Solicitor says he completed form ‘in a rush’ as the broker chased him

A solicitor has been suspended after it was found he misled his professional indemnity insurer. 

When asked on the indemnity renewal forms, Ashtar Dhami said he had not been investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Legal Ombudsman.

He signed the form in August last year, despite being subject to an SRA investigation since March 2015.

The sole practitioner of Harrow-based Hansen and Young and Co Limited said he completed the application “in a rush as the insurance broker was chasing for it”.

However, the tribunal ruled that Dhami should have completed the form correctly if acting with integrity. 

The tribunal also found that Dhami had reached an agreement with a vulnerable client to withdraw complaints to the legal authorities - something in breach of SRA rules. 

Dhami had denied both the vulnerable client allegation and misleading the insurer allegation. 

Dhami, who admitted to nine other allegations of breaches and rule violations, was suspended for six months and ordered to pay £44,000 costs, reports Law Society Gazette

 

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