Disciplinary Record - Jabbar Hannan

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Approval of employment (section 43)

Outcome date: 19 August 2024

Published date: 22 October 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at date of publication

Name: Whitestone Solicitors Limited

Address(es): Whitestone House, 2 West Street, Rochdale, OL16 2EN

Firm ID: 564284

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Whitestone Solicitors Limited (SRA number 564284) have been granted permission under Section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 to employ Mr Jabbar as an 'Assistant Conveyancing Fee Earner subject to the following conditions:

1. Mr Jabbar's work is at all times supervised by Sara Noor (SRA number 316658) and in her absence by Sajid Sadiq (SRA number 208662).
2. Mr Jabbar's employment at the firm is limited to that as outlined by them in their initial application dated 5 June 2024 and their subsequent emails dated 28 June 2024 and 29 July 2024. This is with the exception of conditions 6, 7 and 8 below.
3. Mr Jabbar's supervision is as per the details provided to us by the firm in their initial application dated 5 June 2024 and their subsequent email dated 28 June 2024 and 29 July 2024. This is with the exception of conditions 6, 7 and 8 below.
4. Mr Jabbar is not responsible for the supervision of other staff.
5. Mr Jabbar attends monthly review meetings.
6. Mr Jabbar does not maintain his own case holding. All work undertaken by Mr Jabbar is carried out by him under instruction of the case holder.
7. Any communications issued by emails are monitored, as per the firm's email of 29 July 2024, and are sent by Mr Jabbar on behalf of the case holder. Any letters issued via the postal service are sent directly by the case holder.
8. Mr Jabbar does not have unsupervised face to face contact with clients.
9. Mr Jabbar does not have access to any office or client account and is not a signatory to any office or client account.
10. Any proposed variation to Mr Jabbar's duties, or arrangements as to his supervision are notified to us in advance of the change taking place and that the variation must not take place until permission is granted by us.
11. This approval will lapse if Mr Jabbar's employment with the firm is terminated or if Mr Jabbar leaves the firm.

This approval and the conditions attached to it are subject to review at the absolute discretion of the SRA.

Reasons/basis

Hannan Jabbar was made subject to an order under section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 on 27 February 2024 and the order became effective on 3 June 2024. In accordance with section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974, any solicitor wishing to employ or remunerate him in connection with their practise as a solicitor must obtain our approval. The SRA is satisfied that the above employment will not put public confidence in the administration of justice and the provision of legal services or the interests of clients at risk.

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 27 February 2024

Published date: 22 October 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Affinity Seven Law Solicitors Ltd

Address(es): 140 Drake Street, Rochdale, OL16 1PS

Firm ID: 630144

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Who does this decision relate to?

Hannan Jabbar whose last known address was in Rochdale.

A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor.

Summary of decision

The SRA has put restrictions on where and how Mr Jabbar can work in an SRA regulated firm.

It was found that:

Mr Jabbar who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.

The facts of the case

Mr Jabbar was employed by Affinity Seven Law Solicitors Ltd between 1 September 2020 and January 2023 as a conveyancing assistant and later a trainee licenced conveyancer.

During April 2022, on two occasions, Mr Jabbar sent letters to the sellers in a conveyancing transaction that were malicious and threatening in nature.

Decision on outcome

An order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 was imposed as Mr Jabbar's conduct meant that it was undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice without the SRA's prior approval.

Mr Jabbar's conduct was serious because:

• The SRA Enforcement Strategy sets out that allegations of harassment and criminal behaviour will be taken seriously. His conduct amounted to a malicious communications offence.
• Mr Jabbar used personal information that would have only been available to him in the course of his employment in order to send malicious and threatening communications.
• Mr Jabbar has shown no insight into his behaviour.

Mr Jabbar was also ordered to pay a proportion of the SRA's costs of £1350.

What our Section 43 order means

1. no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his 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 the SRA's permission.