(unnamed respondent)

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Majed Iqbal, struck off the Roll in 2014 following his 2012 conviction (and 5-year custodial sentence) for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice—paying prosecution witnesses for non-cooperation across five trips abroad while acting as a solicitor—applied for restoration to the Roll. The Tribunal acknowledged his personal character reformation but found the original misconduct of the utmost gravity, that he failed to provide detailed evidence of substantial legal employment, had undertaken only inadequate (6-hour) training, and that his proposed in-house counsel role lacked supervision. The application was held premature and refused to protect the reputation of the profession. He was ordered to pay costs of £1,500.

Aggravating factors:

• Original misconduct of the utmost gravity - conspiracy to pervert the course of justice carried out as a solicitor
• Five-year custodial sentence; offence described by sentencing judge as planned, executed and dishonest from the outset
• Use of public funds to defray costs of the dishonest enterprise
• Offence committed within 2 years of admission, despite being admitted notwithstanding prior convictions
• Failure to provide detailed evidence of substantial legal employment
• Inadequate training (single 6-hour course)
• Proposed in-house counsel role would be unsupervised and as sole lawyer

Mitigating factors:

• Personal character reformation and rehabilitation work (mentoring, chaplaincy, voluntary community work)
• Recognition that his actions were wrong and apology for conduct
• Positive character references from legal professionals and others