Mohammed
Shokat
Employee
278383
Decision - Employee-related decision
Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)
Outcome date: 9 February 2022
Published date: 14 February 2022
Firm details
Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome
Name: Apex Solicitors Limited
Address(es): 88 – 90 Manningham Law, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3ES
Firm ID: 561375
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Reasons/basis
IN THE MATTER OF: Mohammed Shokat of Allerton, Bradford
A person who is or was involved in a legal practice but is not a solicitor
THE FACTS
Mr Shokat was employed as a fee earner at Apex Solicitors Limited (the firm) whose head office is 88-90 Manningham Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3ES.
It was found that in March 2020 Mr Shokat applied for a bounce back 100% government backed loan for £50,000 for business use by the firm, and made misleading declarations on the application form. He subsequently transferred £49,512.30 of the loan monies into his own bank account, and that of a firm for which he was the sole director and 100% shareholder. In doing so, Mr Shokat acted dishonestly.
FINDING
Mr Shokat who is not a solicitor, was involved in a legal practice and has occasioned or been a party to an act or default which involved such conduct on his part that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice in any of the ways described in the order below.
ORDER
To make an order pursuant to section 43 that with effect from the date of the letter or email notifying Mr Shokat of Allerton, Bradford of this decision:
- no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor;
- no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice;
- no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him;
- no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body;
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body; and
- no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to have an interest in the body
except in accordance with the SRA's permission.