A struck-off solicitor is facing the possibility of a civil restraint order for his ‘consistent’ claims, applications and appeals to the courts. Farid El Diwany appeared in the administrative court today where the Solicitors Regulation Authority is seeking a civil restraint order to ‘prevent any litigation against the SRA as a body, its officers, representatives and employees.’

El Diwany is representing himself in the hearing before The Honourable Mr Justice Murray. He argues he his within his right to litigate. He told the court: ‘I have a gift for speaking the truth and reprimanding individuals and organisations…I hope one day that I will win eventually, if not in the courts, outside them.’

Last month El Diwany was warned he might face a civil restraint order after a ‘misconceived’ appeal against being struck off was thrown out by the High Court. 

He was ordered to pay £13,000 in costs to the SRA after Murray dismissed his appeal. The 64-year-old’s grounds of appeal in El Diwany v SRA Ltd were dismissed for being ‘totally without merit’ .

El Diwany was struck off in 2019 after it emerged he had been twice convicted of harassment in Norway, in 2001 and 2003, and failed to inform the SRA. An appeal against that decision was rejected by the High Court, as was an application for permission to appeal. 

Earlier this year, El Diwany was ordered to pay £10,000 in damages for harassing the chief executive of the SRA and a member of the panel that struck him off.