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Islam Chowdhary

Area of practice

  • Civil and Commercial

  • Crime and Extradition

  • Immigration and Asylum

Professional Profile
Islam Chowdhary, LL.M, MCIarb.
Professional qualifications
Called to the Bar: Lincoln’s Inn 1982 BVC    Inns of Court School of Law 1982 LL.M   School of Oriental and African Studies, London – 1991-92 LL.B    Law College, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan – 1963-65
Membership of Professional bodies:
(1) Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (“MCIArb”).
(2) Professional Negligence Bar Association.
Professional Chambers with Barristers’ Chambers, Article6Law, at 2 Kings Bench Walk, Inner Temple, London, EC4Y 7DE [Tele: 0044-207 583 1726]. Website: https://www.article6law.com/
February 2003 –September 2010
February 2003, set up Mitre Chambers in 4 Old Mitre Court, London, EC4Y 7BP and was elected as Head of Chambers. In August 2007, Chambers moved to One Middle Temple Lane, London, EC4Y 7BP.
1988-2003
Practised from 9 King’s Bench Walk, Temple, London, EC4Y as a self-employed Barrister, Chaired the Chambers’ Pupillage Committee and throughout the period of practice in Chambers acted as a Treasurer and joint Head of Chambers.
1988-2002
Standing Counsel for Pakistani Banks in the United Kingdom – Muslim Commercial Bank, United Bank, Habib Bank and National Bank of Pakistan.
Drafted security documentation of Habib Bank pursuant to the instructions of Bank of England following the case of in re Charge Card Services Limited (1986) Millet J (as he then
was), which called in question the security documentation of all UK banks in the event of bankruptcy/insolvency of the borrowers. The re Charge Card was upheld in the House of Lords in Morris – v – Agrichemicals (also known as BCCI No.8) reported in (1988) AC 214].
Became involved in arbitration* in a number of property related and commercial cases which included sitting, acting as a party representative and appearing at the hearings as Counsel.
*Being exclusively a civil Barrister at the English Bar for some 36 years with specialization in commercial and other Chancery work in English courts coupled with country experience of Pakistan and Middle East, and cross disciplinary expertise, Islam complements the pool of international arbitrators. Needless to say that International arbitration has increased in popularity as a fast, confidential and cost effective way of resolving disputes and the English Bar has been at the forefront of this development. Over a period of time, Islam has built up considerable experience in the field of international arbitration. He won the award of the Best Barrister (Civil Litigation) at the International Legal Conference held at Marriot Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London on 28th March 2015 and among others was attended by a panel of senior lawyers from Pakistan including Hamid Khan, Dr Khalid Ranjha et al and chaired by Hon. Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, a past Chief Justice of Pakistan.
September 1984–December 1987:
Islam is a banker turned Barrister. Accepted appointment in the management grade in Saudi British Bank, Riyadh. The Bank was managed by HSBC. Islam headed the Security Documentation Section of the Bank for syndicated loans and projects financing.
Reviewed/drafted security documentation of the Bank following the principles of In re Charge Card case.
In 1986, was assigned to the Credit Control Department with responsibility for bad and doubtful portfolio of the Bank dealing with rescheduling/work outs of syndicated loans in cases where the Bank acted as a lead bank. AAA and REDEC are few of the names he dealt with.
July 1982-June 1983:
Completed pupillage to the satisfaction of the Bar Council, then known as Senate of the English Bar.
Foreign jurisdiction:
Right of audience in the High Courts of Pakistan.
Community work
(a) Trustee and Hon. Legal Adviser of a charity “Muslim Care” registered under No.1164947 with the Charity Commission for England and Wales with objects of Education and Relief against poverty.

(b) Honorary Legal Adviser, Hidayat TV based in Manchester at Sky channel 800. Won the award of best achievement and a trophy at its 9th Anniversary event in Birmingham on 15th September 2017.

(c) Islam was awarded a good standing certificate from the Mayor of Brent in recognition of his community services.

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