Rahman barred from managing firms, confined to limited freelance work under SRA rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has again imposed strict conditions on the practising certificate of solicitor Waheed Rahman, marking the third consecutive year that his professional work has been restricted. The decision, dated 17 September 2025 and published on 26 September, prevents Rahman from holding senior positions within authorised firms and limits his ability to practise independently.
The regulator confirmed that Rahman is not permitted to act as a manager or owner of any authorised body. He may work only as an employee solicitor, and even then, the role must first be approved by the SRA. In addition, he is barred from serving as a compliance officer for legal practice or for finance and administration. The ruling does allow him to work as a freelance solicitor, but only in the unreserved category of services and only for certifying documents and photographs. According to the SRA, the conditions are necessary in the public interest and are reasonable and proportionate when considered against the purposes set out in the regulatory framework and the principles underpinning the Legal Services Act 2007.
This latest ruling follows an established pattern. In March 2023, the SRA imposed near-identical restrictions on Rahman’s 2022/2023 practising certificate, a decision published the following month. That order made clear he could not manage or own a firm, could not hold compliance roles, and could practise on a freelance basis only for document certification. In May 2024, the same outcome was applied for the 2023/2024 practising certificate and was published on 4 June of that year. The continuation of these measures into the 2024/2025 year demonstrates a consistent regulatory approach to Rahman’s practice.
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Throughout these years, Rahman has been linked to a number of organisations, including Legal Companion Limited, Founthill Ltd, and Castlemere Developments Limited. Despite variations in his professional associations, the regulator has maintained the same restrictions across each annual decision, indicating a sustained view that his practice must remain tightly controlled.
The SRA has explained in earlier decisions that publication of these outcomes is necessary to uphold confidence in the regulatory system and to ensure transparency. It has repeatedly found that none of the circumstances that would make publication inappropriate apply in Rahman’s case. By making the conditions public, the regulator signals its commitment to accountability and to protecting the public interest.
The conditions leave Rahman’s scope of practice significantly curtailed. While he is still permitted to work within the profession, his role is strictly limited to pre-approved employment and narrowly defined freelance activities. This prevents him from taking on wider responsibilities or engaging in reserved legal services, such as conducting litigation or advocacy, unless employed in an approved role. The effect is that his professional activities are monitored and confined in a way that ensures he cannot take on roles that involve greater responsibility or risk.
The repeated renewal of these restrictions makes clear that the SRA continues to consider Rahman’s practice unsuitable for full authorisation. The decisions have deprived him of the ability to lead or own a legal practice and excluded him from compliance oversight. At the same time, they allow him to remain in the profession in a limited capacity, with work largely confined to certifying documents and photographs.
For now, Waheed Rahman remains on the roll of solicitors but subject to some of the tightest controls available to the regulator. With three consecutive practising certificates carrying near-identical conditions, the SRA has given no indication of when, or if, the restrictions might be lifted.