5 Essex Chambers

Administrative and Public Law: Inquests and public inquiries; national security, police law and healthcare law.

Judicial Review and Public Law, Police Law, Prison and Probation Law, Civil actions against public authorities, inquests and public inquiries, national security.

Bilal acts for government departments, police forces, local authorities and quasi-public companies in judicial review claims and civil actions. He is often instructed in complex cases where the issues require sensitive handling and have reputational impact.

Bilal has acted as counsel to the inquiry and represented participants in high-profile inquiries and inquests. He was first junior counsel to the Grenfell Inquiry; leading counsel to Sir Gary Hickinbottom’s inquiry investigating corruption amongst public officials in the British Virgin Islands; and has represented the UK Health Security Agency throughout the Covid-19 Inquiry. Bilal was instructed on behalf of the Secretary of State for Justice in the Streatham terror attack inquest and a private company in the Forbury Gardens terror attack inquests.  He has dealt with civil claims that arose from the Fishmonger’s Hall terror attack and is currently instructed in a judicial review of the independent Inquiry into Afghanistan.

Bilal was called in 1995. Prior to taking silk in 2025, Bilal was a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel. He remains on the Attorney General’s Panel of Special Advocates.

Middle Temple

Human Rights Lawyers Association

Advocate (formerly Bar Pro Bono Unit)