The public access barrister publicly named by the Legal Ombudsman in 2014 because of the number of complaints against him has been found in breach of professional conduct rules.
Tariq Rehman, head of chambers at Kings Court Chambers, Birmingham, was found to have failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure his chambers were administered competently and efficiently and were properly staffed, after Kings Court Chambers delayed paying a refund of £1,100 to a lay client.
A Bar disciplinary tribunal said the delay was by reason of administrative incompetence or inefficiency of Rehman or staff he managed.
The tribunal also found that he had ‘failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure his chambers were managed competently and efficiently in that payments due to public access clients by way of refund of fees or compensation recommended by the Legal Ombudsman or agreed, were delayed by administrative competence of inefficiency of Tariq Rehman or staff managed by him.’
A £900 refund was agreed in November 2013, but not paid until May 2014, a £450 refund was delayed by four months and a £2,900 refund was delayed from May 2014 until the present day, the tribunal heard.
The tribunal deferred sentencing.
