Alerts

Warning: Correspondence from 'Lex Solicitors LLP' misusing the name of Ayub Patel

29 September 2025

Letters are being sent from an individual purporting to be from a law firm called 'Lex Solicitors LLP' which also misuse the name of Ayub Patel in relation to an inheritance scam.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been advised that letters have been sent to US Citizens from an individual falsely claiming to be from a law firm by the name of 'Lex Solicitors LLP'. The emails also misuse the name of a genuine solicitor (see genuine details below) and the address of a genuine firm (see genuine details below). The letters claim to relate to an inheritance scam.

The letters requested a response to be sent to the email address 'ayub@lexsolicitors.com' and to copy in 'ayubpatelesq@gmail.com' for more details on how to proceed further. The telephone number provided in the letter was '+44 742 492 9985' and a fax number of '+44 138 946 8095' and the postal address was 6 St Mark's Street, Bolton, BL3 6NR.

The letters also include an email address of 'info@lexsolicitors.com' and a website of 'www.lexsolicitors.com'.

The SRA does not authorise or regulate a firm named 'Lex Solicitors LLP'.

Any business or transaction through the above contact details is not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor named Ayub Patel, with the genuine SRA ID of 32858.

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors by the name of Lex Solicitors which also uses the trading name of Lex Legal (UK) Ltd (SRA ID 570829). Its head office is 6 St Mark's Street, Bolton, BL3 6NR. The contact number is 01204 387310 and fax number is 01204 441322. The genuine firm uses the email domain @lexsolicitors.co.uk and the genuine firm confirmed they currently do not have a website.

The genuine firm of solicitors Lex Solicitors and the genuine Ayub Patel have confirmed that they do not have any genuine connection to the emails referred to in the above alert.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.