Disciplinary Record - Hussain Azad Ali

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 19 September 2016

Published date: 12 October 2016

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Sedgwick Legal Limited

Address(es): 56-58 Long Street, Middleton, Manchester, Lancashire, M24 6UQ

Firm ID: 562804

Firm or organisation at date of publication

Name: Nayyars Solicitors Limited

Address(es): Hexagon House, 21/23 Gatley Road, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 1NZ

Firm ID: 557234

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Order for publication

In the matter of Hussain Azad Ali, a person who is or was involved in legal practice but is not a solicitor.

Section 43 Solicitors Act 1974 (as amended)

The facts

Hussain Azad Ali, a person who is not a solicitor, was employed as a paralegal by Sedgwick Legal Limited at Royal London House 56 – 58 Long Street Middleton Manchester M24 6UQ. During his employment with Sedgwick Legal Limited Mr Ali was found to have misled clients and sought to misappropriate money due to clients of the firm.

Sedgwick Legal Limited terminated Mr Ali's employment on 13 July 2013.

Mr Ali was found to have acted dishonestly, to have breached Principles 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 of the SRA Principles 2011 and failed to achieve Outcomes 10.8 and 10.9 of the SRA Code of Conduct 2011.

Mr Ali is currently employed as a trainee solicitor by Nayyers Solicitors of Hexagon House, 21/23 Gatley Road, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 1NZ.

Mr Ali was made subject to an order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 (as amended). He was also given a written rebuke, directed to pay a financial penalty of £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,350.

Finding

We find that Hussain Azad Ali is or was involved in a legal practice (as defined by section 43 (1A) of the Solicitors Act 1974) but is not a solicitor and has occasioned or been a party to, with or without the connivance of a solicitor, an act or default in relation to a legal practice which involved conduct on his part of such a nature that in the opinion of the Society it would be undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways set out in the order below.

Order

To make a section 43 order that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Hussain Azad Ali of this decision:

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
2. no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
3. no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
4. no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
5. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
6. no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body

except in accordance with a Society permission.

This order is subject to an internal right of appeal and a statutory right of review to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.