A solicitor has been fined by the SRA for failing to ensure compliance with account rules, highlighting regulatory responsibilities in legal practice.
- Aman Mahroof, former director and compliance officer at Wakefield-based Tyler Hoffman, failed to adhere to account reconciliation protocols for over two years.
- The SRA emphasised the importance of maintaining client account records, which were neglected under Mr Mahroof’s tenure.
- Mr Mahroof’s conduct was described as potentially harmful, failing to uphold the firm’s regulatory duties.
- The imposed fine serves as a precautionary measure to deter similar conduct, reinforcing public confidence in legal regulation.
A compliance officer in a law firm has faced disciplinary action by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after allowing his firm to breach account rules. This case brings to light the crucial role compliance officers play in upholding regulatory standards within legal practices.
Aman Mahroof, who was practising at Wakefield-based Tyler Hoffman, served as a director and compliance officer for legal practice and finance at the firm between 18 October 2016 and 16 April 2019. During his tenure, Mr Mahroof failed to implement three-way client account reconciliations and neglected to maintain comprehensive records of receipts not related to client money or bills of costs, contributing to outdated client ledger balances.
The SRA’s notice outlined how the firm, under Mr Mahroof’s oversight, did not keep a running list of client liabilities, and receipts not constituting client money were not appropriately flagged in client ledgers. Despite these clear responsibilities, no comprehensive reconciliations were conducted since the firm’s establishment in 2016.
The SRA determined that a fine was an appropriate measure, sending a strong message within the regulated community to uphold such standards. The severity of Mr Mahroof’s actions lies in the potential harm they could have caused and his direct responsibility to ensure regulatory compliance as a director, Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP), and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA).
In accordance with the SRA’s fining guidelines, Mr Mahroof was penalised 16% of his gross annual income. However, a 5% discount was applied due to his cooperation and acceptance of the sanction, resulting in a monetary penalty of £5,472 plus additional costs of £600. This sanction aims to prevent recurrence and uphold the integrity of legal regulations.
The SRA’s decision underscores the imperative for compliance officers to diligently uphold their regulatory duties, ensuring public trust in the legal profession is maintained.
