Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh

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

The Respondent, formerly a partner/director and Designated Cashroom Manager of Hamilton Burns, was found guilty of professional misconduct after the firm received recovered judicial expenses but improperly took them to fees and failed to remit sums due to SLAB. Although made aware by a cashier's email of 16 June 2014, she took no action for 11 months. The Tribunal found admitted breaches of multiple Accounts Rules amounted to misconduct, and that her omission as Cashroom Manager was reckless, breaching Rule B6.12.1. The Tribunal expressly held there was insufficient evidence to establish dishonesty or lack of integrity (no breach of Rule B1.2), noting the Client Protection Fund payout related to the firm and the facts were consistent with failure to apply her mind to the situation. She was censured and her practising certificate restricted to acting as a qualified assistant under approved supervision for an aggregate two years; no fine was imposed and she was found liable in expenses.

Duties found breached:

• Act only on proper, lawful instructions
• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Previous finding of professional misconduct from 15 January 2019 relating to Accounts Rules breaches from the same period (censured and fined £3,000)
• Failed in duties as Designated Cashroom Manager on two occasions

Mitigating factors:

• Recent bereavement (father died three days before the key email)
• Character references from Kenny MacAskill MP and David Davis MP
• No loss to the public/legal aid fund (shortfall met by Client Protection Fund)

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["review_dishonesty_finding_cue_present"]