Nicholas Leale Joins Armstrong Teasdale as U.K. Head of Regulatory Practice

Armstrong Teasdale announces the addition of Partner Nicholas Leale as U.K. head of the firm’s Regulatory practice. He is based in the London office and is among more than 80 lawyers and staff professionals to have joined Armstrong Teasdale internationally in 2023 alone.

Leale focuses his practice on professional disciplinary work and all forms of advice in the sphere of professional/business regulation. With nearly 20 years of experience in the regulatory sector, he has extensive experience of dealing with misconduct proceedings involving a wide range of professions. This includes the full range of health care professionals, as well as lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers and teachers. He also assists charities and education providers in relation to disciplinary matters and acts as a legal chair of Anti-Discrimination Commissions of the Football Association. He is highly knowledgeable in a broad range of regulatory and disciplinary rules and procedures and has trained numerous lawyers and panels in relation to the regulatory context in which they act.

Leale also advises businesses in relation to the regulatory obligations including utility providers and airlines. He has in-depth experience managing teams of regulatory lawyers.

Leale also takes up the position of Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) in the firm’s London office, taking on responsibility for the firm’s compliance with the conditions of its Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) authorisation in the U.K. and its managers’ and employees’ compliance with the SRA’s regulatory arrangements.

Prior to joining Armstrong Teasdale, Leale served as a partner at a U.K. law firm for 15 years. He also practiced for six years at the criminal bar. He was previously appointed by the SRA to act in the prosecution of solicitors before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.