A Lincoln's Inn barrister, Mariam El-Sobky, has been disbarred after a series of professional missteps, culminating in a suggestion that a colleague belonged in a "mental asylum". This comment, shared in a WhatsApp group, was deemed harassment under section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 by an Employment Tribunal in February 2023.

El-Sobky's troubles didn't stop at inappropriate comments. According to a report by *The Independent*, she was involved in multiple questionable practices over the past years. Notably, she made unauthorized recordings of family court proceedings, which involved sensitive information, and shared these for transcription via WhatsApp without judicial consent.

In another breach of confidentiality in March 2021, El-Sobky sent legal documents to an employee's personal email without securing a confidentiality agreement, a move that jeopardized client privacy.

Perhaps the most severe of her infractions occurred in July 2021. El-Sobky was due to represent a mother in care proceedings but instead sent an unqualified individual to handle crucial pre-trial advocacy meetings. This not only undermined her client’s position but also forced a last-minute rescheduling of the meeting, putting additional pressure on all parties involved.

This was not El-Sobky's first encounter with disciplinary actions. Previous infractions include unauthorized communication with the opposing party in 2019 and non-compliance with a court order in 2020, for which she was reprimanded and fined.

The cumulative effect of these incidents led to her disbarment, subject to appeal, and a requirement to provide "satisfactory proof of capacity to practise" from a mental health professional approved by the Bar Standards Board before she can consider resuming her career.

This case highlights the importance of maintaining professional integrity and adherence to ethical standards within the legal profession. El-Sobky's series of violations not only affected her career but also impacted the clients and colleagues involved in her cases.