Disciplinary Record - Tariq Rehman

Barrister Status:

Disbarred

Called:

Mar 2000

Inn:

Lincoln's Inn

Hearing type:

Disciplinary Tribunal (5 Person)

Tribunal panel members:

Ms Gill Madden

, 

Miss Hannah Elise Thornley

, 

Mr John Lyon

, 

Mr Lee Andrew Gledhill

, 

Her Honour Judge Suzan Patricia Matthews KC

Decision date

23/11/2016

Breach details:

Professional Misconduct contrary to paragraph 301(a)(iii) of the Code of Conduct of the Bar of England and Wales (Eighth Edition) and rC125.1, rC87.1, rS16.1, rC64.1, CD5, CD9 and CD10 of the Bar Standards Board Handbook (First Edition).

Offence details:

Tariq Rehman engaged in conduct likely to bring the legal profession into disrepute and/or likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in the legal profession in that:

1. between 1st February 2012 and 1st August 2014 numerous complaints against Tariq Rehman were submitted to the Legal Ombudsman which resulted in 17 separate awards of compensation in excess of £300 each;

2. on 9th December 2014 the number of complaints against Tariq Rehman upheld by the Legal Ombudsman during the previous year caused the Legal Ombudsman to issue a press release warning the public of the risks of instructing Tariq Rehman.

On 25th November 2014 Tariq Rehman, having accepted public access instructions, failed to notify his public access clients, namely, Hendryk Zdzienski, Jessica Maki, John Gallie and Laila Aoufi in writing in clear and readily understandable terms, of the work which he had agreed to perform.

Between 6th January 2014 and 1st December 2014 Tariq Rehman, as head of Kings Court Chambers, behaved in such a way as was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in the profession in that Tariq Rehman caused and/or permitted his chambers to make payments of its expenses and other liabilities in preference to the refunds to which its clients were entitled. As a consequence, by 1st May 2014 chambers had failed to pay refunds amounting to £12,600 and by 27th November 2014 chambers had failed to pay refunds amounting to a total in excess of £24,000.

Between 6th January 2014 and 1st December 2014 Tariq Rehman failed to take reasonable steps to manage his practice competently and in such a way as to achieve compliance with his legal and regulatory obligations in that Tariq Rehman failed to pay case fees due to the Legal Ombudsman. By May 2014 Tariq Rehman had failed to pay case fees amounting to £10,400. By August 2014 Tariq Rehman had failed to pay case fees totalling £13,200.

Between 6th January 2014 and 1st December 2014 Tariq Rehman behaved in such a way as was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in the profession in that Tariq Rehman failed to pay case fees due to the Legal Ombudsman. By May 2014 Tariq Rehman had failed to pay case fees amounting to £10,400. By August 2014 Tariq Rehman had failed to pay case fees totalling £13,200.

Between 1st May 2014 and 27th November 2014 Tariq Rehman behaved in a way which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in the profession by carrying on reserved legal activities through an unregulated entity, namely KC Chambers Limited, in breach of the restrictions imposed by the Legal Services Act 2007.

Between 1st May 2014 and 27th November 2014 Tariq Rehman failed to take reasonable steps to manage his practice competently and in such a way as to achieve compliance with his legal and regulatory obligations in that Tariq Rehman carried out reserved legal activities through an unregulated entity, namely KC Chambers Limited, in breach of the restrictions imposed by the Legal Services Act 2007.

Between 1st May 2014 and 27th November 2014 Tariq Rehman carried on reserved legal activities and supplied other legal services through KC Chambers Limited and not as a self-employed barrister subject to the limitations imposed by Section 3.B3 of the Handbook

Between 1st May 2014 and 27th November 2014 Tariq Rehman behaved in a way which was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in the profession by carrying on reserved legal activities through an unregulated entity, namely HLT Chambers Limited, in breach of the restrictions imposed by the Legal Services Act 2007.

Between 1st May 2014 and 27th November 2014 Tariq Rehman failed to take reasonable steps to manage his practice competently and in such a way as to achieve compliance with his legal and regulatory obligations in that Tariq Rehman carried out reserved legal activities through an unregulated entity, namely HLT Chambers Limited, in breach of the restrictions imposed by the Legal Services Act 2007.

Between 1st May 2014 and 27th November 2014 Tariq Rehman carried on reserved legal activities and supplied other legal services through HLT Chambers Limited and not as a self-employed barrister subject to the limitations imposed by Section 3.B3 of the Handbook.

Tariq Rehman failed to provide the information requested by a letter from the Bar Standard's Board Supervision Team dated 23rd December 2014.

Sanction:

Disbarred – Effective from 20 January 2017
No separate penalty

Status:

Final