Zarina Shaheen Bostan
Solicitor
616086

Decision - Prosecution

Outcome: Referral to Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

Outcome date: 21 April 2024

Published date: 10 September 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Silverman Peake LLP

Address(es): 58 Peregrine Road, Ilford IG6 3SZ

Firm ID: 607938

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

This notification relates to a Decision to prosecute before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. This is an independent Tribunal which will reach its own decision after considering all the evidence, including any evidence put forward by the Solicitor. The Tribunal has certified that there is a case to answer in respect of allegations which are or include that:-

1.On or around 24 January 2020 and thereafter, when entering into a Trainee Principal Agreement described as an Assignment of Goodwill and Business Sale Agreement (AGHBSA) with the First Respondent, she failed:

1.1. To behave in a way in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons; and/or

1.2 To act with Integrity; and/or

1.3 Breach Paragraph 2.1 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms.

And

2. Between 24 February 2020 and 3 October 2020, while Ms Bostan was a manager of the Firm, the Firm failed to:

2.1 maintain a list of all the balances shown by the client ledger accounts of the liabilities to clients (and third parties), with a running total of the balances;

2.2 provide a cash book showing a running total of all transactions through client accounts held or operated by the Firm;

2.3 obtain, at least every five weeks, statements from banks, building societies and other financial institutions for all client accounts and business accounts held or operated by the Firm; and/or

2.4 complete at least every five weeks, for all client accounts held or operated by the Firm, a reconciliation of the bank or building society statement balance with the cash book balance and the client ledger total as required by any or all of Rules 8.1(b) and (c), 8.2 and 8.3 of the SRA Accounts Rules.

3. On or around 19 November 2020, she accepted a Part 36 Offer on behalf of PA, a former client of the Firm, in circumstances where:

3.1 she had no instructions and no proper authority to do so; and/or

3.2 there was an own interest conflict or significant risk of such a conflict.

The allegations are subject to a Hearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and are as yet unproven.

Other information

Respondent 1 - Md Islam - SRA ID: 533716

Respondent 2 - Zarina Bostan - SRA ID: 616086

Respondent 3 - Nageena Choudhry - SRA ID: 293557

Respondent 4 – Mohammed Saleem – SRA ID: 545328