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Congratulations to our seven pupils who have successfully entered their second six and are now accepting instructions in their own cases. Hasham Sarwar is...
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Hasham is a second six pupil undertaking a specialist Family Law Pupillage, under the supervision of Catherine Rimmer and Andrew Haggis. Hasham is a highly personable and client-focused advocate who has quickly developed a busy practice. He welcomes instructions across all areas of Family Law.
Prior to joining St John’s Buildings, Hasham worked as a county court advocate, covering over 1500 hearings, across multiple practice areas. Hasham also worked as a paralegal for a number of years before becoming an advocate, which has helped him build a well-rounded skillset and client-focused approach.
Hasham also has a history of engaging in pro-bono opportunities. His work includes:
- Representing vulnerable individuals in the Social Security Tribunal.
- Delivering seminars on Forced Marriage Protection Orders for organisations such as the Saheli Project.
- Offering free advice at the Manchester Legal Centre across multiple disciplines, including employment, housing, family and general civil law.
Children (Public and Private law)
Public Law
Hasham is regularly instructed to act on behalf of the local authority, parents, intervenors and children in public law proceedings. Hasham’s work to date includes:
- Interim Care Orders
- Contested Interim Removal Applications
- Care and Placement Orders
- Appealing Adoption Applications
- Special Guardianship Orders
- Finding of Fact Hearings
- Case Management and Issues Resolution Hearings
- Part 25 Applications for Expert Instruction
- Non-accidental Injury
Hasham has also engaged with complex legal principles on the following:
- Service of Witness Summons out of jurisdiction
- Adverse Inferences against parties failing to engage in fact find hearings
- Resisting Oxfordshire arguments on behalf of the local authority
- Designation
Private Law
Hasham is regularly instructed on behalf of Applicants and Respondents in private law proceedings. Hasham deploys a client-friendly approach in which he offers early advice and resolution-based strategies. To date, he has secured a number of successful outcomes for his clients, including cases where he has challenged Cafcass recommendations at final trial. His work includes:
- Child Arrangement Orders (both for and against individuals with serious findings of domestic abuse, including rape and sexual assault)
- Prohibited Steps Orders
- Occupation Orders
- Specific Issue Orders
- Non-molestation Orders
- Enforcement of Child Arrangement Orders
Hasham continues to develop his private law practice during pupillage.
Family finance
Hasham has a keen intertest in matrimonial finance law. During his first six he shadowed senior members of chambers, including King’s Counsel, on complex matrimonial finance disputes. He has observed final hearings, drafted FDA/FDR notes, and assisted Counsel in cases involving cryptocurrency and international assets.
Hasham continues to develop his expertise in this area during the course of his pupillage.
Civil Background
Before pupillage, Hasham practised as a County Court Advocate for over three years, conducting more than 1500 hearings across a broad range of civil practice areas. He regularly appeared against counsel in contested hearings, including applications and small claims trials, and gained experience in drafting skeleton arguments. His work also involved working closely with fee earners and lay clients throughout proceedings.
Hasham gained considerable experience in the following areas:
- Breach of contract
- Road traffic accidents
- Credit hire
- OIC hearings
- Mortgage possession (including claims by fixed charge receivers against trespassers)
- Charging orders
- Orders for Sale
- Pre-action disclosure
- Housing (possession, housing disrepair, tenancy deposit claims)
- Bankruptcy
- Return of goods
- CPR applications (amendments to statement of case/summary judgment, default judgment etc)
Hasham’s prior civil law experience has shaped him as a solution-based advocate, who is able to settle cases at early stages during family proceedings. Examples include:
- Securing final orders in Public Law proceedings by effectively negotiating threshold findings
- Securing special guardianship orders by consent
- Securing non-molestation orders without full trial
Education
- BPC – University of Law Manchester (2022)
- Law LLB – University of Manchester (2021)
Memberships
- The Inner Temple
