Zara Yusuf (Pupil)

Prior to commencing pupillage, Zara worked as a Private Client Tax Advisor at Ernst & Young (International Tax) and Blick Rothenberg. Her work covered all areas of the UK taxation of individuals, often with a cross-border aspect.

Zara then worked as a Statutory Instruments Paralegal at the Cabinet Office. She contributed to the drafting of secondary legislation across the Government Legal Department, including pensions and insolvency legislation.

Alongside the Bar Training Course, Zara worked as a Research Assistant, where she focused on company, partnership, and commercial law for a book titled ‘The Fundamentals of Business Law’. She also volunteered as a Co-Ordinator at Young Bar Mentoring and remains committed to improving access to the Bar in this role.

Zara received a first-class degree in Ancient History from Newcastle University, where she ranked first overall in the year and performed the best in the dissertation module, obtaining the Senior Johnson Prize and a Letter of Commendation respectively. Zara subsequently obtained a Distinction in the Graduate Diploma of Law from BPP University, having been awarded the Programme Ambassador Scholarship. She then achieved a Distinction in the Bar Training Course at City Law School, where she was given the Academic Excellence scholarship.

Zara was awarded the Exhibition scholarship, Philip Teichman Award, and the Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award from Inner Temple.