Saquib Zia
Non-lawyer manager
648415

Decision - Employee-related decision

Outcome: Control of non-qualified staff (Section 43 / Section 99 order)

Outcome date: 26 March 2025

Published date: 1 May 2025

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Cardiff Law Limited

Address(es): 5 Splott Road, Cardiff, CF24 1HA

Firm ID: 648418

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Saquib Zia, who is not a solicitor, was an owner at Cardiff Law Limited (the firm) whose head office was previously at 5 Splott Road, Cardiff, CF24 1HA.

Mr Zia was made subject to a disqualification order under section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007.

The SRA has disqualified Mr Zia from holding any of the following roles in law firms regulated by the SRA:

• Head of Legal Practice
• Head of Finance and Administration
• A manager
• An employee

Reasons/basis

The firm was authorised on 17 July 2018. At that time, Mr Zia applied to be the firm's owner with the firm being owned by Saquib Zia & Co Limited a company, at the time entirely owned by Mr Zia. On 25 January 2020, Mr Zia transferred all of the shares in Saquib Zia & Co but did not notify the SRA.

Rule 9.1 of the SRA Authorisation of Firms Rules requires "an authorised body must ensure that the SRA has approved any manager or owner of the authorised body".

On 30 August 2023, the SRA decided to intervene in the firm.

It was found that:

Allegation 1 

Mr Zia transferred 100% of the shares he held in Saquib Zia & Co Limited, an owner Cardiff Law Limited to [a family member] and failed to observe the requirement under s90 of the Legal Services Act 2007 not to do anything which cases, or substantially contributes, to Cardiff Law Limited or [the firm's manager] breaching their own obligations under s176 of the Legal Services Act 2007.

In doing so, it was found that Mr Zia caused or substantially contributed to the firm's breach of:

• Principles 1 and 2 of the SRA Principles 2019
• Paragraph 3.8 of the Code of Conduct for Firms

Our decision on sanction

Mr Zia's conduct breached relevant duties that applied to him as an owner of the firm, namely SRA Principles 2019 and SRA Code of Conduct for Firms.

It was found that it would be undesirable for Mr Zia to act as a Head of Legal Practice, Head of Finance and Administration, a manager or an employee of a body licensed in accordance with section 99 of the Legal Services Act 2007.

Mr Zia was disqualified from holding any of these roles.

He was also directed to pay costs of £600.

SRA Standards and Regulations Breached

SRA Principles 2019 

Principle 1 You act in a way that upholds the constitutional principle of the rule of law, and the proper administration of justice.

Principle 2 You act in in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons.

SRA Code of Conduct for Firms 2019

Paragraph 3.8 You notify the SRA promptly if you become aware: (a) of any material changes to information previously provided to the SRA, by you or on your behalf, about you or your managers, owners or compliance officers; and (b) that information which provided by the SRA, by you or on your behalf, about you or on your behalf, about you or your managers, owners or compliance officers is or may be false, misleading, incomplete or inaccurate.