Social Responsibility.

From the outset of his career at the Bar, Mukhtiar has been strongly committed to providing a service to the vulnerable and less advantaged. Mukhtiar’s various pro bono activities including:

Promoting recruitment to the legal profession, particularly students from poorer backgrounds.
Pro bono representation through law centres.
Support and sponsorship of charities.

Recruitment

Mukhtiar has a particular interest in social mobility at the Bar and has set up the Guru Nanak Social Mobility Bar Scholarship scheme to assist those from disadvantaged backgrounds. He is also a Bar Council Social Mobility Advocate as part of the “#IamtheBar” Social Mobility campaign which was launched in 2018. For more details on this click here .

Selection from the many and not the few enriches the legal profession and the law. Mukhtiar actively seeks to promote the Bar to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Mukhtiar provides mentoring and support as part of the following schemes:

Lincoln’s Inn Pupillage Foundation Course.
Run twice a year to help post-BPTC members in search of pupillage.
University of Law mentoring scheme.
This is available to students of the BPTC or GDL.
University of Kent Employability.
Mentoring scheme available to students seeking a career in law.
The Guru Nanak Social Mobility Bar Scholarships, which he funds.

He also speaks in schools in Kent about a career at the Bar and, in some circumstances, provides an opportunity to shadow him.

More information about a career in Law can be found at The Lawyer Portal | The Resource for Aspiring Legal Professionals.

Pro Bono work

Prior to the Bar

Mukhtiar has been committed to pro bono representation since he first started his legal studies. As a student, he provided representation at the Free Representation Unit on employment and social security cases. His first employment case involved successfully obtaining a substantial settlement for a domestic servant who was a victim of slavery

At Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K) he successfully argued numerous social security appeals. Mukhtiar was also a member of a Sikh charity, which supported women’s rights and tackling so call “honour” crime. As chairman of the charity, he advised employees and employers on workplace issues. The charity provided evidence in a case where a Sikh student successfully argued her right to wear a bangle (“kara”) in school (Watkins-Singh v Aberdare School).

Current pro bono work

Mukhtiar has a strong commitment to Access to Justice and pro bono work:

Mukhtiar is a volunteer Non-Executive Director at Primary Care International a not-for-profit organisation working to strengthen primary healthcare globally.
Mukhtiar is a member of the Advisory Council and the Legal Support Network of leading whistleblowing charity Protect.
Shareholder activism with a focus on the climate emergency and workers’ rights through Share Action.
The Bar Pro Bono Unit (now “Advocate”). This charity helps provide free assistance from volunteer barristers.
During the Covid 19 crisis, he provided pro bono legal advice to his local businesses and key workers; and donated 20% of his earnings to charities supporting the vulnerable during the crisis.
Mukhtiar represented a Claimant who successfully obtained a six-figure settlement in a victimisation and discrimination case.
Employment Tribunal Litigant in Person Scheme (ELIPS). The scheme provides a barrister and a solicitor to attend Central London Employment Tribunal on Thursdays to provide representation at hearings; and one-off advice to litigants who have issued or are defending a claim. Mukhtiar has represented clients at preliminary hearings including applications to strike out and amend; and has advised on a wide range of employment claims. He successfully defended an application to strike out a claim of sexual harassment against a leading football club.
ELAAS. A scheme organised by the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Employment Law Bar Association providing litigants in person with representation primarily at hearings to determine permission to appeal. Mukhtiar has assisted for a number of years including successfully obtaining permission to appeal for Claimants.

Charities

Mukhtiar has worked particularly closely with the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO) , including sponsoring their annual True Honour Awards for over ten years. IKWRO provides practical support, including counselling and shelter, to victims of so-called honour crime; provides education and training on this sensitive topic; and campaigns (with some success) for law reform.

He also supports the Medway Food Bank and Khalsa Aid.

To learn about obligations to donate to charity in the context of religions (e.g. Tithe, Zakat and Daswandh), click here.

MUKHTIAR SINGH