Rajinder Heer
JurisdictionEngland & Wales
BodySolicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT)
Professionsolicitor
Case number12499/2023
Date15/03/2024
OutcomeStrike off
Allegation / charges
Code of Conduct 2011, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Dishonesty, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2019
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
SanctionStrike Off
CostsGBP 10,966
Dishonesty foundYes
Rajinder Heer, sole solicitor director, COLP and COFA of Coventgate Law Limited, continued to practise without professional indemnity insurance after the cessation period and dishonestly concealed this from the SRA, intervention agents, clients and a third-party firm. He also failed to maintain proper books of account. The Tribunal found all three allegations proved, including express findings of dishonesty under the Ivey test. Proceeding in his absence, the Tribunal found no exceptional circumstances and struck him off the Roll, ordering costs of £10,966.36.
Duties found breached:
- Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
- Not mislead third parties or opponents
- Professional indemnity insurance
Aggravating factors:
- Conduct was deliberate, planned, repeated and continued over several months
- Dishonest statements/omissions made to multiple audiences: the regulator, intervention agents, a third party and clients
- Involved a large number of clients
- Mr Heer knew he was in material breach of his obligations
- Experienced solicitor who held both COLP and COFA roles with direct control
Mitigating factors:
- Difficult personal circumstances and health issues referred to in representations to the SRA
- No previous disciplinary findings
- No evidence of specific harm to individuals or claims to the Compensation Fund
Codes & rules applied
Duties engaged
- Account for interest on client money
- Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
- Act only on proper, lawful instructions
- Advise on alternatives, settlement and outcome
- Avoid wasting the court's time
- Cease acting on client perjury or disobedience
- Client-care and engagement terms
- Client confidentiality
- Competence
- Complaints procedure and handling
- Comply with and respect court orders
- Comply with rules of foreign jurisdictions
- Continuity and handover of representation
- Cooperate openly with regulators
- Costs and fee transparency to client
- Diligence and timeliness
- Disclose adverse law to the court
- Disclose material information to client
- Disclose referrals, commissions and benefits
- Fair dealing with unrepresented parties
- Fair, reasonable and lawful fees
- Full disclosure on ex parte applications
- Good faith and courtesy to colleagues
- Handle inadvertently received material
- Hold a current practising certificate
- Honour professional undertakings
- Keep client informed and respond promptly
- Maintain competence and CPD
- Manage conflict arising mid-matter
- No abuse of process or coercive powers
- No acting against a former client
- No baseless or threatened misconduct report
- No conflict between current clients
- No direct dealing with represented party
- No improper benefit, loan or bequest
- No improper communication with the court
- No improper fee-sharing or partnership
- No improper questioning of witnesses
- No improper solicitation or touting
- No improper use of client money
- Non-discriminatory acceptance and cab-rank
- No obstruction or victimisation of reporters
- No own-interest conflict
- No payments to witnesses on evidence
- No personal handling of client money
- No personal opinion or familiarity with court
- No prejudicial publicity for pending cases
- No standing bail or surety for client
- No taking unfair advantage
- No tampering with or coaching witnesses
- Not mislead the court
- Not mislead third parties or opponents
- Not misrepresent regulated status
- Pay instructed practitioners and agents
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Prompt accounting and return of money
- Proper basis for allegations
- Proper termination and return of instructions
- Prosecutorial duty of disclosure
- Prosecutorial fairness and impartiality
- Protect capacity and vulnerable clients
- Protect legal professional privilege
- Report serious misconduct of others
- Safeguard documents and limit liens
- Segregate client money
- Self-report to the regulator
- Truthful, non-misleading advertising