Anal Sheikh

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

Anal Sheikh, a sole practitioner admitted in 1988, faced disciplinary proceedings following an SRA intervention into her firm. The Tribunal found proved multiple allegations including round sum transfers from client to office account totalling £475,125 without proper delivered bills, persistent and substantial overcharging in probate matters (where she was often sole executor), failure to account for interest, books of account not properly written up, and the withdrawal of £254,000 from client account by instructing her secretary to sign in her name on the day of the intervention, then moving the funds to her mother's account. The Tribunal made express findings of dishonesty (applying the Twinsectra test), particularly in the GT matter overcharging and the £254,000 withdrawal. She was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs (to be assessed, exceeding £240,000) with an interim payment of £100,000 within 28 days.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• No improper communication with the court
• Keep client informed and respond promptly
• Handle inadvertently received material
• No improper use of client money
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Account for interest on client money

Aggravating factors:

• Persistent and deliberate overcharging despite earlier complaint about her costing method
• Charging junior fee earner work at senior fee earner rates
• Producing attendance notes retrospectively to justify time spent
• Conflict of interest as sole executor; refusal to have GT bill independently assessed
• Moving the £254,000 further from the SRA by transferring to her mother's account
• Failure to provide explanations or cooperate; repeated attempts to delay and obstruct proceedings
• Bombarding the Tribunal with irrelevant documentation and unfounded allegations of bad faith against all involved
• Greatly increased the costs by manner of resisting the application