Handed section 43 order
A trainee solicitor who undertook unauthorised immigration work has been barred from working in the legal profession.
In February 2021, Sherman Dzviti was convicted of two counts of providing unqualified immigration advice/service in contravention of s86 of the asylum and immigration act.
He was sentenced to a community service order for 200 hours of unpaid work, according to decision notice published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Dzviti, 43, was employed as a trainee solicitor by south London outfit Gordon and Thompson Limited from August 2020.
The regulator found that in light of the conviction, “it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice”.
Dzviti is now subject to a section 43 order, barring him from working in the legal profession without prior permission from the regulator. He remains unqualified.
During the trial Southwark Crown Court heard many of the complainants handed over large amounts of money and legal documents such as birth certificates and passports. The rookie lawyer, along with his wife, Choice Dzviti, who traded as CS Legal Consultants, CS Law Ltd and Casson Law, refused to hand them back or even to speak to the complainants leading to one contacting the Legal Ombudsman.
Addressing the couple during sentencing, Judge Perrins commented:
“Choice Dzviti, your offending spans several years. You ignored the findings of the First-Tier Tribunal. You deliberately misled the firm of solicitors supervising. You preyed on people who were especially vulnerable — and two of them you deliberately defrauded of significant amounts of money. You provided negligent advice and woeful client care.”
He added: “Sherman Dzviti, you were much less involved — but it cannot be said that the quality of your services was any better.”