Mohammed Zahir Uddin

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

Mohammed Zahir Uddin, sole director, COLP, COFA and sole client account signatory of Your Right Solicitors Ltd, abandoned his practice in November 2015 and disappeared, leaving staff without direction. The firm was intervened into. An SRA forensic investigation found 39 round sum transfers totalling £58,900 from client to office account without justification, failure to keep required accounting records, retention of office money in client account, and failure to remedy breaches. He dishonestly transferred £20,000 of client money to his personal bank account in Bangladesh on 19 November 2015 before disappearing. He also misled the investigation officer about accounting records and told his former secretary Ms B to ignore SRA contact. The Respondent did not engage and the hearing proceeded in absence. The Tribunal found all allegations proved, including express dishonesty under the Twinsectra test, and found no exceptional circumstances. He was struck off and ordered to pay costs of £14,500.

Duties found breached:

• No improper communication with the court
• No taking unfair advantage
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• Handle inadvertently received material
• Segregate client money
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports

Aggravating factors:

• Dishonest conduct
• Likely financial loss to clients
• Accounts breaches over a long period
• Deliberate and calculated conduct in misleading regulator and preventing information being provided
• Abandoned the firm placing clients and funds at risk
• Ought to have known conduct breached obligations to protect public and reputation of profession

Mitigating factors:

• Previously unblemished record