Bolton solicitor barred from ownership and compliance role
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has imposed conditions on the practising certificate of Sarfraz Mustaque Amanji for the 2025/2026 practice year.
The regulatory decision was made on 13 January 2026 and published on 13 February 2026. The outcome was reached by SRA’s decision under its control of practice powers.
At the time of the matters giving rise to the outcome, Mr Amanji was practising at Kingsnorth Solicitors Limited, based at First Floor, Newspaper House, 40 Churchgate, Bolton, BL1 1HL.
Under the conditions imposed, Mr Amanji is prohibited from acting as a manager or owner of any authorised body. This restriction prevents him from holding any ownership or senior management position within a regulated law firm.
The SRA has also limited the basis on which he may continue to practise. Subject to the restriction on management and ownership, Mr Amanji may practise only as an employee, and only where the specific role has first been approved by the regulator. This means he cannot take up employment as a solicitor without prior SRA authorisation for that position.
In addition, Mr Amanji is barred from acting as a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) or as a Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) for any authorised body. These roles carry responsibility for ensuring regulatory compliance and financial oversight within firms.
The SRA confirmed that the terms referenced in the conditions are defined in its Glossary.
In explaining its reasoning, the regulator stated that the conditions are necessary in the public interest. It described them as reasonable and proportionate, having regard to the purposes set out in regulation 7 of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations.
The SRA further referred to the regulatory objectives and principles governing regulatory activities as contained in section 28 of the Legal Services Act 2007.
No additional detail has been published regarding the underlying circumstances leading to the decision.
The conditions apply to Mr Amanji’s practising certificate for the 2025/2026 practice year unless varied or otherwise amended by the regulator.