SRA intervenes to close prominent solicitor's firm
The SRA has alleged failure to comply with its principles, codes of conduct and accounts rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has closed Leicester-based firm Sophie Khan & Co Ltd over suspicions of dishonesty on the part of well-known solicitor, Soophia Khan.
The SRA has alleged that, as the sole manager of the firm, Khan and the firm itself, have failed to comply with the SRA principles, codes of conduct and accounts rules.
Khan regularly comments in the media on legal issues. Despite the recent controversy, Khan was interviewed by Mariella Frostrup on Times Radio on Wednesday (25 August) about recommendations made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct on taser use.
Khan is a former chair of the Law Society’s civil justice committee. However, she was removed from the role following allegations of bullying and discrimination – allegations Khan strongly contested.
Earlier this year, Khan made a claim against the Law Society for victimisation on grounds of race and/or religion or belief and/or claims of detriment on grounds of protected disclosures. The claim was struck out by an employment tribunal on the basis Khan was not an employee or office holder, but essentially a volunteer.
In January 2021, the SRA successfully brought a claim against Khan after documents it requested pursuant to its investigations were not forthcoming. Khan claimed she had dropped files off at SRA headquarters in May 2019; however, she had no receipt to prove this. SRA delivery policies would have had to have been ignored by staff and the court found Khan’s version of events “inherently unlikely”.