Andrei Liakhov

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

The Respondent, a solicitor working as a partner in a Ukrainian law firm's London office (subject to the SRA Overseas Rules), created a false email on 24 July 2015 purporting to be from an SRA Authorisation Officer, and on 25 July 2015 forwarded it to another firm (J Ltd) representing it as genuine. The email falsely claimed his wife (AP), an employee, had completed her training contract and that the visa requirement would be waived, in an attempt to advance her admission to the Roll. The Tribunal found breaches of Overseas Principles 2 and 6 and made an express finding of dishonesty applying the Twinsectra test. The Respondent admitted the allegation and dishonesty but did not attend; the hearing proceeded in his absence. Finding no exceptional circumstances, the Tribunal struck him off the Roll and ordered costs of £7,122.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• Comply with rules of foreign jurisdictions

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest and deliberate conduct
• Ought to have known conduct breached obligations to protect the public and reputation of the profession
• Lack of insight into the seriousness of his conduct and its effect on the reputation of the legal profession
• High culpability; planned conduct in a position of trust

Mitigating factors:

• Long unblemished disciplinary record
• Cooperation with the regulator with open and frank admissions
• Isolated incident
• Made some apologies