Saleema Mahmood

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

Barrister Saleema Bibi Mahmood was found to have committed professional misconduct across 14 charges, all admitted on the fourth day of the hearing. While double-booked in a Nottingham murder trial and a Stafford murder trial, she obtained permission to attend Nottingham via CVP on the basis of her mother's ill health while concealing that she was simultaneously appearing in person at Stafford. The tribunal found express dishonesty on Charges 10 and 11, holding her deliberate concealment from Judge Sampson and her false statement that the sole reason for her absence on 6 May was to bury her mother (when her client was in the witness box at Stafford) were dishonest. She was disbarred on Charges 10 and 11, suspended 12 months concurrent on Charges 1-9, suspended 6 months concurrent on Charge 12, with immediate suspension pending appeal and costs of £5,784 payable to the BSB.

Duties found breached:

• Competence
• No conflict between current clients
• Overriding duty to the court
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Systematic and deliberate deception perpetrated to enable appearing in two trials simultaneously
• Concealed double-booking from both courts and judges
• Misled fellow counsel (Mr Mason KC and Ms Heeley KC)
• Falsely relied on mother's illness and death to conceal Stafford appearances
• Gave incorrect account to Judge Montgomery about extent of Stafford appearances

Mitigating factors:

• 26 years at the Bar
• Conduct said to be out of character
• Client in Nottingham had no complaints about representation
• Admitted all charges (though only on the fourth day of the hearing)