Michelle Niaz
Allegation / charges
Authorisation of Individuals Regulations 2019, Client Money, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, REL's & RFL's 2019, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011, Solicitors Accounts Rules 2019, SRA Principles 2011, SRA Principles 2019
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
Michelle Niaz, a solicitor and the Firm's COLP and COFA, continued to practise as an unauthorised sole practitioner after the Firm lost its authorisation when her partner left in January 2020. She held client money when not entitled to do so and failed to maintain proper accounting records (no 5-weekly reconciliations and no accountant's reports). She admitted all allegations except recklessness, which the SRA withdrew. The Tribunal found a lack of integrity and high culpability with significant potential for harm. Resolved by Agreed Outcome. Suspended 9 months with indefinite practising conditions thereafter, and ordered to pay £22,140 costs.
Duties found breached:
Codes & rules applied
Duties engaged
- Honesty
- Integrity
- No bribery or improper gifts
- Personal probity and fitness to practise
- Uphold public trust in the profession
- No unlawful discrimination or harassment
- Act in the client's best interests
- Advise objectively, not a mere conduit
- No improper use of client money
- Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
- No improper fee-sharing or partnership
- Not misrepresent regulated status