Missing funds paralegal from Bolton banned from profession

A TRAINEE solicitor’s career may be over before it has begun after he was given an indefinite ban for misappropriating funds totalling more than £100,000.

Tauseef Sadeeq worked as a paralegal at Jacob Miller, at Unity House in Bolton, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has said, when the money was reported missing.

Between February and September 2020, it was found that Sadeeq had “misappropriated £100,437.13 from third party insurers along with £2,000 from the firm and fabricated signatures on four payment request forms”.

In a ruling now published on the SRA’s website, the regulator has determined that the paralegal’s conduct concerning the Fletcher Street firm, at the material times, was dishonest.

Their finding states: “(Sadeeq), 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.”

He is now prevented, without the express written consent of the SRA, from being employed or remunerated by a solicitors’ firm in future.

The same applies to working for any recognised legal body, or being paid by any on their employees for their services in any capacity.

The hearing was told Sadeeq had been employed as a paralegal at Jacob Millers from July 2019 to September 2020.

And from October 1 last year he became a trainee solicitor there but was dismissed on March 5 when the missing funds matter came to light.

The regulator retains disciplinary powers over the employment of non-qualified staff within the legal profession.

Sadeeq was also ordered to pay £1,350 towards the SRA’s costs in bringing the case.

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