Aurang Khattak removed from solicitors profession — but return to the bar remains open
A dual-qualified lawyer who was struck off the roll for repeatedly breaching account rules has been suspended by a bar disciplinary tribunal.
The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) found Aurang Khattak had engaged in conduct, whether in pursuit of his profession or otherwise, discreditable to a barrister and likely to diminish public confidence in the legal profession.
The bar tribunal’s decision comes after Khattak was struck off the roll in 2012 following repeated breaches of the solicitors’ accounts rules, which fell short of dishonesty, when practising as a supervising solicitor between 2009 and 2012.
Khattak, who was called to the bar in 1989 and admitted as a solicitor in 2000, was suspended from applying for a practising certificate for two years and fined £1,000, according to a disciplinary finding published this week. He was also ordered to pay £600 in costs.
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) says the misconduct was brought to its attention in 2017.
Commenting on the order, BSB director of legal and enforcement, Sara Jagger said:
“It is a serious matter for a supervising solicitor to allow breaches of the solicitors’ accounting rules to take place and the Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision to prevent Mr Khattak from practising as a barrister for two years reflects this.”
The tribunal’s decision is open to appeal.
