A Q Butt and S Veeravagu

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

Abdul Qayyum Butt, a registered foreign lawyer, and Selliah Veeravagu, a solicitor, faced allegations of conduct unbefitting arising from the practice A Q Butt & Co. The Tribunal found all allegations substantiated: Butt appeared as an advocate without any right of audience, provided a grossly substandard service in child care proceedings, breached the Publicity Code, failed to ensure Rule 13 supervision, held out as a partnership that did not truly exist, misled the OSS, failed to pay surety monies into client account, failed to deliver Accountant's Reports and failed to comply with the Indemnity Rules. The Tribunal remarked that Butt's approach of apparent (but not actual) compliance was 'in itself a dishonest approach,' but this was a general observation rather than a formal finding on a charged dishonesty allegation. Butt was struck off the Register of Foreign Lawyers and ordered to pay 75% of costs; Veeravagu was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay 25% of costs in this case.

Duties found breached:

• No abuse of process or coercive powers
• No improper communication with the court
• Not mislead third parties or opponents
• No conflict between current clients
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• No improper fee-sharing or partnership
• No improper solicitation or touting
• Not misrepresent regulated status

Aggravating factors:

• Flagrant and repeated breaches of the rules governing solicitors and registered foreign lawyers
• Failure to grasp/understand professional obligations, prioritising apparent over actual compliance
• Involvement in multiple sham partnership/supervision arrangements

Mitigating factors:

• Some breaches ultimately rectified (stationery corrected; indemnity cover eventually obtained at high premium)