Zira Hussain

Junior A

13 Feb

Call: 1998

Zira Hussain

LLB (Hons ) Law

Legal Aid Supplier Number 305RU

Zira has practised exclusively in family law for over 20 years and has extensive court experience. Her areas of practice are private and public law children, financial remedies, domestic abuse, forced marriage and honour based violence.

Zira is a fearless, tenacious, conscientious and hardworking barrister. She is known as a fighter and is a strong advocate. She is renowned for her thorough preparation and detailed knowledge of case papers. She combines strong client care skills with robust and effective advocacy. Zira has a reputation for always going the extra mile.

Expertise

Private Law Children

Zira has extensive experience in conducting hearings relating to all aspects of private law children proceedings including child arrangements orders, prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders. Zira represents mothers, fathers, grandparents and other family members. Zira also represents children through their Guardian ad Litem. Zira has a particular interest in applications for leave to remove children from the jurisdiction and applications under the Hague Convention.

Zira has been involved in cases involving complex cultural and jurisdictional issues. She has conducted lengthy finding of fact hearings in these cases. Zira is sought after counsel for findings of fact hearings due to her dynamic cross examination skills. Zira has interest in cases involving religious upbringing of children. She was led by Queens Counsel in a complex case where the court was being asked to determine the religious upbringing of a child Re N (A Child: Religion: Jehovah’s Witness) 2011 EWHC 3737

Public Law Children

Zira has vast experience in complex and difficult public law cases. She represents local authorities, parents, Children’s Guardians and extended family members at all court levels. Zira has a detailed knowledge of the children and adoption legislation and associated case law. She has been instructed in proceedings involving the most serious types of non accidental injuries, neglect, physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Zira is well respected for the quality of her court performance and robust advocacy where necessary.

Zira has interest and experience in matters involving complex medical evidence, mental health issues, problems associated with addiction and cognitive impairment. Zira has experience of acting for those with complex psychiatric issues. She is known for her ability to engage those with complex problems and her commitment to ensuring their rights are properly recognised. She remains committed to representing the most vulnerable. Zira’s approach to vulnerable clients is always sympathetic and sensitive.

Zira has experience advising and representing parties in applications involving children giving evidence. She is also experienced in cross examining children and vulnerable witnesses. Zira has significant experience in cross examining expert witnesses including psychiatrists and psychologists.

Financial Remedies

Zira undertakes all types of work relating to resolving financial issues between divorcing couples. She represents husband, wives and intervenors in proceedings in the Family Court and the High Court.

Zira has experience in dealing with straightforward to complex financial remedy cases including applications under s37 Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, third parties claiming beneficial interests in matrimonial assets, land and foreign property and maintenance pending suit applications.

Zira has experience of dealing with cases involving variation and capitalisation of maintenance, applications to set aside consent orders, appeals in financial remedy proceedings and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. Zira has experience in cases involving consideration and drafting of pre nuptial agreements. She was instructed to draft a pre nuptial agreement for a premier league professional footballer.

Zira is well placed due to her experience in the field of private law children matters to deal with those cases where issues of child arrangements are tied up with the issue of what orders the court should make in respect of the former matrimonial home.

Zira welcomes instructions at the early stages of the proceedings and would wish to see a case through from the First Directions Appointment to Final Hearing in order to provide informed and focused representation at every stage in the proceedings. She will advise realistically, practically and negotiate a settlement where it is in her client’s interests to do so. She will always advise on commerciality of proceedings

Domestic Abuse

Zira is renowned for her experience in the area of domestic abuse. She has the ability to deal with complex and serious domestic abuse cases. Zira represents both alleged victims and alleged perpetrators of such abuse and has conducted lengthy findings of fact hearings. Zira has extensive experience of applications under the Family Law Act 1996 including contested non molestation orders and occupation orders. Zira is known for her meticulous preparation and being able to quickly and expertly get to the core of the dispute and ensure her client receives the best and most robust representation.

Outside of work Zira has chaired a workshop which investigated the experiences of BAME women in accessing legal aid in domestic abuse cases. The ultimate aim of the consultation was to influence proposed legal aid reforms and gather ideas to improve access to legal aid and access to information. The consultation resulted in the publication of a national report titled “ Report on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Women, Domestic Abuse and Access to Legal Aid”

Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation

Zira has particular interest in applications for forced marriage protection orders and female genital mutilation orders having advised and represented local authorities and the police in making applications as well as representing respondents to such applications.

Clerks

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