Practice Overview
Saiful specialises in all areas of family law with a particular focus on public law children representing parents. Formerly a solicitor advocate, Saiful was called to the Bar in 2005 and thus his experience as a solicitor coupled with his many years of experience at the Bar means that he has a good understanding of the needs of his clients, both professional and lay.
Saiful is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals [IAPP] as an Information Privacy Professional in Europe [CIPP/E] and therefore UKGDPR matters also form part of his practice.
Saiful’s wide ranging experience in complex family law cases include, representing a father in care proceedings accused of attempting to kill for honour, representing a mother in care proceedings after having been convicted of FGM, representing parents in forced marriage cases, representing a father in a NAI case as well as later being led by a silk in another NAI case in which the fact-finding trial lasted a month. More recently, Saiful has successfully represented a father in the High Court in an international child abduction matter where the mother contested jurisdiction and later both the mother and the guardian unsuccessfully opposed the return of the child. The basis of the unsuccessful challenge to jurisdiction was that the father did not make his application for return until two years after the child had been removed and as such the child had acquired a new habitual residence. The basis of the unsuccessful challenge to an order for return was that the child is now settled and thriving in India, the 3 ½ year old child having lived in England for only the initial 6 months of her life but in India for 3 years since and she has no knowledge of her father, England or the English language.
Saiful is a robust advocate, analytical and highly tenacious. He has been described by clients as ‘friendly’ and ‘down to earth’, by opponents as ‘a terrier’ and by judges as ‘thorough’ and ‘extremely skilful.’
Saiful is accredited to receive instructions direct from the public.
Reported Cases
MSZ v RMA v MZ [Re MZ] [2022] EWHC [judgment still in the draft stage]
Successful representation of the Applicant father in post-Brexit international child abduction – Non-Hague – Wrongful Removal – Return Order
MZ v RZ [2021] EWHC 2940 [Fam]
Successful representation of the Applicant father in post-Brexit international child abduction – Non-Hague – Wrongful Removal – Jurisdiction – Habitual Residence
A v SM & anor [2012] EWHC 435 [Fam]
Representation of parents in Forced Marriage case which included consideration of applications for forced marriage protection orders under Part 4A of the Family Law Act 1996
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Degree/University
LLB Honours – University of Hertfordshire
Certifications
Certified by the IAPP as an Information Privacy Professional in Europe [CIPP/E]
Memberships
Professional member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals [IAPP]
Languages
Bengali – Sylheti dialect [fluent]
Outside Interests
Cycling, martial arts [Wing Chun], cooking and reading.