Yvonne Shanti & Mayson Shanti

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

Sole practitioner Yvonne Shanti was found to have failed to maintain proper accounting records, misappropriated client funds, made improper withdrawals, failed to remedy breaches, failed to honour undertakings, allowed misleading website publicity and acted in conflict. The Tribunal expressly found her dishonest on allegations 2 (misappropriation) and 5 (undertakings), particularly in paying out against uncleared cheques from her husband and breaching undertakings. Her husband, Mayson Shanti, a solicitor's clerk with a prior dishonesty conviction, was found to have dishonestly misappropriated client funds and held himself out as a solicitor. Yvonne Shanti was struck off; Mayson Shanti made subject to a s.43 order. Costs ordered: Yvonne to pay two-thirds (£7,000 interim) and Mayson one-third (£3,500 interim), subject to detailed assessment.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• Uphold public trust in the profession
• Act in the client's best interests
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Diligence and timeliness
• Honour professional undertakings
• Truthful, non-misleading advertising

Aggravating factors:

• Express findings of dishonesty against both Respondents
• First Respondent paid out client funds against uncleared cheques from her husband, using other clients' monies
• Deliberate and knowing breach of two undertakings
• Two conflicting accounts given regarding undertaking damaged credibility
• Second Respondent had prior conviction for incitement to obtain property by deception (4 years imprisonment in 1996)
• Second Respondent knowingly issued dishonoured cheques and received client funds to which he was not entitled
• Failure to cooperate fully and prevarication in providing accounting records

Mitigating factors:

• First Respondent claimed reliance on bookkeeper/accountant who proved incompetent
• Practice voluntarily closed with assistance of insurers
• £70,000 and ~£23,000 introduced to reduce client account shortfall
• First Respondent had been adjudicated bankrupt

⚠ figures not found verbatim in the source were dropped: ["unverified_costs_amount=10500"]