High Court dismisses the cross appeal of the Solicitors Regulation Authority seeking suspension or strike off of a solicitor

Arfan Khan successfully appeared for a solicitor against a cross appeal in which the Solicitors Regulation Authority were legally represented by leading and junior counsel.

The SRA sought a suspension or strike off following findings of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that the solicitor had behaved inappropriately towards an applicant who had applied for the position of paralegal. It imposed a fine of £20,000.

In a detailed extempore judgment, Mr Justice Jay dismissed the cross appeal by the SRA, holding that the sanction of a fine could not be reversed. The judge also dismissed the solicitors appeal against liability and sanction.

The judge assessed the Appellant’s costs of the cross appeal and made a consequential cost order.

Arfan Khan did not appear in the SDT proceedings below.