The Solicitors Regulation Authority has said it will investigate a BBC News report about a practitioner filmed allegedly advising on how to avoid fines for employing illegal workers.
Mohammed Alias Yousaf, admitted in 2005, was secretly recorded speaking to a reporter posing as a mini-mart owner facing a £45,000 fine.
Yousaf, of Bradford-based Liberty Solicitors, appears to tell the owner his services would cost 10% of the fine and he would want payment up front. The film shows him apparently telling the purported shop owner that they could shift liability for the fine to a person no longer in the country.
It is understood that the SRA has previously investigated Yousaf’s conduct and will review the new information.
A spokesperson said: ‘We will be considering this information to see if there are any issues arising which we need to look into further. If, and where, we identify any suggestions of potential misconduct by solicitors or law firms, we will consider them carefully before deciding on potential next steps.’
Yousaf has denied ever advising anyone to give false information and said he has acted lawfully at all times.
