Profile description
Prior to pupillage, Rehana worked as a paralegal in the International Group Claims department at Leigh Day assisting in civil claims involving alleged human rights abuses at the hands of British forces by claimants in Afghanistan. She also served a 4-year term as a Director for the School Exclusion Project, run jointly by City Law School & Matrix Chambers, as part of a small team that developed and pioneered the project. During this time she represented clients with Special Educational Needs at Governor Hearings, Independent Review Panels and First-Tier Tribunals.
Rehana is the first Afghan national to be called to the Bar by Inner Temple and is the only female Afghan Barrister currently practising in England and Wales.
Rehana welcomes instructions that are either privately funded or legally aided and is also happy to assist on a Public Access basis where appropriate.
Immigration
Rehana is regularly instructed in the First-Tier and Upper Tribunals, High Court and Court of Appeal on asylum and public law cases, with a particular focus on complex claims and those involving victims of torture, sexual violence and LGBTQ.
Rehana is highly regarded for her ability to engage with particularly vulnerable clients and to approach her cases with a strong client-focus.
Her refugee and asylum work means that she frequently receives instructions to provide advice, drafting witness statements and drafting grounds of appeal in areas including:
- Asylum (particular experience LGBTQ, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan)
- Article 8
- EEA applications and appeals
- Entry Clearance Officer applications and appeals
- Criminal deportations
- Extradition
- Unlawful detention
- Judicial Reviews (both to the Admin Court and Upper Tribunal)
- Tier 4 (General Student) and TOEIC applications and appeals
- Entrepreneur and business applications and appeals
- Upper Tribunal, permission and full hearings
- Challenging the certification of decisions
- Emergency Injunctions
Education
Rehana is particularly passionate about Education Law. Prior to commencing pupillage, Rehana was a Director of The School Exclusion Project for four years. This is an award-winning pro-bono unit dedicated to representing parents of permanently excluded school children.
Rehana is instructed to act and advise in relation to a broad range of Education Law matters, including:
- Breach of contract and negligence claims involving education providers
- School Exclusions
- School Admissions
- Appeals to the SEND Tribunal on the content of EHC Plans
- Discrimination (particularly disability discrimination) claims in the FTT and County Court
- Internal academic appeals / Fitness to Practice appeals
- Appeals to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator
- Judicial Reviews
