Zahawi’s lawyer, Ashley Hurst, who is a partner and head of client strategy at law firm Osborne Clarke, has been ordered to pay a £50,000 fine and £265,000 in costs after being found guilty of misconduct at a Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA). The hearing began on Monday 16 December, concluding on 20 December.

Neidle is a prominent tax lawyer and tax campaigner, who challenged Hurst and refused to comply with Hurst’s demand not to publish any information about Zahawi’s tax debt to HMRC related to the sale of a family business.

The tribunal heard: ‘The allegations against the respondent, Ashley Hurst, made by the SRA, are that whilst working as a solicitor at Osborne Clarke he, on or around 16 July 2022, sent an email to Dan Neidle that improperly attempted to restrict Mr Neidle’s right to publish that email and/or discuss its contents.

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