A E Ozuzu, E D Ogbuehi & Another

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

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard consolidated cases against Mr Ozuzu and Mr Ogbuehi (both absent) and a Third Respondent (present). The Tribunal proceeded in the absence of Ozuzu and Ogbuehi. Multiple allegations were proved including accounts rules breaches, misleading costs information, and, importantly, express findings of dishonesty against Mr Ozuzu (concealing IPS awards and SDT referral from PII insurers) and Mr Ogbuehi (submitting a fictitious low fee estimate to the ARP to reduce premium), applying the Twinsectra test. Mr Ozuzu was also found to have sent a misleading letter to the SRA (gross recklessness), practised while uncertificated after bankruptcy, and failed to manage his practice. Mr Ogbuehi was found guilty of misconduct for accepting a caution for assault by beating. Both were struck off. The Third Respondent, an unadmitted clerk described as a Senior Legal Executive with an LLM he did not hold, was found not to have acted with conscious impropriety and no section 43 order was made. Costs of £15,000 (Ozuzu) and £17,000 (Ogbuehi) were ordered, not to be enforced without leave.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• Disclose material information to client
• Costs and fee transparency to client
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Competence
• Hold a current practising certificate
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest conduct found against both respondents
• Mr Ozuzu had a previous disciplinary sanction (fine) in 2008
• Dishonesty concerning insurance concealment affecting insurers' decisions and premiums

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["unverified_costs_amount=32000"]