Liaqat Ali

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

Liaqat Ali, a non-solicitor immigration adviser, continued providing immigration advice after OISC registration was refused/undetermined and entered a sham arrangement with Churchills Solicitors giving the appearance of supervision while none existed. The dishonesty allegation was withdrawn; the Tribunal found the remaining allegation substantiated and made a section 43 order prohibiting his employment by solicitors save with Law Society permission, ordering costs of £3,500 plus VAT. A later 2011 Tribunal revocation of the order was quashed on SRA appeal in 2013, so the order remains in force.

Duties found breached:

• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Continued providing immigration advice/services after being told his OISC application was undetermined and he could no longer represent clients
• Criminal conviction (guilty pleas to two offences under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, conditionally discharged and ordered to pay £1,000 costs)
• Entered a 'shell' arrangement with Churchills to appear compliant with OISC requirements without genuine supervision

Mitigating factors:

• Respondent accepted an order should be made under s.43(1)(b)
• No prior experience of working in a solicitors' practice; first experience was in a firm with wholesale disregard for professional responsibilities
• Worked as an employee under a manipulative/dishonest partner with no meaningful supervision
• Cooperated with the Law Society investigation