SRA bars Gulfraz Khan from criminal work and compliance roles pending final decision
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has imposed interim conditions on the practising certificate of solicitor Gulfraz Khan, restricting the scope of his legal practice while regulatory proceedings continue.
The decision, dated 21 July 2025 and published on 1 October 2025, affects Khan in his role at Blackwells Solicitors Limited, based in Keighley, West Yorkshire.
According to the regulator, Khan’s 2024/25 practising certificate is now subject to several conditions. He is prohibited from acting as a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP), Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA), or as Head of Legal Practice (HOLP) or Head of Finance and Administration (HOFA) in any authorised firm.
Embed from Getty Images
He is also barred from undertaking any criminal work, including representing clients or attending at:
- Police stations
- Magistrates’ courts
- Crown courts
- Prisons
In addition, Khan may only act as a solicitor in roles specifically approved by the SRA, unless he is working as a manager or owner of Blackwells Solicitors Limited.
The SRA stated that these conditions were imposed under Rule 3.2 of the Regulatory and Disciplinary Procedure Rules, which allows interim restrictions to be placed on solicitors’ practising certificates when it is deemed necessary in the public interest or for the protection of the public.
The regulator emphasised that such conditions do not represent a final decision, but remain in place pending the outcome of ongoing regulatory proceedings. No further details of the underlying concerns have yet been published.
In its decision notice, the SRA said: “We are satisfied that these conditions are necessary in the public interest or for the protection of the public.”
Interim controls of this kind are commonly imposed where regulators believe there may be risks to the public or to client interests if unrestricted practice continues. They can be varied, extended or lifted depending on the progress and outcome of the wider investigation or any referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).
Khan, solicitor number 502757, remains authorised to practise law under the limitations imposed. He retains his position at Blackwells Solicitors Limited, registered under firm ID 666115, but cannot act in criminal matters or hold key compliance functions without SRA consent.
The publication of the conditions highlights the regulator’s willingness to intervene early where it considers there is potential risk, even before any final determination has been made.
It also underscores the seriousness with which compliance and criminal practice are regulated, as both areas are seen as central to protecting the public and maintaining confidence in the profession.
No date has yet been given for a final decision in Khan’s case. The SRA has discretion to review and amend the restrictions as proceedings develop.