01 April 2014
A barrister who was struck off as a solicitor for being involved
in a multi-million pound mortgage fraud was last week ordered by an
independent disciplinary tribunal to be disbarred.
Mr Mohammad Shariful Islam was struck off the Roll of Solicitors
on 19 January 2012 after it became clear that he had been involved
in suspicious transactions bearing the hallmarks of mortgage fraud
and money laundering.
Sitting on Friday 28 March 2014, the panel, chaired by HH Jeremy
Griggs, heard how Mr Islam had as a solicitor diverted millions of
pounds of clients' money into a separate account.
The full finding by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal
can be found here.
Mr Islam failed to inform the Bar Standards Board (BSB) that he
had been convicted of misconduct by the Solicitors Disciplinary
Tribunal - a breach of the barristers' Code of Conduct.
Head of Professional Conduct at the BSB, Sara Down said: "It is
clear from the extent of his dishonesty as a solicitor and the
litany of findings against him that Mr Islam should have no place
at the Bar and the panel's decision was the right one."
Mr Islam was an unregistered barrister as he had completed the
academic stage of the Bar's training, but had not completed
pupillage and was, therefore, not entitled to offer or provide
legal services as a barrister.
For more information, please
click here.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Mr Mohammed Shariful Islam was called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn,
in March 2009. He was born on 1 March 1976 and admitted as a
solicitor on 15 August 2000. He practised at O'Sullivan Law
Solicitors, 9 - 13 Osborne Street, London, E1 6TD. The SRA records
showed that the firm commenced business on 20 February 2006 and
ceased on 30 September 2007.
Contact: the Bar Standards Board Press Office on 0207 6111
452.
