Shaaista graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She completed her articles of clerkship under the guidance of the late Siven Samuel of Siven Samuel & Associates for a period of 2 years. During this period, Shaaista dealt exclusively with the administration of deceased estates, drafting of wills and conveyancing. She was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in September 2016.

Shaaista went into private practice in 2017 under the name Essop, Moodley & Associates where she specialized in deceased estates and conveyancing. In 2018, Shaaista closed that practice and joined attorneys Manoj Haripersad & Associates as a Professional Assistant heading the deceased estate and conveyancing departments.

She was then employed as an Associate in the conveyancing department at Hajra Patel Incorporated in 2022 where she focused on property transfers, the registration of mortgage bonds as well as the cancellation of mortgage bonds. In addition to the above, Shaaista also headed the deceased estate department after Hajra Patel past away in May 2024.

Shaaista joined the fiduciary department at TMJ in September 2025.