Sandia Kumari Pamma

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

The Respondent, an immigration solicitor acting as a consultant for Duncan Lewis Solicitors, falsified a GP sick note (taken from another client's file) to support a false application to adjourn a minor client's asylum appeal at the Birmingham IAC, falsely claiming the client was ill. She misled a Firm director by email, made false written adjournment applications to the Tribunal, and instructed another solicitor (Mr MM) to attend and renew the adjournment application using the false sick note. The client attended the hearing and confirmed he was not ill and the note was fraudulent. The Respondent admitted all four allegations and dishonesty, which the Tribunal found proved beyond reasonable doubt (breaches of Principles 1, 2 and 6 and Outcome 5.1). The Tribunal found no 'exceptional circumstances' under Sharma but considered the personal mitigation truly compelling and originally imposed indefinite suspension plus costs of £7,361.20. The SRA successfully appealed to the High Court, and by consent the indefinite suspension was set aside and replaced with an order striking the Respondent off the Roll.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonesty alleged, admitted and proved
• Misconduct was deliberate and extended over three days
• Involved multiple acts intended to mislead, including misleading a Court
• Experienced practitioner (almost 10 years' qualified), increasing culpability
• Breach of trust owed to client, Court and Firm

Mitigating factors:

• Suffering from a moderate depressive episode/post-natal depression at the time, diagnosed by consultant psychiatrist as unfit for work
• Cumulative series of traumatic personal experiences (difficult pregnancies, miscarriage, illness)
• Genuine and deep remorse and insight
• Full and frank cooperation from the first point of challenge
• Previously unblemished career and positive character references
• No financial motivation or profit; conduct out of character
• No realistic risk of repetition; fully recovered