17 February 2017
Unregistered barrister Rajesh Babajee was ordered to be disbarred by an independent disciplinary tribunal at a hearing on Thursday 16 February, following his striking-off as a solicitor in April last year.
The conduct for which Mr Babajee was ordered to be disbarred occurred while he was practising as solicitor. However, as Mr Babajee was also an unregistered barrister, the Bar Standards Board brought disciplinary proceedings against him too. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) found that Mr Babajee dishonestly misappropriated client funds of £45,000, relating to a conveyancing transaction in 2009 and struck him off the roll of solicitors.
The Tribunal also found that Mr Babajee had failed to co-operate with the BSB in response to the regulatory process.
A BSB spokesperson said: "Dishonestly misappropriating client funds is incompatible with the behaviour expected from members of the Bar. The tribunal's decision to disbar Mr Babajee reflects this. The finding also serves as an important reminder that barristers have a duty to report disciplinary action by another regulator, even if they are unregistered barristers."
ENDS
Notes to editors
About Rajesh Babajee
Mr Babajee was called to the Bar by Middle Temple in March 2003. He was admitted to the Roll of solicitors in 2006.
Mr Babajee practised as a solicitor and has never held a practising certificate as a barrister in England and Wales. He was not entitled to practise as a barrister, having not completed pupillage.
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, which is responsible for bringing charges of professional misconduct against barristers. These charges are then adjudicated on by BTAS' tribunal panels.
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
Contact: For all media enquiries call: 0207 611 1452 or email[email protected].
