Southampton solicitor Mohammed Mazumder struck off for dishonesty

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) began investigating Mohammed Ekramul Hoque Mazumder after the High Court raised concerns about a judicial review case.

Now, a disciplinary tribunal has ruled that documents submitted to the High Court contained statements that were false or misleading.

Mr Mazumder, 55, was the owner and manager of Heans Solicitors, which had offices in Southampton and London until it closed in April 2021.

Solicitor Mohammed Mazumder has been struck off for making misleading statements to the High Court (Image: PA)

He admitted failing to adequately supervise his staff and failing to ensure effective controls were in place but denied making misleading assertions in two witness statements submitted to the High Court.

The allegations related to his conduct between January 2018 and July 2019.

An SRA report said: "The tribunal found that Mr Mazumder was motivated by his desire to protect himself and his firm, thereby protecting his income stream.

"His actions were planned. He made a number of assertions to the High Court which he knew to be false and misleading."

The report said Mr Mazumder "coerced" a paralegal, Salauddin Khan, into signing a statement in which he took the blame for the mismanagement of a judicial review claim.

"Mr Mazumder breached the trust placed in him as a solicitor.

"Mr Mazumder’s conduct was aggravated by his dishonesty, which was in material breach of his obligation to protect the public and maintain public confidence in the reputation of the profession.

"His misconduct was deliberate, calculated and repeated, taking place over a period of time."

The report said the solicitor took advantage of Mr Khan, whom it described as "vulnerable" because of his immigration status and Mr Mazumder’s position of authority over him.

Paralegals undertake a wide variety of administrative and legal work but are not qualified lawyers.

"In placing Mr Khan under duress, Mr Mazumder abused that position of authority and power," said the report.

"Mr Mazumder bullied Mr Khan and sought to place the blame for his misconduct onto Mr Khan.

"The tribunal did not find any features that mitigated Mr Mazumder’s conduct.

"Given the serious nature of the allegations, the tribunal considered and rejected the lesser sanctions within its sentencing powers.

"The tribunal decided that in view of the serious nature of the misconduct, in that it involved dishonesty, the only appropriate and proportionate sanction was to strike Mr Mazumder off the Roll of Solicitors."

As well as being banned from the profession, Mr Mazumder was told to pay costs of more than £60,000.