This paper explores the work of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal by detailed examination of the 189 hearings conducted in 2008. The research process identified a number of variables available in the tribunal reports. These include, for example, the age, sex and practice experience of respondents, the type of offences with which they were charged, the types of firm they came from and the outcomes of the cases. Analysis of these data was complemented by a more qualitative examination of the cases. The work suggests risk factors associated with legal practice and considers the effectiveness of traditional disciplinary processes in dealing with them. It also provides a benchmark for considering the evolution of the disciplinary system following the Legal Services Act 2007.