Solicitor referred to tribunal over alleged offensive and antisemitic posts
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has referred a solicitor to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) over allegations relating to social media conduct.
Cemil Gursel is facing disciplinary proceedings following a decision by the SRA dated 31 March 2025 and published on 1 April 2026. The case will now be considered by the independent tribunal, which will determine whether the allegations are proven.
According to the SRA, the tribunal has certified that there is a case to answer in respect of allegations concerning posts made on Mr Gursel’s Twitter account between May 2022 and February 2023. The regulator alleges that the content included antisemitic and/or inappropriate and/or offensive material.
The referral marks the next stage in the disciplinary process, where evidence will be examined in detail during a formal hearing. The SDT operates independently of the SRA and is responsible for making findings of fact and, where appropriate, imposing sanctions.
No further details about the content of the posts or the context in which they were made have been included in the published decision. The allegations remain unproven at this stage and will be subject to full consideration by the tribunal.
The SRA has emphasised that its role is to investigate potential breaches of professional standards and to refer matters to the SDT where there is sufficient evidence to justify formal proceedings.
Cases involving social media conduct have increasingly formed part of regulatory oversight, particularly where online activity may raise questions about a solicitor’s adherence to professional principles, including integrity and maintaining public trust in the profession.
The outcome of the proceedings will depend on the tribunal’s assessment of the evidence presented by both the SRA and Mr Gursel.
No hearing date has been confirmed in the published notice.