Christopher Ka Ki Cheng

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

Christopher Ka Ki Cheng, an immigration solicitor at Farani Javid Taylor, was found to have falsified/confected six documents in client matter AS (including a certificate of service, emails purportedly from GLD lawyers, a consent order, an application notice and a hearing notice) to mislead his client about the progress of his immigration application, having failed to file the application in time. He was also found to have failed to open files and/or progress applications in approximately 17 client matters despite telling clients he would do so, and to have failed to cooperate with the SRA investigation. The Tribunal made an express finding of dishonesty (Ivey test) in relation to allegations 1.1 and 1.2. The Respondent did not attend; the hearing proceeded in his absence remotely due to Covid-19. Following Sharma and Bolton, and absent exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal ordered strike off and costs of £15,000 (reduced from the £32,202.39 claimed).

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• Honesty
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act in the client's best interests
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• Cooperate openly with regulators
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest conduct
• Misconduct planned with some care
• Misconduct extended over a considerable period (over a year)
• Clients were in a relatively vulnerable position with rights to live/work in UK at stake
• Knew or ought to have known conduct harmful to reputation of profession
• Failure to engage with regulator over significant period

Mitigating factors:

• Belated insight and remorse expressed
• Open and unqualified admission of having no defence to allegations
• No prior disciplinary findings
• Apologised for actions