Overview
Kawsar is a CEDR Accredited Mediator, internationally recognised as the standard of excellence for mediators. He accepts instructions to act as a Mediator or as a Mediation Advocate, from both professional clients and on a direct access basis.
Kawsar enjoys a diverse practice with particular expertise in Regulatory, Employment and Public Law. He has appeared before a range of courts and specialist tribunals. He 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 & 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.
Kawsar is accredited to accept direct instructions from members of the public where appropriate.
Languages
- English
- Bengali
Practice and Experience
Kawsar has advised and acted for clients on a range of regulatory law 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.
He has also acted 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 grant decisions. He was interviewed and recognised by the BBC as the leading barrister in this field.
Kawsar is an experienced investigator and has led internal investigations and inquiries in the corporate, public and charitable sector – often involving multiple jurisdictions. Recent investigations include a complex racial discrimination complaint at a public body and an employment grievance investigation within an international NGO.
He is currently a counsel to the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing and security cleared to SC Level. As a result, he has good knowledge of police law and other public law issues including judicial review, and claims under the Human Rights Act.
Previous Experience
- Associate (Lawyer), Allen and Overy LLP
- Trainee Solicitor, Clifford Chance LLP
Other Experience
Kawsar is an experienced advocate in all Employment Tribunal matters. He has a particular interest in discrimination cases and those involving a financial and/or corporate element. He has recently successfully represented:
• As leading junior, a group of 74 claimants in a class action against Carillion plc, in a 10-day preliminary hearing at the Manchester Employment Tribunal. The compulsory liquidation of Carillion plc is described by the Insolvency Service as the largest and most complex trading liquidation in the UK. Kawsar’s oral advocacy and submissions were praised by co-counsel as “very persuasive and attractive”; and
• A senior executive in a breach of (employment) contract claim against an international company involving complex legal argument on formation of contract at the London Central Tribunal.
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.
In addition to court work, Kawsar provides training and seminars to law firms, corporate and financial institutions as well as charities on a range of employment matters. He is instructed in pre-litigation matters including advising on: settlement and compromise agreements; handling internal grievance and disciplinary proceedings; and drafting policy documents.
Sector Experience
Banking, Finance, Leisure, Healthcare, Education, Social Care, local government, Police, Fire and Rescue and the NHS.
Recommendations
“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
Appointments
Junior Junior Counsel, Undercover Policing Inquiry
Junior Junior Counsel, Attorney General’s Civil Panel Counsel
Level 1 Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service Advocate Panel
Teaching Associate in Law, Queen Mary University of London
Governor, Morpeth Secondary School
Trustee, Toynbee Hall
Awards
Ann Goddard Scholarship, Gray’s Inn (2019)
Excellence in Advocacy, Criminal Bar Association Award (2018)
Shortlisted, Junior Lawyer of the Year, Law Society of England and Wales (2018)
Fulbright Scholarship, Harvard Law School (2013-14)
Tun Mahathir Scholarship OCIS, University of Oxford (2012-13)
2HC Scholarship, London School of Economics (2009-12)
Prime Minister’s Global Fellow (2009)
Memberships
Roll of Solicitors, Law Society of Ireland (2018)
Roll of Solicitors, Law Society of England and Wales (2017)
Accelerated Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC), University of Law (2014-15)
The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
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)
