187 Chambers

Crime

Vakas joined Chambers in April 2018 following the successful completion of his pupillage, under the supervision of Gareth Hughes, Terence Woods and Sasha Bailey.

Vakas regularly appears in the Crown Court, Magistrates’ Court and Youth Court. He has also appeared in the Court of Appeal where he successfully appealed a sentence where the defendant was not given a sufficient reduction in his sentence for a guilty plea. He has defended in a broad range of cases which have included, ABH, s.20 GHB, robbery, sexual assault, drug offences, theft and public order.

Vakas has a very good grasp of identifying what the key issues in a case are, and how best to tackle them. He has been described as a “fine advocate” who “invests himself deeply in the plight of his clients.” Vakas is highly relatable to those who he defends as he has an “unpretentious style of communicating,” which serves him well when dealing with vulnerable clients, who present with significant mental health and substance misuse issues. 

Prior to starting pupillage Vakas undertook various internships and paralegal roles. He interned at the Capital Post-Conviction Project of Louisiana in New Orleans, where he worked with other Attorneys representing individuals who had been sentenced to death with the appeals. He also co-chaired the ‘Rotherham 12 Defence Campaign’ where all 12 Asian men were acquitted of violent disorder at Sheffield Crown Court. The men were charged after they were attacked by members of a far-right racist group following a protest in the town center.

Called 2014

Urdu Punjabi

Bar Professional Training course, City Law School - Very CompetentLLB (Hons) University of Leeds, Upper second Class Honours