Based in Thompsons Birmingham office, Emma covers a wide range of professional misconduct cases as well as criminal law cases.

Emma qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and undertakes professional misconduct work for the Royal College of Midwives, including the representation of midwives who have been asked to appear before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). She has successfully represented members throughout the whole process from interim order hearings to full conduct and competence hearings. This includes matters relating to individual midwives as well as members who are part of large, complex and high profile investigations. She has successfully defended a number of cases at the response stage, when the NMC found there was no case to answer. She also undertakes other regulatory work including hearings before the Traffic Commissioner and taxi licensing cases.

In terms of criminal law, Emma covers a wide range of cases from allegations such as speeding and driving without due care and attention to manslaughter, complex fraud cases and serious sexual allegations. She also represents clients in police, NHS Counter Fraud and Health and Safety Executive investigations, both at the Magistrates and Crown Court.

Emma regularly give talks and lectures on a range of issues related to professional misconduct and the criminal law to clients at events organised by both Thompsons and unions. She is also a stage one member of the Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme and a member of the Duty Solicitor Scheme.

Emma’s case experience

  • Allegations of Dishonesty- Emma's client faced a full hearing before the NMC Conduct and Competence Committee. The charges involved allegations of dishonesty but these were not upheld. The remaining charges were accepted by the client and the matter was dealt with by the imposition of simple conditions of practice for nine months, allowing the midwife to work again. 
  • R v D (2016)- An HGV Driver risked losing his licence under the “totting up” provisions, as he had accrued 12 points. Emma successfully put forward an Exceptional Hardship Argument, enabling him to retain his licence and his employment. 
  • R v C (2015)- A teacher was prosecuted for an alleged relationship with a 17-year old pupil, but after Emma collected and presented a wealth of evidence showing the defendant’s innocence, the teacher was acquitted in under 10 minutes, following a trial in the Crown Court.
  • R v J (2015)- The defendant, a bus driver, was accused of Driving Without Due Care and Attention. After Emma obtained expert evidence, the prosecution took the decision not to proceed based on the experts’ report.
  • R v A (2015)- A carer was prosecuted for gross negligence manslaughter. Emma obtained expert evidence and after hearing representations by the defence, the prosecution accepted a plea to a lesser offence, namely breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the defendant received a suspended sentence.
  • R v C (2014)- A prison officer, who faced allegations before the Crown Court, was held not to be fit to stand trial. Emma obtained expert evidence and made a successful application to the Attorney General the officer should not be prosecuted.