At just 24, Zara juggles more roles than most people twice her age. A full-time paralegal and part-time law student with ambitions of qualifying as a solicitor, she is also a family magistrate who first joined the bench at 21.
Her journey is driven by a desire to serve, to represent, and now she is encouraging others from underrepresented groups to step into spaces where their voices matter. Zara discovered the magistracy early, at 16, while studying law. “The idea of community members making critical legal decisions appealed to me, and as I grew older, I wanted to help make a difference in my community.”
Working for the police at 20, she encountered a range of cases; from adults who had made reckless choices to disenfranchised young people pulled into gang activity. Witnessing these realities sharpened her sense of responsibility and helped her realise that the system needed younger voices.
Her own identity shaped that conviction. As a young, hijabi, Muslim Asian woman, she rarely saw anyone like herself within the justice system. “magistracy should reflect the society we live in,” she firmly notes. “I wanted to provide insight into cultural differences and the challenges of growing up in the digital age—perspectives that older generations might not fully appreciate.”
After a rigorous application process, Zara was sworn in, becoming one of the youngest magistrates in England.
Representation matters; now more than ever
For Zara, diversity within the magistracy isn’t an abstract principle. It is a practical necessity.
“I believe diversity is incredibly crucial in the magistracy as they should represent the community and society as a whole. This has to include people from all ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and different life experiences. In my opinion, that is what makes a good panel when people from all walks of life come together to bring their experience to the role,” she said
“This is what pushed me to become a magistrate. I wanted the community to feel as if they were represented and the magistrates on the bench understood their lives and their experiences”, Zara added.
But being one of the youngest brought challenges. “Initially, I felt that being younger meant my opinion didn't matter.” That changed quickly. Zara made it clear that she had valuable insights, particularly into cases involving young people or cultural contexts unfamiliar to others.
“From the start I was able to articulate my views and share my experiences to bring a different perspective, particularly regarding young people appearing before us. I explained cultural and religious aspects that played a role in different cases, which was greatly appreciated by my colleagues,” she said.
A call to young and marginalised communities
Zara is passionate about encouraging more people like her to get involved. She understands why many feel alienated from the justice system but argues that disengagement only reinforces that divide.
“The justice system shapes how our society functions,” she says. “The justice system needs young people to take that step and get involved to help make it better for our future and generations to come. People will only feel it serves them when they see themselves represented within it.”
Her message is direct: change cannot happen from the outside. “To create change we must be part of it and seize opportunities to make a difference.”
