9793-2007 - Sohrab Taheri

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

Sohrab Taheri, admitted 2002, faced allegations of conduct unbefitting a solicitor. While an assistant solicitor at Ali & Co he took a client file and £500 home and left them during extended leave in Iran, and failed to respond properly to Law Society correspondence. After setting up his own firm, Taheri & Co, he defaulted on PII payments, appeared to abandon his practice, was unavailable to clients (Mr and Mrs HR who had paid £300), and repeatedly failed to respond to the Law Society. Intervention into the practice occurred in December 2006. The Tribunal found both allegations substantiated but expressly noted the conduct (regarding the £500) appeared not to be dishonest. He was suspended indefinitely and ordered to pay costs of £3,266.79.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Act in the client's best interests

Aggravating factors:

• Abandoned his own practice and was not available to clients
• Failed to meet professional indemnity insurance payments
• Took a client file and £500 home from employer's firm and left them there during extended leave

Mitigating factors:

• Young and inexperienced when set up in practice on his own
• Had left the UK to attend to family matters in Iran for an extended period
• Had separated from his wife
• Had fallen on hard times / impecunious
• The £500 paid on account remained with the file and conduct appeared not to be dishonest