Judge issues arrest warrant for lawyer Soophia Khan

IN an unusual episode a judge has ordered the police to arrest a lawyer after she failed to appear in court over dishonesty allegations.

The Times has reported that Soophia Khan, a well-known civil liberties campaigner has been on the run after a High Court judge issued an arrest warrant, which is believed to be a first of its kind.

Khan has been ruled to be in contempt of court after regulators shut down her Leicester law firm in August. She has been the former chairwoman of the civil litigation committee of the Law Society.

Two years ago she was involved in a bullying row after calling a staff member a "white woman".

This "intervened" in her practice, Sophie Khan & Co, over suspicions of dishonesty, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has said.

Her practice was suspended and officials went to the High Court after Khan allegedly failed to pass to the watchdog all her client files.

She was also alleged to have continued offering legal services under a new business called Just for Public Ltd.

Last week the regulators applied to the High Court for an order that would make Khan give up all her client files and also preventing her from continuing to give legal advice.

Khan did not attend the hearing and the court ruled that she was in contempt and issued a warrant for her arrest.