A former Linklaters paralegal convicted of defrauding the magic circle firm of around £86,000 has been barred from working in the legal sector by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Raza Kanval was suspended from Linklaters in March 2012 for duplicating signatures to benefit his friend, Karim Rashid, and was dismissed by the firm in May that year.

Kanval appeared at City of London Magistrates' Court in June 2013 alongside Rashid, who was accused of possessing the criminal proceeds.

Kanval was convicted of fraud in June last year and was sentenced that September to 12 months' imprisonment. Rashid, who is not a current or former employee of Linklaters, received the same sentence.

The SRA has now ruled that "no solicitor shall employ or remunerate Raza Kanval in connection with his/her practice as a solicitor".

The order sets out five other conditions on Kanval's employment, including that no employee of a solicitor or recognised body can employ or remunerate him.

Linklaters carried out an investigation within its London legal services centre in 2013 in the wake of additional complaints of fraudulent billing. Kanval gave evidence at an employment tribunal related to the probe. However, there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations.