The Solicitors Regulation Authority today shut down a London firm over suspicions of dishonesty involving the two managers. Regulators intervened into Malik Law Chambers, which has offices in east and west London as well as Birmingham, after also expressing concerns the firm had failed to comply with SRA principles.

In a notice published today, the SRA said it had reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Dr Akbar Ali Malik and Imtiaz Ali. They are each subject to individual interventions along with the firm.

Interventions effectively mean a firm is shut down immediately and agents appointed to handle client affairs.

The firm specialised in immigration, nationality, asylum, human rights and administrative law. Its website states that it worked on a fixed fee basis and it published a guide to British immigration law, which was endorsed by Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham and Mazher Mahmood, former investigations editor with the News of the World. It also broadcast a dedicated TV channel with programmes on immigration advice and law discussions.