Iram Sharif
Employee
603597

Decision - Employee-related decision

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

Outcome date: 16 November 2016

Published date: 12 December 2016

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Keoghs LLP

Address(es): 2 The Parklands, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 4SE

Firm ID: 573546

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Miss Iram Sharif who is not a solicitor was employed as a litigation executive by Keoghs LLP at its office at 2 The Parklands, Bolton, BL6 4SE between 17 August 2015 – 6 October 2015. It is unknown if Miss Sharif is currently involved in a legal practice.

In September/October 2015, Miss Sharif created or caused to be created a false reference on the firm's letter head and sent it to a building society in order to assist her mortgage application. She also instigated a call to the building society in an attempt to cover up the fact the firm has sent a factual reference. Miss Sharif has failed to cooperate with the SRA. It was found that her conduct was dishonest and Page 12 of 13 Official sensitive breached Principles 2 and 6 of the SRA Principles 2011.

Miss Sharif was made subject to an order pursuant to section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 and was given a written rebuke and ordered to pay a financial penalty of £10,000. She was also ordered to pay costs of £600.

Reasons/basis

The facts

Miss Iram Sharif who is not a solicitor was employed as a litigation executive by Keoghs LLP at its office at 2 The Parklands, Bolton, BL6 4SE between 17 August 2015 – 6 October 2015. It is unknown if Miss Sharif is currently involved in a legal practice.

In September/October 2015, Miss Sharif created or caused to be created a false reference on the firm’s letterhead and sent it to a building society in order to assist her mortgage application. She also instigated a call to the building society in an attempt to cover up the fact the firm had also sent a factual reference. Miss Sharif did not cooperate with the SRA's investigation. It was found that her conduct was dishonest and breached Principles 2 and 6 of the SRA Principles 2011.

Finding

The Adjudicator found that Miss Iram Sharif 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 her part of such a nature that in the opinion of the Society it would be undesirable for her 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 Miss Iram Sharif of this decision:

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