Soophia Khan

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

Soophia Khan, a sole principal solicitor, was found to have settled damages and costs claims for clients DC and JN without their knowledge, authority or consent, for sums far lower than advised. She paid settlement monies into the office account without proper notification, breached undertakings to former solicitors MW, and fabricated documents (a Pro-Forma Fee Note and covering letters) to justify retaining the entire costs settlement. She failed to cooperate with the SRA and Legal Ombudsman regarding client JH's complaint, failed to comply with the LeO final decision, repeatedly failed to comply with court orders, and frustrated the SRA's intervention by failing to deliver up practice documents - resulting in a finding of contempt of court and six months' imprisonment. The Tribunal made express findings of dishonesty on allegations 1.1-1.6. It found no exceptional circumstances and no mitigating features other than a clean disciplinary record, and concluded that striking off was the only appropriate sanction. She was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £109,681.82.

Duties found breached:

• No abuse of process or coercive powers
• Proper basis for allegations
• No improper communication with the court
• Comply with and respect court orders
• Handle inadvertently received material
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Firm governance, systems and compliance
• Cooperate openly with regulators
• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Multiple findings of dishonesty
• Deliberate, calculated and repeated misconduct over a period of time
• Motivated by financial gain for herself and the Firm
• Fabrication of documents to conceal wrongdoing
• Committed contempt of court and was imprisoned
• Open defiance of and hostility towards the SRA as regulator
• Complete lack of insight, remorse or contrition
• Abuse of position as solicitor with conduct of costs negotiations
• Harm caused to clients (DC, JN), MW and JH

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary matters before the Tribunal