The Solicitors Regulation Authority has shut down a Manchester-based legal business that described itself as ‘the best criminal law specialists in the UK’.
In an intervention notice, the SRA announced that it has intervened into Abbott Legal Ltd (trading as Abbott & Company, Abbott & Company Solicitors and XYZ Law) because ‘there is reason to suspect dishonesty’ on the part of solicitor Umar Vachhiat in connection with his practice at the firm. Vachhiat’s practising certificate has been suspended.
The SRA said Vachhiat, as manager of the firm, and the firm itself had failed to comply with the SRA principles, accounts rules and Code of Conduct.
According to Abbott & Co Solicitors' website, the ‘client-centric, full service’ law firm has been providing advice since 1982 and described itself as 'the best criminal law specialists in the UK'. Dewsbury, West Yorkshire-based affiliate XYZ Law comprised nine partners, 14 solicitors and two managers.
A glimpse of the toll that the intervention has taken on staff emerged on LinkedIn. A partner at XYZ Law said the intervention came ‘as a huge shock to us all’. Her priority was to ‘support the team as we begin to process this news together’.
