Gauri Advani

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

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found Gauri Advani had acted in a manner unbefitting a solicitor by dishonestly brokering a transaction in 2002 whereby Mr Nayyar and Mr Kang paid £400,000 as an intended bribe to procure a Global Sales Agent appointment for Air India, and by wrongly assuring them that as a UK lawyer she was their guarantee for the return of the money. The case relied on two prior High Court judgments (Hamblen J and Sir Raymond Jack), the latter making an express finding of dishonesty. The Tribunal gave those judgments determinative weight, found the Respondent failed to discharge the burden of showing they were wrong, and dismissed her 'new evidence' (including an untested statement from Mr Yadav). All three allegations, including dishonesty, were found proved beyond reasonable doubt. The Respondent was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs (£65,464.16 claimed) subject to detailed assessment unless agreed.

Duties found breached:

• Honesty
• Prompt accounting and return of money
• No improper solicitation or touting

Aggravating factors:

• Involvement in brokering a bribe
• Dishonesty found expressly in prior High Court judgment (Jack Judgment)
• Told many lies in the witness box in prior proceedings to hide her involvement
• Attempted to relitigate matters already decided in two High Court actions
• Produced late, untested 'new evidence' (Mr Yadav's statement) which the Tribunal found not credible

Mitigating factors:

• No previous disciplinary matters
• Respondent was self-represented and impecunious
• Claimed she cooperated with the SRA investigation and disclosed her inbox to DWS