{"id":2805,"date":"2025-12-12T13:44:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tcap.blog\/?p=2805"},"modified":"2025-12-12T13:46:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:46:58","slug":"chambers-chatter-the-randall-scadall-happy-retirement-to-the-man-integrity-forgot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tcap.blog\/2025\/12\/12\/chambers-chatter-the-randall-scadall-happy-retirement-to-the-man-integrity-forgot\/","title":{"rendered":"Chambers Chatter : The Randall Scandal – Happy Retirement To The Man Integrity Forgot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Forty-four years at the Bar. One hotel bar. A \u00a32,000 fine. Still a \u201cbenchmark for professionalism\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Glorious Career, If You Crop Carefully<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

St Philips has just waved off John Randall KC with a glowing tribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 44 years, we are told, he leaves a \u201cremarkable\u201d career, a \u201cformidable\u201d national reputation, and a legacy of \u201cprofessionalism, integrity and commitment to excellence\u201d. A leading silk, a mentor, a builder of chambers, a man whose example \u201csets a benchmark\u201d for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All technically true, if you leave one little thing in the editing bin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because alongside the land disputes, Court of Appeal wins and leadership speeches, there is a Bar disciplinary tribunal which found that this same paragon \u201cfailed to act with integrity\u201d after making repeated sexual advances to a woman in a hotel bar by touching and stroking her thigh without consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St Philips forgot to mention that bit in the retirement card. Easy mistake, I suppose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Barrister Of The Year, Then Thighgate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Roll back the tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2012, Birmingham Law Society crowns Randall Barrister of the Year<\/strong>. Name on the winners list, photos on the night, the whole civic-pride package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 2015 he is Land and Property Barrister of the Year<\/strong> in an industry awards scheme \u2013 another press release, another round of applause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, November 2014, Highgate House hotel in Northamptonshire. A woman, anonymised as \u201cMs X\u201d, complains that Randall repeatedly touched and stroked her thigh at the bar without her consent. A three-person Bar tribunal later agrees that he made sexual advances and failed to act with integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barrister of the Year to thigh-stroking QC in about as long as it takes to order a drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Price Of Integrity: \u00a32,000<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For all that, the sanction is not suspension. Not disbarment. Not a public statement from chambers saying \u201cwe take this seriously and have acted accordingly\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is \u00a32,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two grand for repeated unwanted contact in a hotel bar. Two grand for a professional misconduct finding that you \u201cfailed to act with integrity\u201d. Two grand and you carry on as a leading silk, racking up more casework, more awards, more testimonials about how your conduct is a model for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is the message to the wider profession: if you are big enough, decorated enough and commercially valuable enough, the going rate for this sort of thing is less than a mid-range laptop. Write the cheque, keep the title, crack on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Integrity On The Website, Omission In The Timeline<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fast-forward to 2025 and the official retirement piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St Philips gushes about how his \u201cintegrity\u201d and \u201cprofessionalism\u201d have shaped chambers culture. It talks about his influence on younger barristers, his leadership, his \u201csteady guidance\u201d and the \u201cbenchmark\u201d he set. There is absolutely nothing \u2013 not a sentence, not a clause \u2013 acknowledging that the professional regulator formally found that he failed<\/em> to act with integrity over his behaviour towards a woman at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Either they think that decision does not matter, or they think it matters but should be quietly buried under a stock photo and some warm copy about his legacy. Both options are grim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integrity is not a word you get to throw around casually once the Bar tribunal has stamped the opposite on your file. Unless, apparently, you are a successful silk in a big set. Then it is just another bit of brochure language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What The Juniors Are Supposed To Learn From This<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Picture being a junior at St Philips or any other set watching this play out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n