Henna Zeb Khan found to have signed someone else’s name on property documents during her training contract
A junior lawyer banned from the profession for faking a colleague’s signature on legal documents is appealing to the High Court.
Last week it emerged that the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) had ordered Henna Zeb Khan struck off the roll for signing property documents in someone else’s name.
It rejected Khan’s argument that she had been “authorised” to sign the paperwork on behalf of colleague Janet Butterfield, a licensed conveyancer.
Khan — who represented herself at the tribunal — was struck off and ordered to pay almost £16,000 in costs.
She was still a trainee solicitor at the time of the incident and has since qualified, but will be unable to practise as a solicitor as a result of the tribunal’s decision.
That is, unless she can get the High Court to overturn the ruling. A note now added to the tribunal’s judgment in the case reads:
“The Tribunal’s decision dated 4 March 2021 is subject to appeal to the High Court (Administrative Court) by the Respondent. The Order remains in force pending the High Court’s decision on the appeal.”
Last year, the High Court overturned a high-profile SDT misconduct finding against ex-Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith.
