The Highsted Community were delighted to welcome students, parents and special guests to our annual Award’s evening.

We were particularly pleased to welcome back so many of our past Year 13 students who were keen to regale us of their adventures in the workplace and university life. In keeping with the celebration of the excellent outcomes of the Class of 2022, it was fitting to welcome our Key Note Speaker Tayyiba Bajwa of Doughty Street Chambers, London. Tayyiba combines a criminal practice with work in related areas including inquests, crime-related public law, prison law and actions against the police. She also has a busy international practice and has been instructed in proceedings before the ICC, IACHR and WGAD.

Tayyiba has a busy criminal practice representing clients accused of a wide range of criminal offences and appears regularly in the youth, magistrates’ and Crown Court. She has also advised on appeals against conviction and sentence and has a particular expertise in challenging the convictions of victims of trafficking in the youth and adult courts.

In addition to her criminal practice, Tayyiba has also been instructed in a number of inquests to represent the families of the deceased. In addition, Tayyiba has also been actively involved in the sphere of public law and been instructed on a number of urgent judicial review claims. She has appeared unled in the High Court and has a particular expertise in crime-related public law.

Alongside her domestic law practice, Tayyiba has a developing international law practice. Having worked at a number of international human rights NGOs, Tayyiba is instructed in relation to an application on behalf of victims in relation to the ICC’s investigation into war crimes in Palestine. Tayyiba was also instructed by Reprieve to act for two Yemeni families, in a challenge to the legality of US targeted killing operations before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.

It was tremendous to observe the impact of Tayyiba’s message of hope and conviction to our students as they seek to make a difference and champion the diverse causes that we here at Highsted want to emulate.

To read a personal account of the evening by Highsted student, Vanessa A, just  follow this link.