'left patient with his friends"
• "Paramedic Fiona Turner cleared of misconduct"
• "Woman's Hour psychologist who made false claim in custody battle is found guilty of misconduct"

Sarah has a particular interest in health regulation, working closely with regulators in this sector to design and implement regulatory frameworks that meet their needs. Her work involves helping established regulators to identify where things are being done well, and where improvements can be made as well as guiding start-up regulators to implement best practice from the outset of their operations.

Sarah has also been involved in the preparation and presentation of police disciplinary matters.

Criminal regulatory and private prosecutions

Sarah is a CPS Grade 2 Prosecutor.  She obtained extensive experience prosecution a wide range of criminal cases in the Crown Court, Magistrates Court and Youth Court.  Prior to joining Kingsley Napley she was regularly instructed by the Department of Work and Pensions and has spent time as seconded Counsel at the CPS Proceeds of Crime Unit.  In this latter role Sarah attended a large number of enforcement hearings up and down the country and obtained experience in confiscation and restraint.

Sarah acts for the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in respect of their criminal investigations into the unlawful actions of security guards, security companies and their employees.   She has also assisted in the provision of advice to Ofgem investigators on the lawful use of criminal enforcement powers including: disclosure obligations, interviewing and the execution of search warrants.

Defence work

Whilst in Chambers, Sarah had a busy and varied defence caseload, which provided her with the essential skills to look after individuals’ interests in both criminal and regulatory proceedings.   She has advised individuals facing proceedings before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), Institute of Civil Engineers and the UK Council for Psychotherapy.  She has recently defended individuals facing investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Sarah has advised in a number of Prison Law matters, including applications for Judicial Review and has conducted internal adjudication hearings for serving prisoners.  Sarah was instructed on a pro bono basis by Lovells Solicitors as Junior Counsel to Anthony Metzer in Hunt v AB [2009] WLR (D) 30.

Sarah has particular experience of cases involving vulnerable witnesses. She can speak British Sign Language to Stage 1 level.

Professional societies and Memberships

• Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers