Christopher Ka Ki Cheng

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

Christopher Ka Ki Cheng, a solicitor at an immigration firm, was found to have falsified and/or confected six documents (purported court certificates, consent orders, emails and hearing notices) in client matter AS to mislead his client about the status of his immigration application, and to have failed to open files or progress applications in approximately 17 other client matters despite telling clients he would. He also failed to cooperate with the SRA investigation. The Tribunal found dishonesty proved in relation to the falsification and misleading of client AS (allegations 1.1 and 1.2), applying the Ivey test. Culpability was assessed as high and harm as significant. He did not attend; the hearing proceeded in his absence and remotely. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £15,000 (reduced from the £32,202.39 claimed).

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act in the client's best interests
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• Cooperate openly with regulators

Aggravating factors:

• Findings included dishonest conduct
• Misconduct of not progressing client matters extended over a considerable period of time
• Clients were in a relatively vulnerable position with entitlement to live and work in the UK at stake
• Misconduct was planned with some care
• Knew or ought to have known actions were harmful to reputation of the profession
• Failed to engage with regulator over a significant period

Mitigating factors:

• Belatedly demonstrated insight and expressed remorse
• Made open and unqualified comments about having no defence to the allegations
• No prior disciplinary findings