The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has announced Nick Hawkins has been appointed Chair of the Adjudication Panel, taking over from current chair, Victoria Goodfellow from 24th March 2025.
Hawkins is a barrister by profession, and spent over ten years prosecuting, defending and sitting as a Judge Advocate in The Court Martial in the Royal Navy. He spent 15 years as a Chief Crown Prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service, a year in the Independent Police Complaints Commission and two years as Chief Executive of the Legal Ombudsman. He takes on the role from Goodfellow who is stepping down to take on a judicial role.
Until recently, Mr Hawkins has sat as a Legally Qualified Chair on police misconduct hearings for several police authorities, and currently sits as a lay chair of the Regulatory Tribunal of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and as a member of the Investigation and Conduct Committees for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He is also a member of the British Transport Police Authority, as well as undertaking some criminal justice consultancy in the UK and overseas, and advising on university misconduct investigations and hearings.
Announcing the appointment, outgoing Chair Victoria Goodfellow said:
“After nearly six years in the role, I am delighted that we have been able to secure someone with the skills and experience that Nick brings to take forward the vital work of the Panel as the independent disciplinary tribunal of the CLC. It is important and challenging work and I wish Nick and the rest of the Panel the best for the coming years.”
Incoming Chair Nick Hawkins added
“It is a real honour to take over from Victoria Goodfellow as Chair of the Adjudication Panel. I am looking forward to meeting colleagues and am keen to start work.”
Nick Hawkins was appointed through open recruitment exercises run by the Adjudication Panel Chair.
