The tribunal’s decision follows his conviction over a conspiracy involving the legal aid fund.
An independent disciplinary tribunal has ordered barrister Rasib Ghaffar to be disbarred following a finding of professional misconduct arising from his criminal conviction over a conspiracy to defraud the legal aid fund.
The tribunal concluded its hearing on 8 October 2026 after considering one charge brought by the Bar Standards Board (BSB). Its findings remain subject to appeal.
According to the BSB, the disciplinary charge followed Ghaffar’s conviction at Southwark Crown Court in February 2024 for an offence involving conspiracy to defraud the legal aid fund. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment in June 2024.
The tribunal found that his conduct was likely to diminish the trust and confidence the public places in him or the legal profession, or could reasonably be seen as undermining his integrity.
The disciplinary finding records the breach as professional misconduct contrary to Core Duty 5 and/or rule rC8 of the Bar Standards Board’s Handbook, ninth edition.
The tribunal ordered Ghaffar’s disbarment. The BSB’s disciplinary record states that the sanction is still to take effect and that he has been suspended with immediate effect pending any appeal.
The disciplinary record also lists costs of £2,937 and confirms that the matter remains open to appeal.
The Bar Standards Board said that Ghaffar’s conduct resulted in a criminal conviction for dishonesty and fell below the standards expected of barristers. The regulator said the disbarment order reflected the seriousness of that conduct.
Ghaffar was called to the Bar of England and Wales by Lincoln’s Inn in July 1995.
The disciplinary decision does not yet represent a final outcome in the sense of being beyond appeal. The tribunal’s findings and the sanction remain subject to the applicable appeal process.