Year of Call: 2013
Practice Areas
Zeenat is a specialist public inquiry practitioner and is currently instructed as Junior Counsel to the Inquiry for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Her practice is focused on state accountability and public interest work. She brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work, given her background in human rights and early years of practice in criminal defence. She sits as a Legally Qualified Chair for the Medical Practitioners Tribunal and a Panel Member for Redress Scotland, determining applications for redress from survivors of historic abuse.
Public Inquiries
UK Covid 19 Inquiry
Zeenat is currently instructed as Junior Counsel to the UK Covid 19 Inquiry and is a member of the Module 1 legal team, looking into the UK’s preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Greenfell Tower Inquiry
Zeenat was appointed as Junior Counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in 2017.
She is a member of the Module 4 legal team, examining the aftermath of the fire, assessing the actions of the government in response to the fire in the context of the Civil Contingencies Act statutory framework.
Inquests
Zeenat is developing her inquests practice. She has experience of representing bereaved families in inquest proceedings, in particular deaths in care home settings during the pandemic and where sensitive issues around race and religion were introduced within the scope of the inquest.
Public Law
Zeenat has experience advising individuals, NGOs and action groups in a broad range of areas including education law, challenges against the police and discrimination – with a particular emphasis on cases involving Islamophobia.
Given her early years in criminal practice she has an in-depth knowledge of criminal justice issues and is particularly interested in the intersection between public law and counter-terrorism, youth justice and racial justice issues.
Zeenat was instructed on behalf of parent action groups in Redbridge and Camden, advising hundreds of parents seeking to challenge schools and the Local Authority on the failure to properly consult in respect of the government’s implementation of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Policy.
Zeenat has advised on judicial review proceedings in relation to religious discrimination in educational institutions, referrals to PREVENT and closed cases by the police.
Following the A-Level results crisis in 2020, Zeenat led a campaign and advised a number of students from underrepresented backgrounds about how they could challenge their centre assessed grades. Zeenat was featured on ITV news as a result of this work.
Regulatory Law
Zeenat sits as a Legally Qualified Chair for the Medical Practitioners Tribunal. She accepts instructions in all matters relating to professional discipline.
Public International Law
Zeenat has wide ranging interests in human rights and public international law
In 2018, Zeenat received a grant from the Bar Council to take part in the ‘International Lawyering in the Public Interest’ summer programme at TMC Asser Institute in The Hague in affiliation with the University of Amsterdam. She deepened her understanding of strategic litigation, the importance of advocacy outside of the courtroom and how better to support community organisations in creating coalitions to achieve social change.
In 2016, Zeenat received a Pegasus Scholarship from the Inns of Court to undertake a Fellowship at the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, renowned for its movement lawyering approach. She worked within the Guantanamo Global Justice Initiative and international human rights team.
In 2015, Zeenat was a delegate on the ‘Lessons from Srebrenica’ programme with the charity Remembering Srebrenica.
Prior to the Bar, Zeenat volunteered for Restless Beings, an international human rights organisation where she worked on advocacy projects relating to Rohingya and Uighur communities.
She also worked as a Research Associate for the University of Warwick Centre for Human Rights. She gained a breadth of experience through report writing for the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency, and providing research assistance on international criminal justice, shariah law and refugee protection in the Middle East.
Associated Work
Zeenat is deeply committed to equity and inclusion work. She has founded a number of projects working with those from racialised and minoritised backgrounds. She has also been appointed to the Bar Council’s Race Training Delivery Panel and delivers freelance consultancy services advising on issues of justice, equity and social impact.
Additionally, Zeenat has a strong grounding in academia. She is an Associate Tutor at the University of Warwick School of Law and is regularly invited to advise, deliver lectures and speak at conferences.
As a result of her work, she has been recognised in a number of awards and featured on various media platforms including ITV, British Muslim TV and Islam Channel.
‘Highly skilled in terms of her advocacy. With a friendly and approachable persona, she has a natural way of putting the bereaved and survivors at ease before giving evidence. Zeenat is a calm advocate who does not falter under pressure; and is a good team-player who quickly builds strong relationships with those around her. She is also able to explain tasks clearly in order to get the best support from her team.’
Legal 500 2023 – Leading Junior, Inquests and Inquiries
Sylheti
Undertakes Public Access work
16th October 2021
The Critical Legal Pocketbook consists of a series of chapters written by expert critical legal researchers and practitioners. Zeenat’s contribution reflects on her activism and her experiences at the Bar. She invites readers to rethink the traditional confines of the legal system and re-envision a justice system for all.
8th October 2020
Zeenat’s article for the Young Bar section in Counsel Magazine is targeted at pupils about to start on their feet.
6th May 2020
Zeenat writes about her lockdown project, Redefined Lawyers, targeted at aspiring lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds.
14th February 2020
Zeenat writes about the need to rethink the Bar’s approach to diversity and inclusion, with a renewed focus on addressing root causes to achieve structural change.
12th July 2022
The conference is running across three days, featuring research and diversity based talks, highlighting issues with inequality gaps within academia and other spheres.
Read more20th June 2022
The Inquiry has appointed 49 junior Counsel to join its legal team to support Hugo Keith QC, Lead Counsel to the Inquiry, Martin Smith, Solicitor to the Inquiry and eleven recently appointed Queen’s Counsel with the preparation and delivery of the Inquiry’s investigative work.
9th June 2022
Zeenat Islam is participating in a roundtable discussion to be held on 10 June 2022 about the role of public inquiries in an event organised by the University of Warwick.
Read more9th May 2022
The Inquiry is currently hearing evidence for Module 4, examining the actions of Central Government, Local Government and the Tenant Management Organisation in the immediate aftermath of the fire. Zeenat Islam is Junior Counsel to the Inquiry, leading on the evidence relating to the bereaved, survivors, and residents, the community and faith sector, the Cabinet Office and the Tenant Management Organisation.
Read more3rd May 2022
TGC are delighted to announce that Zeenat Islam has accepted an invitation to join Temple Garden Chambers. Zeenat’s practice is focused on state accountability and public interest work. She has specialist expertise in public inquiries. Zeenat brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work, given her background in human rights and early years of practice in criminal defence.
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