Anjan Dhiru Patel

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

Anjan Patel, a consultant solicitor at Neumans LLP and later Cubism Law, faced seven allegations. While acting for Client A he settled a costs claim without authority and contrary to express instructions, failed for nine weeks to notify Client A the claim had settled, and made misleading statements to Client A's solicitors that the costs claim was unsettled, contrary to Counsel's express warnings. He also acted where there was a conflict of interest. For Client C he failed to provide reasonable costs information. After SRA intervention into the Firm he held himself out as authorised to negotiate costs when he knew he was not. He sent improper, threatening and groundless correspondence to a trustee in bankruptcy's solicitors, and made personal threats against an SRA officer investigating his conduct. The Tribunal found all allegations proved, including an express finding of dishonesty on allegation 1.3 (making statements he knew to be untrue). Given the dishonesty and absence of exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered costs of £30,000.

Duties found breached:

• Act in the client's best interests
• Cooperate openly with regulators
• Honesty
• Integrity
• No conflict between current clients
• Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
• Uphold public trust in the profession

Aggravating factors:

• Proven dishonesty
• Deliberate, calculated and repeated conduct over a lengthy period
• Sought to conceal wrongdoing by encouraging Client B not to inform Client A of settlement
• Sent misleading correspondence despite express advice from Counsel
• Deliberately intimidatory tone in communications
• Significant harm caused to Client A who had to instruct another firm
• Failed to display any insight, foresight or hindsight
• Very experienced solicitor in direct control of circumstances

Mitigating factors:

• Previously unblemished career
• Took on matters other solicitors had declined and worked hard for clients
• Expressed remorse for conduct in allegation 4 (heat of the moment)
• No personal benefit derived (as submitted by Respondent)