In the Media

Birmingham solicitor struck off after admitting dishonesty

PUBLISHED October 31, 2014
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A second solicitor connected with Birmingham firm AKZ Solicitors has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), the Solicitors Regulation Authority has announced.

Zia Latif, formerly of AKZ Solicitors, Alum Rock, was struck off at a hearing on 21 October in a case brought by the SRA.

According to an SRA statement, Latif admitted failing to maintain properly written up books of accounts, causing or permitting monies to be withdrawn from client bank accounts in breach of the Solicitors Accounts Rules 1998, giving false and misleading explanations to the SRA, practising as a solicitor without indemnity insurance cover and failing to deliver an accountant's report.

He also admitted dishonesty in relation to giving false and misleading explanations to the SRA. He was ordered to pay £22,500 costs.

The hearing follows last month's decision to strike off Kamran Malik of AKZ Solicitors who in February was sentenced to five years in prison in criminal proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court for four counts of money laundering, four counts of mortgage fraud and one count of perverting the course of justice.

Gordon Ramsay, SRA director of legal and enforcement, said: 'Solicitors hold positions of trust and Mr Latif abused that position. He also made misleading statements, which was dishonest, and we don't want dishonesty in the profession.'

Latif has 21 days from the publication of the tribunal's judgment to appeal.

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