Bilaal practises in Scotland (in public law and commercial dispute resolution) and Jersey (in trust and insolvency litigation). He is Chairman of the Football Association’s (FA) National Serious Case Panel.

Public Law
Prior to calling to the Scottish Bar in 2023, Bilaal was Head of Court of Session Litigation at a boutique litigation firm in Edinburgh and worked on some of the leading public law cases in Scotland. Since calling to the Bar, Bilaal has developed a varied judicial review and public law practice encompassing sports law (including sporting discipline and regulation), immigration and nationality law (including challenges to ‘clearly unfounded’ certificates, the immigration implications of foreign/domestic adoptions, appeals to the First-tier and Upper Tribunal and claims for unlawful detention) and professional liability.

In his current role as Chairman of the National Serious Case Panel, Bilaal adjudicates on all types of serious football disciplinary matters within grassroots football, including assaults on participants/match officials, other types of violent conduct, threatening and abusive language and discrimination. He is involved in the issuing of sanctions to players, clubs and other participants. Bilaal was one of the decision-makers in the misconduct proceedings brought by Manchester FA against former Wales captain, Ashley Williams, for alleged violent conduct.  Bilaal is also a Specialist Member on the Sport Resolutions Panel.

Bilaal is also an ad-hoc Advocate Depute and prosecutes serious crimes in the High Court of Justiciary, including attempted murder and rape.

Commercial Dispute Resolution
As a solicitor, Bilaal practised in a leading international law firm defending a broad spectrum of professional negligence claims, primarily for professionals in the construction, insurance and finance sectors, on behalf of some of the UK’s largest insurers. He was involved in advising and representing a core participant in the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry. During devilling, Bilaal gained particular experience of professional negligence claims against solicitors.

As Counsel, Bilaal maintains a varied commercial disputes practice including in professional negligence actions, unfair prejudice petitions, corporate insolvency matters, defective construction claims, and actions for breach of directors’ duties. He has also provided advice on policy coverage, prescription and enforceability of commercial contracts. He acts in sports-related commercial litigation including acting for a Scottish Premiership football club in various litigations before the Court of Session.

Jersey Practice
In his Jersey practice, as an ad-hoc Consultant for a boutique litigation firm, Bilaal regularly acts for ultra HNWIs, law firms, settlors, trustees and foreign insolvency practitioners in offshore trust and international insolvency litigation before the Royal Court of Jersey. Bilaal was formerly Commissioner of the Jersey Appointments Commission where he overseen the recruitment into Jersey States’ supported or related bodies (including judicial appointments) by chairing recruitment panels and selection exercises.

Other Engagements/Qualifications
Bilaal is a part-time Teaching Fellow on the LLM in International Commercial Law programme in the Doha, Qatar campus of AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. He also tutors on the postgraduate and undergraduate Public Law courses at the University of Edinburgh and has been a guest lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University. He is an author for Free Movement, one of the UK’s leading immigration law blogs.

Bilaal is also a regular CPD trainer and has organised, chaired and presented at some of the largest legal conferences in Scotland. He is a trainer with Bond Solon Training where he provides accredited training for expert witnesses giving evidence in UK courts.

In December 2022, Bilaal obtained a Diploma in Islamic Finance with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). He has rights of audience before the Astana International Finance Centre (AIFC) Court in Kazakhstan.