Michael Azuka Otobo

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

Michael Azuka Otobo, admitted 2001, faced eleven allegations across three statements. The Tribunal found allegations (i) and (ii) (breach of undertaking and retaining Lloyd & Co files) not substantiated, but found nine others substantiated, including acting as a solicitor before admission, breaching the Separate Business Code, failing to respond to The Law Society and SRA, failing to ensure supervision at his firm, failing to deliver an Accountant's Report, practising/holding himself out without a current practising certificate, and attempting to mislead the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. The Tribunal made no express finding of dishonesty but found he attempted to mislead the AIT. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay £20,000 costs, not to be enforced without the Tribunal's consent. The Respondent did not attend.

Duties found breached:

• Not mislead the court
• No improper communication with the court
• Cease acting on client perjury or disobedience
• No conflict between current clients
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Hold a current practising certificate
• No baseless or threatened misconduct report

Aggravating factors:

• Attempt to mislead the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, giving impression of uninterrupted practice when untrue
• Held himself out as a solicitor without a practising certificate
• Wide-ranging catalogue of unprofessional conduct showing he was oblivious to professional responsibilities
• Failure to engage with own professional regulator
• Failed to attend hearing despite a day's adjournment to allow him to attend

Mitigating factors:

• Tribunal had some sympathy for the Respondent's unfortunate history
• Respondent found himself in a difficult position at Collisons Makers Hayward
• Respondent had been understandably upset by police involvement in the Lloyd & Co files matter
• Asylum and Immigration Tribunal was not actually misled as the judge did not believe him