“Having received contact through the SRA I felt I could deal with this matter myself as I did not have the funds to pay, I was so wrong on the first point. From the moment of our first call, you made no promises other than, you will get the best result possible. From that moment on, having been let down by so many others, the fact you made no promises made me feel I was in safe hands. You grasped my case from the outset, saw the deficiencies and provided me with reassurance when I needed it most, especially when I was facing a career ending tribunal. Your knowledge on matters is second to none as you were able to filter through the documents when i was drowning in them.
Setting aside your costs, as this was money well spent, or will be, throughout my ordeal I felt in safe hands knowing you’d get the best result possible in all of the circumstances and that is all one could have asked for. Rightly, my result came out correctly in my favour and you can rest assured I would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone facing a career ending, or even the smallest of allegations with either to SRA or SDT. Your cross examination is ruthless and left no stone unturned.”
Solicitor
“I am extremely grateful to Jon for his assistance over the last few months. I contacted Jon months before I received any sort of correspondence from the SRA. I was very junior and was very concerned about the alleged allegations from a firm that I had just resigned from at the time.
Jon was very helpful and positive, and explained what I should be doing / what I am not required to do clearly. This will all months before I received the SRA letter and formally instructing Jon. Jon’s advice and positivity at that time helped me to focus in my new position at my new firm rather than being concerned about the allegations from my previous firm.
Six months later, the initial letter from the SRA came in and I did not hesitate to contact and instruct Jon, who remembered every detail of the issues (which was surprising as I had not instructed him during our original conversation some 6 months before) and gave his initial thoughts. Jon explained the entire investigation process to me, and provided me with options that I could take and their potential outcomes. Jon prepared a smashing response to the initial SRA letter addressing each point raised by the SRA and providing supporting authorities. Within a few days, the SRA closed the case and confirmed that they would not be taking the investigation any further and there were no formal warnings given!
Aside from his professionalism, Jon was very user friendly and took a very flexible / considerate approach to our engagement. Without Jon’s involvement at the very beginning, I may have had to spend a lot more on defending the investigation at the SDT or, worst, not have been able to continue practice law.”
Solicitor
“I found myself subject to an SRA investigation into allegations of dishonesty brought by a previous employer; naturally I was extremely distraught and realised that I needed professional and specialist advice straight away. An internet search revealed many results but I was impressed with the free advice given on Jonathan’s website and his personal resume evidencing his specialism and detailed knowledge and experience of dealing with the SRA/SDT mechanics. A quick phone call with Jonathan in which I explained my situation and the allegations against me had an immediate reassuring and calming effect and I decided without hesitation to instruct him. At all times, Jonathan was completely transparent, open and honest. He explained each step of the process and all of the options available to me from submission of the EWW letter right through to negotiation with the SRA, their lawyers and potentially proceedings in the SDT. Jonathan’s preparation of the EWW was meticulous and perfectly addressed and neutralised the allegations. As a result of Jonathan’s conduct of my case the SRA decided to do the right thing and overturn the allegations against me without proceeding to the SDT. I cannot thank Jonathan enough for his advice, patience and professionalism. Making that initial telephone call was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Solicitor
“I recently had cause to use Jon for a second time. Jon successfully defended me against the SRA, and we got a no case to answer reply. Within 12 hours of this result my other regulator decided to raise an investigation for the same issue. I emailed Jon and we chatted immediately about how we could proceed. Jon took control calmed me down and within days a submission had gone to Cilex. In the last few days, we’ve had a successful result of no further action being taken. I cannot thank Jon enough for his time patience and work. If you ever find yourself in my position just pick up the phone to Jon. I can wholeheartedly recommend Jon to anybody needing regulator assistance.”
CILEx.
“I was introduced to Jon as “highly recommended” by a colleague and have to thoroughly endorse that comment. He quickly assimilated all the relevant facts of a complicated set of circumstances and gave me solid practical and legal advice. Throughout, he was both approachable whilst remaining professional, advising on what he considered to be unrealistic offers from the SRA. He of course gave me the option to accept the proposals put, but felt that a better result could be achieved at a hearing. His representations on my behalf at the hearing were authoritative and persuasive, achieving an excellent result in all the circumstances. My thanks to Jon and the introducer!”
Solicitor
“I am extremely grateful that Jonathan helped to ensure that I am of that small minority that have been able to successfully defend against proceedings brought by the SRA. The SRA investigation spanned some 5 years causing a great deal of stress not only to me but my staff and which eventually lead me to being referred to Jonathan who quickly grasped the background and was able to apply his expertise and deal with the SRA. His engagement with me was exceptional and he reduced the stress levels tremendously. He gave me the confidence to take the matter to the SDT and secured a great result. I have no hesitation in recommending Jonathan to anyone having any issue with the SRA and will always be grateful for his kind patience and assistance”.
Solicitor
“I was subject to SRA disciplinary proceedings which potentially could have resulted in me being struck-off the register. As you can imagine, the prospect of this caused me a great amount of stress and anxiety. Jon was recommended to me as the leading lawyer in this area and at every stage of the process, Jon lived up to his reputation.
Initially, the SRA indicated that it would pursue a dishonesty charge against me, which I vigorously denied. From start to finish, Jon was extremely clear and pragmatic, both in his explanation of the process and approach to it.
Although nothing could remove the stress of the situation, Jon’s involvement reduced it significantly. Jon fought for me all the way and, with his excellent technical knowledge and negotiations skills, convinced the SRA to not pursue the dishonesty allegation. Following this, Jon successfully negotiated an Agreed Outcome, which also saved time, costs and more worry.
Jon was always swift to correspond with me and he really was a rock to lean on in what was a difficult and emotional time.
I cannot recommend Jon’s services highly enough and I will be forever grateful for his services.”
Solicitor
“I am very delighted to note that the tribunal has dismissed the complaint and has no adverse findings to me. With great pleasure, I write to express my gratitude for your support and thoughtful help.
As a native Chinese in Hong Kong, it was such a strange and tough experience to handle a complaint raised in the UK. The investigation has taken over two years to complete. My English is not very good and I do not have any connections in the UK. Once I noted the complaint would be put to public hearing by the Disciplinary Committee, I found I should seek legal advice and assistance, although it should be a bit late.
Fortunately, I happened to find you, Jon, because you are a specialist in handling disciplinary cases in the UK. I trust that your experience, attentiveness and professionalism could help defend the complaint and ensure the hearing is conducted fairly.
Indeed, with your skillful and professional assistance, I could keep my hard-earn professional membership and have the complaint dismissed. Throughout the hearing, I found that you are really an eloquent advocate and your suggestions of case laws, examples and illustrations in defending or supporting your reasons are amazingly abundant. I felt you had been well-prepared.
Once again, thank you very much, Jon. Well done!”
Accountant
“We found ourselves in the unfortunate position of needing assistance with a matter involving the SRA. We decided we needed specialised and expert representation by someone with a knowledge of the SRA. I researched online and found Jonathan who has dealt with over 650 SRA related matters. His expertise is clear from the reviews. There are other firms that do his work but none so specialised nor with his insight- having previously represented the SRA in prosecutions before the SDT. Jonathan dealt with the matter with speed diligence and detail. He met all deadlines set by him. He spent time explaining our position and possible likely outcomes. The outcome was exactly as he predicted. No further action to be taken Based on his representations to the SRA.
I thoroughly recommend his services.”
Solicitor
“I had been dealing with the SRA myself for 2 years on a fairly unique matter relating to PII. Despite being told twice by the SRA in writing that my matter had been dropped, I was then unexpectedly informed that it would be referred to the SDT. At this point I felt helpless and no longer willing to deal with them directly, and so I contacted Jon for help. I was able to speak to him within 45 minutes of my initial enquiry, and he immediately put me at ease by demonstrating his familiarity with the SRA’s rules and processes. Despite a 2 week deadline, and the complexity of my matter, Jon was able to put together my response in a format which conveyed my position clearly and concisely. Even though Jon could not promise any particular outcome, and I had no confidence that the SRA would see sense at this late stage, I felt assured that the right person was representing my case. After an agonising 2 months I was contacted by Jon with the most outstanding news; that the matter had been closed and would not be proceeding to the tribunal. I strongly recommend any person aggrieved by the SRA’s conduct to engage with Jon as soon as possible – his fees are very reasonable and his service is outstanding. Thank you again.”
Solicitor
“Dear Jon. I wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for me over the last 18 months. The unexpected SRA investigation arrived late on a Friday afternoon but your responsiveness, out of normal office hours, to my initial approach with a clear breakdown of the law, process and potential strategy was hugely reassuring. The investigation was lengthy and it was invaluable to continue to deal directly with you. It’s rather obvious and trite that your legal knowledge and insight into how to best handle the investigation are first-class but equally important was the time you took to understand how my well-being was affected – that human element is critical in the emotional roller-coaster of the SRA process. Ultimately, the outcome was far better than I’d imagined possible and I’m certain it wouldn’t have been possible without your help. You have my eternal gratitude.”
Solicitor
“This review is based on my personal experience of being represented by Mr Goodwin and is aimed at all those that require legal representation in disciplinary matters but are not sure who to instruct particularly those that suffer from a disability (physical/mental health). As a solicitor its hard to trust your livelihood in the hands of others as you feel afraid of being judged, discriminated, taken advantage of, neglected and exploited. With Mr Goodwin there was nothing to worry about as he and his team were the only people that treated me fairly, they did not judge or descriminate me, but gave me the one thing others could not which was hope. The level of service provided was one you would expect from a magic circle firm. It was a personal service whereby you were not dealing with a number of people but one lawyer who is focused on acting in your best interest to achieve the best result for you. If you write Mr Goodwin an email or want to speak him, he will personally contact you expediantly. He is not focused on telling you what you want to hear but achieving the best possible result in your particular circumstances. He has your back and is not afraid of the SRA, he explains complicated things in easy to understand language. He will be with you every step of the way. He is the one lawyer that has a specific set of skills to achieve a positive outcome no matter what your case is. More importantly he is respected and valued by the SRA which is why they used to instruct him. In my opinion Mr Goodwin is the best legal defence representation money can buy and has proven that by achieving an outcome that many felt was impossible which was to use his technical muscle and years of expertise to persuade the SRA to drop their case at tribunal stage.”
Solicitor
“Dear Jon,
I wanted to send you an email to set out my gratitude and thanks for all that you have done for me over recent months. Being investigated by the SRA was a position I had never expected to be in and this has inevitably been a period of considerable stress and worry. An investigation for any professional is a genuine nightmare scenario and it is inevitable that you begin to panic that the worst may happen.
However, your calm and measured approach provided me with reassurance from the outset. I am grateful for your reasoned and straight forward advice and opinion delivered in a considerate but honest manner. Your experience and expertise in this specialist area is clearly vast and I am of the firm view that this was the primary reason for the exceptional result you were able to achieve. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude that your diligently and expertly crafted submissions resulted in the SRA closing their investigation. I cannot thank you and your team enough for all your hard work in achieving this fantastic result that allows me to move on with my career.
I am an experienced solicitor but this is a specialist area which requires specialist advice and you are rightly seen as a leader in this field. instructing you to represent me in this matter was the best decision I could have made. I would recommend, in the strongest possible terms, that anyone facing an SRA investigation should immediately seek your expert help and support.
Once again, thank you for all your help and support in dealing with a potentially career threatening issue and achieving the best possible outcome.”
Solicitor
“I want to thank Jonathan whole heartedly for putting me at ease right from the very beginning. I was most hesitant at first on instructing a solicitor not knowing whom to turn to and who would be able to deal with my matter emphatically with the SRA. I spoke to a number of solicitors and advised them of my professional misconduct investigation by the SRA, however, none save for Jonathan were able to give me any comfort, or even the slightest hope, that I could ever come out of my ordeal with my integrity intact and without any sanction placed on my ability to continue to practice as a solicitor. This is down to Jonathan’s extensive knowledge and experience in dealing with SRA misconduct matters but most of all I was taken aback by how friendly and approachable Jonathan truly is. I am most pleased to say that the SRA has found in my favour and has closed my file without any further action. I cannot recommend Jonathan enough to anyone who finds themselves with the misfortunate of being the subject of an SRA investigation, he may not be able to wave a magic wand but he will definitely give you best guidance and advice to properly tackle whatever predicament you may find yourselves in.”
Solicitor
“That is indeed an excellent outcome. Thank you for all your work with this matter. This was, thankfully, the first time I had been involved in such a matter and your calm, knowledgeable and measured approach was very much appreciated.”
Solicitor
“The journey of any professional misconduct investigation is a difficult one, and one which the individual needs advocacy that they can trust and rely upon to make the right decisions at the right time. Jon’s vast experience and ability was clearly demonstrated in my case. This was combined with his intuition to “read the room” on the day of the tribunal and to pitch the submissions to achieve the best possible outcome.”
Actuary
“Dear Jonathan,
Thank you for all your assistance, hard work, advice and support on my matter. My matter was not a straight forward case, due to many reasons, but I was impressed with how quickly you reviewed my matter and understood it. This is clearly due to your years of experience dealing with such matters with the SRA and deep knowledge of the codes of conduct.
I am happy to recommend you to anyone requiring your specialist advice and assistance.”
Solicitor
“I cannot recommend Jonathan Goodwin highly enough. After instructing him I felt a weight off my shoulders as his calm manner and extensive knowledge of the process put me at ease. I am thoroughly delighted with the outcome in my case. I would not hesitate to use Jonathan’s services again.”
Solicitor
“I would like to take this chance to thank you for all your support and expertise in navigating through the process with the SDT.
Jonathan‘a 30 years experience is evident in his knowledge to negotiate the best outcome for me.
I am grateful for the different perspective that he presented to me highlighting the weaknesses in my case and giving me wise and pragmatic advice which led to an outcome that enabled me to continue practising as a Solicitor .
I cannot thank Jonathan and his team enough for all the hard work that lead to a successful outcome.
Finally, thank you Jonathan for being an empathetic and a friendly person to deal with at such a stressful time in my life. I am grateful and will recommend your services to other people.
Thank you once again”
Solicitor
“I would like to thank you very much for all the support, hard work and good advice you have given to me over the many years the SRA matter has dragged on.
It is such a relief to have had you settle the allegations on very reasonable terms”.
Solicitor