Barnabas Day: OV Abbas Kazerooni

On Tuesday 17 October 2023, we welcomed OV Abbas Kazerooni (Ch 91-96) back to King’s as the newest member of the Barnabas Group.

The Barnabas Group is made up of distinguished OVs who have excelled in their chosen profession and are invited to speak to the School about their experiences, lessons learned, and the encouragement they feel able to pass on as a result. You can read more about the Barnabas Group, and its members here.

Abbas is founding partner of the law firm Kazerouni Law Group, APC, based in California, where he specialises in personal injury, consumer rights and class actions. He is also an adjunct professor of law and teaches consumer law at the California Western School of Law. This follows a successful writing career, with two books to his name, which chart Abbas’ dramatic and difficult journey from Tehran to England during the Iran-Iraq war (On Two Feet and Wings), and then his life once he had arrived in England, which includes his time at King’s (The Boy with Two Lives). In addition to this, Abbas is a professional actor and producer, with experience across TV, stage, and the silver screen.

The visit began with Abbas addressing the whole school against the backdrop of Worcester Cathedral. Those who know the Cathedral well will know how sound travels: you could have heard a pin drop as the assembled pupils hung on every word of Abbas’s impassioned speech. He explained the essential role that King’s had played in his life, sharing his experiences of being homeless and how, despite not knowing his circumstances, his teachers, his school friends, and the School gave him a safe space, solace, and the family that he needed. Abbas also shared his emotional and lengthy journey to adoption, the stress and turmoil of the court process, and how he was supported in his application throughout by the Headmaster, his Housemaster, teachers and friends.

Abbas reminded us how it is a privilege to be at King’s, no matter how you may have come to be here, and how with that privilege come many responsibilities, the greatest of which is to give back. He concluded his speech with a rousing call to action, “We as Vigornians choose to give back when it is the hardest, the most inconvenient, when others will not what is what makes us King’s. Choosing to give back when others will not is what makes us King’s, and finally, it is for us as Vigornians to choose to give back, because we understand our duties and responsibilities when others may not.” You can watch and listen to Abbas’s full address on YouTube here.

Once the rapturous applause had died down and pupils had set off to their lessons, Abbas spent some time with OV Jabba Riaz (Br 91-96). Jabba and Abbas had been good friends while at King’s and were in need of a long overdue catch-up, having not seen each other for many years.

One of the Lower Fourth classes had been reading Abbas’s first book, On Two Feet and Wings, with some already onto his second, The Boy with Two Lives, and they were incredibly excited to have the opportunity to meet the author in person. As such, having met with Jabba, Abbas joined L4A along with King’s Librarian Annabel Jeffery (Hon OV) and was grilled for half an hour! In their Form Room in the Annett Building, or the Maths Block as it is often known, the pupils asked a vast range of questions, and there was never a moment when there was not a hand raised ready for the next one. Abbas was asked both about characters and events from his books, his life, his interests, what King’s had been like when he was here, and more. He was just as eager to answer all the questions, and they particularly enjoyed the stories he shared of his time at school, especially how he had ended up being a member of the first King’s dance troupe: Genesis!

Abbas then joined Headmaster, Gareth Doodes, and Heads of School, Jasmine S and George C-F for Morning Break, where they presented Abbas with the Barnabas Shield.

A quick pit-stop in the Undercroft followed, where the English Department, including Abbas’s former English teacher and House Tutor, Richard Davis (Hon OV), were reading spooky stories to King’s St Alban’s and King’s Hawford pupils. It took a little while for Abbas to recognise Richard, as he, along with the rest of the English Department, were dressed in spooky costumes and make-up!

It was then time for Abbas to retrace his steps to the John Moore Theatre, where he had many fond memories, to see the name plaques on the theatre seats he had very generously sponsored in honour of those friends and former teachers who mean so much to him. Walking into the John Moore Theatre, Abbas was delighted to be surprised by his former Housemaster, Russ Mason (Hon OV) who had popped in specially to see him, and Simon Cuthbertson (Hon OV), and all three had a great time finding their named seats.

Having spent some quality time with Russ, Abbas was whisked away for lunch in the McTurk room in the Matthew Armstrong Library, with Hon OVs Simon Cuthbertson and Richard Davis and a group of Upper Sixth who were keen to meet with him. Abbas and the U6 talked about their hopes and aspirations, and he gave them some helpful and thoughtful advice for their future careers.

The Lower Remove WRAITH group promptly took over the seats from the U6, as they too had been reading Abbas’s books and were brimming with questions for him. The school day once again took priority, so as long break came to an end, Abbas was prised away from the multitude of questions so the Lower Remove could get to lessons.

In the afternoon, Abbas returned to No. 12 College Green, where he had spent many hours being taught Economics by Russ Mason. He visited Gwyn Williams’ (Hon OV) U6 Business Studies group, which was in a classroom Abbas knew very well: the only changes were a technology upgrade and the direction of the desks!

Heading downstairs in No. 12, Abbas spent some time with Antonio Zarro’s L6 Business Studies group, some of whom remembered reading Abbas’s books when they were in the Lower Years and who had many questions, both about Abbas’s history and his life now.

A bit of light entertainment ensued, as Abbas went to College Hall and was delighted to watch some of the Lower Years Music Competition, where it was clear how much effort and work each Form had put into their songs.

The final stop of the day was to meet with King’s Director of Operations and school friend, Adam Winter (Cl 84-94), before heading off to catch up with more OV friends.

We are so very grateful for Abbas’s time, and generosity, from his inspirational and moving speech, his thoughtful donations to the Bursary fund and theatre seats sponsorship, to his patience with the huge range of questions from so many pupils who were overjoyed to meet the author of the incredible On Two Feet and Wings and The Boy with Two Lives. Thank you, Abbas.