Andrea James

About My Work

Andrea is a noted expert in professional discipline and healthcare regulatory law who works across Keystone Law's London and Manchester offices.

The main focus of Andrea's work is defending professionals at fitness to practise proceedings before their regulatory bodies, where her experience includes successfully defending doctors before the General Medical Council, dentists before the General Dental Council, paramedics and other allied health professionals before the Health & Care Professions Council, pharmacists before the General Pharmaceutical Council and PSNI, teachers before the Teaching Regulation Agency, veterinary surgeons before the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and architects before the Architects Registration Board.


Andrea has also represented many student professionals in university fitness to practise investigations and qualified professionals in local-level processes including MHPS (Maintaining High Professional Standards in the Modern NHS) and ICB/Performers List proceedings.


In terms of her healthcare regulatory work, Andrea represents healthcare professionals and providers who work in both the NHS and private sectors in connection with a wide range of non-fitness to practise matters including inquests, public inquiries, Care Quality Commission registration and enforcement action, patient complaints and claims, NHS England and Welsh Health Board market entry processes, CESR applications and appeals, MHRA compliance and investigations, MHPS proceedings, ARCP appeals, judicial review proceedings, and LADO and Disclosure and Barring Service referrals. Her LADO, safeguarding, and DBS expertise has also led to instructions from both schools and universities.


Andrea’s experience includes over 23 years acting for clients including medical and dental defence organisations, Royal Colleges, insurers, the NHS Litigation Authority (now NHS Resolution), the UK’s largest independent pharmacy chain, and many individual professionals. She also spent three years as in-house legal adviser to the General Medical Council itself, giving her a unique insight into the workings and priorities of regulatory bodies.


Andrea is qualified to practise in both the jurisdictions of England & Wales and the Republic of Ireland.


In addition to her legal practice, Andrea teaches as a Visiting Lecturer on the MSc in Prehospital Medicine at Queen Mary University of London.

Recognition/Awards

• Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyer 2026
• Legal 500 Ranked Lawyer - Professional Discipline