Dr Hedayati-Kakhki graduated in law at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, and studied for a Master’s in International Law at the University of Shiraz. He has practised as a First Class Attorney at Law in Iran within both civil and criminal law jurisdictions. Following completion of a PhD in Middle East International Politics and Law at Durham University in 2008, he undertook various academic positions including lecturing postgraduate subjects and continues to teach LLM International Law of Oil and Gas Contracts at Durham Law School. He was the co-founder of Islam, Law and Modernity, a research centre at Durham University and its Associate Director from 2011 – 2014. He is currently a Special Advisor for the same research group, as well as advising the University's Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice.