Disciplinary Record - Nadim Iqbal

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 26 September 2016

Published date: 29 September 2016

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Dylan Nair Solicitors Limited

Address(es): 14c Liverpool Road, Penwortham, Preston, PR1 0AD

Firm ID: 499843

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Mr Iqbal was made subject to an Order pursuant to section 43(2) of the Solicitors Act 1974 (as amended). He was also ordered to pay costs of £600.

Reasons/basis

In the matter of Nadim Iqbal, a person who is or was involved in legal practice but is not a solicitor.

Section 43 Solicitors Act 1974 (as amended)

The Facts:

Nadim Iqbal a person who is not a solicitor, was employed as a paralegal in the personal injury department by Dylan Nair Solicitors Limited at 14c Liverpool Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 0AD from December 2010 to 9 June 2014. During his employment with Dylan Nair Solicitors Limited Mr Iqbal was found to have created false documents and submitted these to inflate insurance claims. He also deducted from the client account money in excess of £60,000 on a number of different occasions without his client's consent. He has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud and is due to be sentenced.

Mr Iqbal was summarily dismissed on 9 June 2014 for gross misconduct. His current employment status is unknown.

Finding

We find that Nadim Iqbal 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 Nadim Iqbal 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.

Other information

1. This order is subject to an internal right of appeal and a statutory right of review to the solicitors disciplinary tribunal. no internal appeal was submitted in the requisite time period.
2. Mr Iqbal was also given a written rebuke and financial penalty of £2,000.
3. The letter notifying Mr Iqbal of the decision was sent on 1 September 2016.