Sunny Sidhu

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

Sunny Sidhu, a family solicitor at LDJ Solicitors LLP, requested explicit images from a vulnerable client (Person A) on the false basis that they were required for legal reasons connected to her family matter, sending them to his personal WhatsApp and falsely assuring her they had been uploaded to the firm's case management system. The Tribunal found the conduct was dishonest (under Ivey), sexually motivated, and exploited a vulnerable client. No non-molestation order was ever pursued and no records existed on the file. All allegations were found proved. The Tribunal found no exceptional circumstances under Sharma/James and struck him off the Roll, ordering costs of £32,394.72.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues

Aggravating factors:

• Conduct was sexually motivated
• Took advantage of a vulnerable client whom he deliberately targeted
• Misconduct was deliberate, repeated and calculated over a period of months
• Failure to make attendance notes and false assurance that images were uploaded, designed to conceal the misconduct
• Abuse of position of trust as a solicitor
• No genuine insight or remorse; no admissions or cooperation with regulator

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary findings/unblemished record
• Character references and testimonials submitted (given little weight)
• Relative inexperience and limited supervision during Covid restrictions