Unregistered barrister Andrew Philip Begg was prohibited from obtaining a practising certificate for five years by an independent disciplinary tribunal which concluded on 4 April 2024 following findings of professional misconduct in relation to charges brought by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).
Various charges of professional misconduct against Mr Begg were found proved by the Royal Court of Jersey, as set out in its judgments from 2012 and 2014. In 2022, after further charges of professional misconduct were found proved, Mr Begg was subsequently removed from the roll of Advocates of the Court, by the Royal Court of Jersey. This conduct concerned Mr Begg's failure to forward an email from the other side to his client and altering a without prejudice email from the other side before forwarding it to his client. Mr Begg also failed to report promptly the disciplinary findings by the Royal Court of Jersey of 2012 and 2014 to the BSB. He also failed to comply with his professional obligations as he did not report to the BSB the disciplinary proceedings by another regulator (The Law Society of Jersey).
Commenting on the order, a BSB spokesperson said: “Mr Begg's actions in failing to forward his client the correspondence from the other side and altering correspondence constitutes serious professional misconduct, as evidenced by his removal from the roll of Advocates of the Court in Jersey. Failing to report disciplinary proceedings and findings of professional misconduct to a regulator, is also a very serious matter.”
The tribunal’s decision is open to appeal.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About Andrew Philip Begg
Mr Andrew Begg, an unregistered barrister, was called to the Bar of England and Wales by Lincoln’s Inn in November 1980. Mr Begg qualified as an Advocate in Jersey in 1985.
About disciplinary tribunals
The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) is responsible for appointing and administering Disciplinary Tribunals on behalf of the President of the Council of the Inns of Court and its tribunals are independent of the BSB. The BSB is responsible for bringing charges of professional misconduct against barristers, which BTAS tribunal panels then adjudicate. The sanctions imposed are a matter for the tribunal having regard to the facts of the individual case and the BTAS Sanctions Guidance.
About the Bar Standards Board
Our mission is to regulate barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. For more information about what we do visit: http://bit.ly/1gwui8t
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