Henna Zeb Khan

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

Henna Zeb Khan, a trainee solicitor at the Firm, signed four important legal documents (replies to requisitions on title, a TR1 form, and two certificates of title) in the name of licensed conveyancer Janet Butterfield across three conveyancing transactions and submitted them to HM Land Registry and NatWest Bank. The Tribunal rejected her defence that she had been authorised to do so, preferring the credible evidence of Ms Butterfield and Ms Haley. It found breaches of Principles 2 and 6, and made an express finding of dishonesty applying the Ivey test, concluding she knew she was not authorised to sign. The Tribunal found no mitigating features and no exceptional circumstances, and ordered that she be struck off the Roll and pay costs of £15,686. Her subsequent appeal to the High Court was dismissed by consent.

Duties found breached:

• Integrity
• No conflict between current clients

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonesty
• Deliberate, calculated and repeated misconduct over a period of weeks involving multiple documents
• Element of concealment - forged signatures concealed that Ms Butterfield had not signed
• Breach of position of trust
• Sought to blame employers for her misconduct
• HM Land Registry and lenders misled