Pioneering lawyer returns to inspire the next generation
School of Law alumna, Sibah Farooq, came back to Leeds after 24 years to reconnect with the community and offer valuable career advice to current students.
On 18 June, 2025, Sibah Farooq (LLB Law, 2001) returned to the University of Leeds School of Law after 24 years, walking down memory lane and reigniting her connection with the place that provided the foundations for her legal career.
During her visit, she fondly recognised Lyddon Terrace, the former home of the School of Law, as well as the flats where she lived during her student days.
Sibah engaged with current law students, offering career advice drawn from her remarkable journey as one of Pakistan’s pioneering female lawyers. With only 40,000 registered female lawyers and just two female Supreme Court judges in her home country of 240 million people, Sibah has been a trailblazer in a traditionally male-dominated field. After graduating from Leeds in 2001, she established one of Pakistan’s first women-led law firms in 2014 and continues to serve clients worldwide while heading key legal committees.
Sibah’s impressive educational achievements include an MBA, a diploma from the International Development Law Organization in Rome, and an advanced LLM from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Reflecting on her time at Leeds, Sibah shared, “The years spent at Leeds have shaped my life in so many ways… it was the best doorway into the legal profession with the guidance of world-renowned law professors.”
Sibah's visit to Leeds was not only a nostalgic journey but also an inspiring moment for students eager to follow in her footsteps. She says:
My visit to Leeds University felt like a true walk down memory lane – quite literally, along Lyddon Terrace, where I spent much of my time during three unforgettable years. It was deeply heartening to see that the University continues to attract students from around the globe, just as it always has.
During my talk, I had the pleasure of connecting with students from over ten different countries. Despite our varied backgrounds and cultures, we were united by something special: the Leeds experience.
What moved me most was how open they were to hearing my story – how life at Leeds is not just about academic growth, but about the shaping of hearts and minds. It’s a place where history, beauty, and a quiet romance for life seem to linger in the air. I saw in their eyes the same spark I once had – the belief that this university offers something truly unique.
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