Emma Walker

Emma is an associate solicitor in Leigh Day’s regulatory and disciplinary team, where she advises and supports clients with compliance matters, responding to enquiries from and dealing with investigations by their regulators.

Legal expertise

She has particular expertise in solicitors’ discipline, advising individuals and firms subject to investigation or prosecution by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and is used to acting in complex professional disciplinary cases. Her recent work has included:

• representing a solicitor and notary public in an 11-day hearing in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT);
• advising a trainee in connection with a potential discrimination claim and an application for admission to the Roll of Solicitors via Equivalent Means;
• advising a charity on its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Emma joined Leigh Day’s international team in December 2012 and, between April 2015 and October 2018, worked as part of the team that successfully defended Leigh Day and three of its solicitors against allegations made by the SRA, following the Al Sweady Public Inquiry.

Emma is committed to achieving access to justice for all and this is an important focus in her practice. She has a particular interest in mental and physical wellbeing in the regulatory context, both in terms of the quality of decisions made by professionals who are unwell and also the impact of regulatory and professional disciplinary matters on individual practitioners. She continues to explore these subjects through articles and updates, including team’s monthly ethics column in the Solicitors Journal.

Emma Walker in the news

• SRA sees small firm practitioners as “easy targets” Legal Futures 12.11.20
• City firms 'intimidate' SRA over prosecutions, claims campaigner LSG 12.11.20
• Committing to change, Solicitors Journal, August 2020
• Leading by example, Solicitors Journal, May 2020
• When professional becomes personal, Solicitors Journal, March 2020
• The ethics of workplace relations Solicitors Journal January 2020
• The ethics of rebellion Solicitors Journal November/December 2019
• “When acting in best interests becomes the worst action” Solicitors Journal August 2019
• “LawCare, look after yourself: An interview with CEO Elizabeth Rimmer” May 2019
• “Revising legal services regulation: threat or promise?” Solicitors Journal 2 May 2019
• “Fitness to practise: fit for purpose?” Law Society Gazette 2 May 2019
• “Moving on up” 15 February 2019
• “New year, new chapter” 18 January 2019
• “Mental health matters” 23 November 2018
• “The only way is ethics” 4 October 2018
• “Lawyers stump up £10k to back banned junior’s appeal”, Law Society Gazette, 18 May 2020

• “Exclusive: Struck-off junior files appeal with pro bono help”, Law Society Gazette, 22 May 2020
• “Legal profession "dangerously exposed" amid underinsurance” Insurance Business UK, 15 January 2020

Membership

Emma is a member of the Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers and the Law Society’s Risk & Compliance division. She also sits on the Professional Matters Committee for the Westminster and Holborn Law Society.