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'Reason to suspect dishonesty' as Coops Law, which took over former Asons Solicitors, is shut down by Solicitors Regulation Authority
A TOWN centre law practice has been shut down, after a regulator said it had "reason to suspect dishonesty" from one of its directors.
Coops Law - which took over the controversial former Asons Solicitors earlier this year - was closed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) this morning.
The SRA said that it had "reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Irfan Khan Akram in connection with Coops Law Ltd’s business".
Mr Akram is listed as a director of both Coops and Asons Estates, which owns the office building in Churchgate, and was one of five brothers involved with the running of Asons Solicitors.
The regulatory body added that the practising certificate of Munir Majid has been automatically suspended, so he cannot practice as a solicitor.
In March, the same action was taken against Kamran Akram, as documents, papers, and money that were owned by Asons Solicitors were seized.
The SRA says that the other grounds for the intervention are to protect the interests of clients, that Coops Law has not complied with the terms of its licence, and that Mr Majid has failed to comply with rules under the Solicitors Act 1974.
It was revealed last November that Bolton Council had given Asons a £300,000 grant to assist with the refurbishment of the town centre site, a decision that was taken in a private meeting that was not open to the press, public, or opposition parties.
Following Asons ceasing trading in March, that grant was paid back to the council in full.
When it was announced that Asons had been sold to Coops Law, the company promised a "fresh start" for its employees and the people of Bolton.
An SRA spokesman said: "An intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect. It will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients' money).
"It is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.
"The regulatory body added that the practising certificate of Munir Majid has been automatically suspended, so he cannot practice as a solicitor.
In March, the same action was taken against Kamran Akram, as documents, papers, and money that were owned by Asons Solicitors were seized.
The SRA says that the other grounds for the intervention are to protect the interests of clients, that Coops Law has not complied with the terms of its licence, and that Mr Majid has failed to comply with rules under the Solicitors Act 1974.
It was revealed last November that Bolton Council had given Asons a £300,000 grant to assist with the refurbishment of the town centre site, a decision that was taken in a private meeting that was not open to the press, public, or opposition parties.
Following Asons ceasing trading in March, that grant was paid back to the council in full.
When it was announced that Asons had been sold to Coops Law, the company promised a "fresh start" for its employees and the people of Bolton.
An SRA spokesman said: "An intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect. It will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients' money).
"It is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/bolton/15367232._Reason_to_suspect_dishonesty__as_law_firm_that_took_over_Asons_Solicitors_is_shut_down/?ref=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
A TOWN centre law practice has been shut down, after a regulator said it had "reason to suspect dishonesty" from one of its directors.
Coops Law - which took over the controversial former Asons Solicitors earlier this year - was closed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) this morning.
The SRA said that it had "reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Irfan Khan Akram in connection with Coops Law Ltd’s business".
Mr Akram is listed as a director of both Coops and Asons Estates, which owns the office building in Churchgate, and was one of five brothers involved with the running of Asons Solicitors.
The regulatory body added that the practising certificate of Munir Majid has been automatically suspended, so he cannot practice as a solicitor.
In March, the same action was taken against Kamran Akram, as documents, papers, and money that were owned by Asons Solicitors were seized.
The SRA says that the other grounds for the intervention are to protect the interests of clients, that Coops Law has not complied with the terms of its licence, and that Mr Majid has failed to comply with rules under the Solicitors Act 1974.
It was revealed last November that Bolton Council had given Asons a £300,000 grant to assist with the refurbishment of the town centre site, a decision that was taken in a private meeting that was not open to the press, public, or opposition parties.
Following Asons ceasing trading in March, that grant was paid back to the council in full.
When it was announced that Asons had been sold to Coops Law, the company promised a "fresh start" for its employees and the people of Bolton.
An SRA spokesman said: "An intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect. It will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients' money).
"It is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.
"The regulatory body added that the practising certificate of Munir Majid has been automatically suspended, so he cannot practice as a solicitor.
In March, the same action was taken against Kamran Akram, as documents, papers, and money that were owned by Asons Solicitors were seized.
The SRA says that the other grounds for the intervention are to protect the interests of clients, that Coops Law has not complied with the terms of its licence, and that Mr Majid has failed to comply with rules under the Solicitors Act 1974.
It was revealed last November that Bolton Council had given Asons a £300,000 grant to assist with the refurbishment of the town centre site, a decision that was taken in a private meeting that was not open to the press, public, or opposition parties.
Following Asons ceasing trading in March, that grant was paid back to the council in full.
When it was announced that Asons had been sold to Coops Law, the company promised a "fresh start" for its employees and the people of Bolton.
An SRA spokesman said: "An intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect. It will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients' money).
"It is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/bolton/15367232._Reason_to_suspect_dishonesty__as_law_firm_that_took_over_Asons_Solicitors_is_shut_down/?ref=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
