Tribunal told of solicitor’s repeated law-breaking behind the wheel
A solicitor has been fined £15,000 after admitting a series of criminal offences, including repeated drink-driving convictions, driving while disqualified and possession of cocaine.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard the case against Vipul Kapoor on 8 April 2026 following proceedings brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Kapoor, who qualified as a solicitor in 2009, admitted all allegations against him.
According to tribunal documents, the offences took place between 2017 and 2023. The first incident occurred on 4 February 2017 when Kapoor was convicted of driving with excess alcohol. Police had reportedly warned him not to drive after concerns were raised about his condition. Officers later stopped his vehicle and recorded a breath alcohol reading significantly above the legal limit.
A second drink-driving conviction followed on 24 December 2019. The tribunal then heard that on 19 December 2020 Kapoor committed several further offences, including driving while over the alcohol limit, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and possession of cocaine, a Class A drug.
In December 2023, Kapoor also accepted an adult conditional caution for being drunk and disorderly. Tribunal records stated that none of the convictions had been reported to the SRA until November 2023, despite solicitors being required to disclose such matters promptly to the regulator.
The tribunal heard that Kapoor worked at several law firms during the offending period, including Olswang LLP, TLT LLP and Naylor Solicitors LLP. He is currently employed by Mezzle Limited and Gotelee Solicitors LLP.
During the hearing, Kapoor apologised for his conduct and described the period as a “madness” linked to alcohol dependency. Medical evidence presented before the tribunal stated that he had struggled with alcoholism during a period marked by personal and professional difficulties.
Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Anthony John Wilkins told the tribunal that Kapoor’s alcohol dependency had been associated with pressures including long working hours, bereavement and the breakdown of his first marriage. However, the psychiatrist concluded that Kapoor had still understood his professional obligations and remained capable of reporting the convictions to the regulator.
The tribunal also heard that Kapoor had remained abstinent since December 2023 and regularly attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Medical evidence reviewed during the proceedings found no indication of excessive alcohol use between 2024 and 2026.
The SRA argued that the misconduct undermined public confidence in the legal profession because it involved repeated criminal offending and a prolonged failure to notify the regulator. While the tribunal accepted that a suspension would have been a defensible outcome, it decided a financial penalty was appropriate after considering Kapoor’s admissions, remorse and evidence of rehabilitation.
Alongside the £15,000 fine, Kapoor was ordered to pay costs of £10,688.