Unregistered barrister Godwin Okri was ordered to be disbarred by an independent disciplinary tribunal which concluded on 1 March 2021 following charges of professional misconduct brought by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).
The tribunal's decision comes after Mr Okri was struck off the roll of solicitors in 2008 for misconduct relating to dishonesty when acting in a conveyancing transaction.
The tribunal found that Mr Okri had engaged in conduct that was dishonest or otherwise discreditable to a barrister, and was likely to diminish public confidence in the legal profession or the administration of justice. It also found that Mr Okri had failed to report findings made against him by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to the BSB.
Commenting on the order, a BSB spokesperson said: “The tribunal’s decision shows the serious consequences for individuals who have been called to the Bar of acting dishonestly, even when practising in a different profession. It also serves as a reminder that any barrister subject to disciplinary findings within another profession must report these to the BSB.”
The tribunal’s decision is open to appeal.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About Godwin Okri
Godwin Okri was called to the Bar of England and Wales by Lincoln’s Inn in November 1995.
Mr Okri was originally ordered to be disbarred by an independent disciplinary tribunal in February 2018. However, this decision was later set aside due to a procedural irregularity in the way in which Mr Okri’s case was referred to the 2018 disciplinary tribunal. This issue has since been rectified and applied only to a small number of cases involving non-practising barristers.
About disciplinary tribunals
The appointment, operation, and decisions (including sentencing) of disciplinary tribunal panels are performed by the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS). BTAS is run independently of the Bar Standards Board, the barristers' regulator. The BSB is responsible for bringing charges of professional misconduct against barristers, which BTAS tribunal panels then adjudicate. The sanctions imposed are a matter for the tribunal having regard to BTAS Sanctions Guidance which is endorsed by the Council of the Inns of Court.
About the Bar Standards Board
Our mission is to regulate barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. For more information about what we do visit: http://bit.ly/1gwui8t
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