A conveyancing solicitor instructed on the quick cash sale of a pensioner’s house did not breach any conduct rules, the tribunal has ruled. The daughter of the 82-year-old client intervened to stop the transaction and then complained.
But following a two-day hearing, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found that Mohammed Israr, admitted in 2019, had not failed to properly advise the client about the risks and consequences of the sale, nor had he failed to take account of the client’s needs.
Its ruling said: ‘The tribunal recognised the importance of solicitors safeguarding clients and upholding their professional duty to act in their clients’ best interests. ‘However, that duty has to be judged in the context of the scope of a solicitor’s retainer and does not necessarily require a solicitor to second-guess the clear instructions of a client who has mental capacity and gives no indication of confusion or vulnerability.’
All allegations against Israr were dismissed and the tribunal made no order for costs.
