A lawyer in Manchester has been struck off after she falsely claimed to have worked over 28 hours in a single day in a bid to secure a bonus of £70,000. Samina Ahmed, aged 46, manipulated her timesheets while employed as a prison law solicitor at Tucker Solicitors, where she had worked for 17 years.
The Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal found that Ahmed had submitted exaggerated working hours on 133 occasions, contradicting the impossibility of her claims. The tribunal’s investigation revealed that between July 2021 and June 2022, she recorded a total of 7,511.70 hours over just 266 days, averaging more than 28 hours of work per day.
Fraudulent Behaviour Exposed
Despite being warned about her fraudulent activities during a staff meeting in April 2022, Ahmed continued to falsify her hours. This misconduct was particularly concerning because her work was funded by the Legal Aid Agency, which paid out a total of £98,093 based on her inflated claims.
The tribunal concluded that Ahmed acted dishonestly and without integrity, undermining public trust in the legal profession. In light of the serious nature of her actions, she was struck off the solicitors’ roll and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. This amount was reduced from £49,600, acknowledging her current financial status, which includes employment as an apprentice with Wigan Council and receiving universal credit and child benefit as a single parent of three children.
Impact on Legal Profession
The tribunal emphasized that Ahmed’s conduct resulted in foreseeable harm, not just to her clients but also to the reputation of the profession as a whole. They stated, “The seriousness of Ms. Ahmed’s dishonest conduct was at the highest level, and the sanction of striking off was fair, reasonable, and proportionate.”
Her actions not only jeopardized her career but also highlighted significant issues regarding the integrity of legal aid funding. The tribunal’s decision serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and transparency within the legal sector, ensuring that public confidence in legal services is maintained.
The case sheds light on the potential consequences of unethical practices and reinforces the necessity for rigorous oversight in the legal profession.
