Disciplinary Record - Anbananden Sooben

Decision - Prosecution

Outcome: Referral to Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

Outcome date: 31 August 2024

Published date: 11 June 2025

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Duncan Ellis Solicitors

Address(es): Suite 1 Fairland House, 380 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London W5 3 LH

Firm ID: 661060

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

This notification relates to a Decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.  This is an independent Tribunal which will reach its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the Solicitor. The Tribunal has certified that there is a case to answer in respect of allegations which are or include that, while in practice as a sole principal at Duncan Ellis Solicitors:- 

1. On 1 September 2023, he provided information to an insurer in a covering letter for professional indemnity insurance which he knew or ought to have known was inaccurate and/or misleading as he: 

1.1 Failed to inform his insurers that the SRA’s investigation was ongoing due to the SRA’s concerns with the Firm;

1.2 Stated that he had reported the alleged misconduct of a caseworker to the SRA, which was not true; 

2. Between 4 to 29 August 2023, he caused client care letters and invoices to be created and/or amended them to give the misleading impression that costs information had been provided to clients when this was not true; 

3. As Sole Practitioner and COFA, he failed to ensure that the  Firm complied with the SRA Accounts Rules during the period of 13 April 2021 to 12 February 2024 in the following ways: 

3.1 He caused and/or allowed a minimum shortage to exist on client account;

3.2 He failed to ensure reconciliations were completed every five weeks for the Firm;

3.3 He failed to keep and maintain accurate, contemporaneous and chronological records either at all, or accurately

3.4 He failed to keep a client cashbook;

3.5 He failed to correct any breaches of the rules promptly on discovery.      

4. He failed to supervise members of staff at the Firm’s branch office adequately or at all.   

The allegations are subject to a Hearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and are as yet unproven. 

Decision - Control of practice

Outcome: Termination of suspension of PC/registration

Outcome date: 2 October 2024

Published date: 8 November 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Duncan Ellis Solicitors

Address(es): Suite 1 Fairland House, 380 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London, W5 3 LH

Firm ID: 661060

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

The suspension of Mr Sooben's 2023/2024 practising certificate has been terminated subject to the following conditions:

1. Mr Sooben may not act as a manager or owner of an authorised body.
2. Subject to condition 1, Mr Sooben may act as a solicitor only as an employee where the role has first been approved by the SRA.
3. Mr Sooben may not act as a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) or compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) for any authorised body.
4. Mr Sooben may not hold or receive client money, or act as a signatory to any client or office account or have the power to authorise transfers from any client or office account.
5. Mr Sooben shall immediately inform any actual or prospective employer of these conditions and the reasons for their imposition.

The following terms are defined in the SRA Glossary: authorised body, client money, client and office account, compliance officer, COLP and COFA employee, manager, owner.

Reasons/basis

The SRA publishes regulatory decisions when it considers it to be in the public interest. I consider, in accordance with the SRA’s guidance on publishing regulatory and disciplinary decisions, to be transparent and to maintain public confidence in the regulatory system, that it is necessary to publish these conditions. There are no factors which would support a decision not to publish by reference to the guidance.

Decision - Closure

Outcome: Intervention

Outcome date: 12 February 2024

Published date: 14 February 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at date of publication and at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Duncan Ellis Solicitors

Address(es): Suite 1 Fairland House, 380 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London, W5 3LH

Firm ID: 661060

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

To intervene into the recognised sole practice of Anbananden Sooben

Reasons/basis

1. There is reason to suspect dishonesty by Mr Sooben in connection with his practice as a solicitor (paragraph 1(1)(a)(i) of Schedule 1- Part I to the Solicitors Act 1974).
2. Mr Sooben has failed to comply with the SRA Accounts Rules, The SRA Code of Conduct for Firms, and the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors which are rules made under sections 31 and 32 Solicitors Act (paragraph 1(1)(c) of Schedule 1 – Part I to the Solicitors Act 1974).

Intervening agents

Chris Evans of Lester Aldridge LLP, Russell House, Oxford Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EX has been appointed as the intervening agent.

For enquiries please call 01202 786 341 or email Intervention.Enquiries@LA-Law.com