Kawsar Zaman is a highly-respected and experienced barrister enjoying a diverse practice with particular expertise in Regulatory, Employment, and Public Law. He has appeared before a range of courts and specialist tribunals and is regularly instructed in complex matters - beyond his level of call – both as an advocate as well as in an advisory and investigatory capacity.
Before becoming a Barrister, Kawsar was a solicitor at ‘Magic Circle’ law firms Clifford Chance LLP and Allen and Overy LLP in London, where he specialised in Financial Services Regulatory Law acting for some of the world’s largest corporate and financial institutions on a range of high-profile matters. He also worked on high-value International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation matters, complex Banking and Finance transactions, and in forming Private Funds.
Kawsar graduated with a First-Class law degree from the London School of Economics, before reading for the BCL at Oxford University as an OCIS Scholar, and then the LLM at Harvard Law School, where he was Fulbright Scholar. In 2009, he was a Global Fellow of the Prime Minister.
He is currently a senior publicly elected official as an Alderman of the City of London.
Kawsar is accredited to accept direct instructions from members of the public where appropriate.
Professional Discipline Practice and Experience
Kawsar has advised and acted for clients on a range of professional discipline matters.
He is frequently instructed in professional discipline proceedings. He has acted for doctors, osteopaths and nurses in full and interim order hearings before: the General Medical Council’s Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service; General Osteopathic Council’s Professional Conduct Committee; and the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Fitness to Practise Committee.
Investigations - Financial Regulatory and Other Investigations
Kawsar is a very experienced investigator and has led, as sole investigator, internal investigations and inquiries in the corporate, public and charitable sectors, including those involving multiple jurisdictions. He is adept at interviewing witnesses and producing reports with findings and recommendations.
For three years, Kawsar investigated the actions of senior and junior undercover police officers as a security-cleared counsel to the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing. As a result, he has good knowledge and experience of handling complex investigations and dealing with related legal issues arising, including public disclosure, privilege and security matters.
He has also acted for the Bank of England is a regulatory investigation into a financial institution and its directors, and for landlords in appeals against local authority issued Interim and Final Management Orders and Final Penalty Notices under the Housing Act 2004.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Kawsar represented businesses across the country in challenging local authority decisions in rejecting COVID-19 Business Support Scheme grants. He was interviewed and recognised by the BBC as the leading barrister in this field.
Recent instructions have included, investigating:
- a 70-page employment related grievance from two employees within a major charity requiring interviews with 10+ individuals;
- a complex and sensitive race discrimination grievance at a mainstream school requiring interviews with numerous staff; and
- allegations of improper conduct against a senior employed solicitor at a regional law firm.
As a senior public official holding the office of an Alderman of the City of London, he is highly respected and sought-after counsel for investigations.
Other Related Practice Areas
In Employment Law, Kawsar has advised and acted for both claimants and respondents on the full range of statutory employment law matters. He frequently appears before the Employment Tribunal including in matters involving: unfair dismissal; direct and indirect discrimination; redundancy; equal pay; harassment; victimisation; whistleblowing; employment status issues; and specific disclosure. He has a particular interest in discrimination cases and those involving a financial and/or corporate element.
In Public Law, as an education law specialist he has appeared in specialist tribunals in a number of complex and important cases concerning Education, Health and Care Plan appeals and disability discrimination claims. Kawsar is also instructed to advise and appear in judicial review claims, and has experience in civil claims against educational institutions and regulators, and advises institutions on issues of governance and safeguarding. He has also appeared before, and/or acted as a clerk to, a range of ad hoc decision-making bodies in respect of school admissions, exclusions, and transport.
As a member of the Attorney General and Government Legal Department’s ‘Junior Junior’ Panel, he enjoys a busy public sector practice in all types of Employment, Regulatory and Public Law proceedings.
As a member of the Attorney General and Government Legal Department’s ‘Junior Junior’ Panel, he enjoys a busy public sector practice in all types of Employment, Regulatory and Public Law proceedings.
Testimonials
“You will have seen that I have attended as much of the hearing before the General Osteopathic Council as was allowed and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for what you have achieved for my brother. While his family knew that it was inconceivable that he would ever have acted in the way alleged, the charges brought against him still had to be vigorously contested and you did this with considerable skill, determination and thoroughness. For all of that, thank you. Now we just have to ensure that he recovers from what, of course, has been a horrendous year.”
Registrant’s brother following full acquittal of all allegations in GOsC Fitness to Practice Proceedings
“Thank you Kawsar for putting me at my ease. The confidence you gave me continued to grow, even more so listening to your seemingly gentle yet persistent cross-examination and summing-up speech. I was impressed in how little time it took you to get to grips with the crux of my case. Thank you for everything and giving us our lives back.”
Registrant acquitted of all allegations of a serious sexual nature before the General Osteopathic Council’s Fitness to Practice Committee
“I would like to convey my sincerest thanks to you for your professionalism and consistently high-quality support and guidance over the period of the complaint from GOSC. You represented me in a manner which elicited my trust and confidence. You went well beyond a simple professional transaction. I always felt valued and respected. I particularly appreciated how he dealt with two important issues – the presence of an observer at the hearing - having him excluded from my evidence giving, and also the GOSC’s non-disclosure of information which was essential in backing up my story.”
The Registrant - Multi-day hearing before the General Osteopathic Council
Previous Experience
- Associate (Lawyer), Allen and Overy LLP
- Trainee Solicitor, Clifford Chance LLP
Sector Experience
Banking, Finance, Leisure, Healthcare, Education, Social Care, Local Government, Police, Fire and Rescue and the NHS.
Legal Appointments
- Counsel, Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing (2019 - 2022)
- Guest Teacher in Law, London School of Economics & Political Sciences
- Visiting Lecturer in Law, University in Law
- JJ Counsel, Government Legal Department / Attorney General’s Civil Panel Counsel
- Level 1 Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service Advocate Panel
- Judge, Women & Diversity in Law Awards
Other Appointments
- Elected Alderman of the City of London
- Honoury Member, Honourable Artillery Company
- Governor, Morpeth Secondary School
- Trustee, Wembley Stadium Foundation
Awards
- Ann Goddard Scholarship, Gray’s Inn (2019)
- Prime Minister’s Global Fellow (2009)
- Shortlisted, Junior Lawyer of the Year, Law Society of England and Wales (2018)
- Excellence in Advocacy, Criminal Bar Association Award (2018)
- Tun Mahathir Scholarship OCIS, University of Oxford (2012-13)
- 2HC Scholarship, London School of Economics (2009-12)
- Fulbright Scholarship, Harvard Law School (2013-14)
Memberships
- Roll of Solicitors, Law Society of Ireland (2018)
- The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
- Accelerated Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC), University of Law (2014-15)
- Roll of Solicitors, Law Society of England and Wales (2017)
- Member, City of London Law Society
- Member, City of London Solicitors’ Company
Qualifications
- Harvard Law School, Master of Laws (LLM), Fulbright Scholar (2013-14)
- University of Oxford, Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL), Tun Mahathir Scholar OCIS (2012-13)
- London School of Economics, Bachelor of Laws (LLB), First Class Honours, 2HC Scholar (2009-12)
Languages
- English
- Bengali
