A solicitor who misled the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) during an investigation into his “manifestly incompetent conduct” has been struck off. Client A was also a family friend, worked at the firm and had close financial ties to Mr Ilyas, 41. The work was done by a paralegal at Goldmark; Mr Ilyas was the supervisor and the documents were in his name. Mr Ilyas admitted various rule breaches, including that he had failed to supervise the matter properly and failed to ensure witness statements signed by him were accurate. Mr Ilyas was struck off and ordered to pay costs of £28,000.