Fatima has a broad public law and civil liberties practice, with a focus on state accountability.
Her broad practice enables her to provide effective advice and representation in cases with a crossover of areas of law. Fatima is particularly suited to instruction in cases involving complex mental health issues, because of her background and expertise in mental health research.
Fatima became a tenant in October 2020 after the completion of her pupillage under the supervision of Stephen Simblet QC (civil liberties) and Lucie Wibberley (criminal defence).
Administrative and Public Law
Fatima is building a varied practice in judicial review claims, including challenges to community care provision, unlawful detention, age assessment challenges and decisions under the National Referral Mechanism.
Fatima has a particular interest in systemic challenges concerning detention in prison, psychiatric hospitals and immigration detention. She is also interested in challenges against the use of police powers at protests.
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Inquests and Inquiries
Fatima regularly represents bereaved families in Article 2 inquests. She has particular experience of inquests concerning deaths from suicide in the community, prison and psychiatric detention context.
Fatima is a member of the INQUEST lawyers’ group.
Fatima welcomes instructions in public inquiries, with a particular interest in police/state powers and state detention. During pupillage, Fatima gained experience of public inquiries, working with her supervisor, Stephen Simblet QC, on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
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Community Care Law
Fatima regularly advises and acts in judicial review proceedings relating to the provision of asylum support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. She also has an interest in building a practice across the spectrum of community care law work, including the provision of accommodation and support under the Children Act 1989 and the Care Act 2014.
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Claims Against the Police and Public Authorities
Fatima regularly advises and represents Claimants in claims against the police including false imprisonment, assault, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office and claims under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010. Fatima has acted in settlement hearings in actions against the police, for children and vulnerable adults who lack capacity. She also advises on claims relating to false imprisonment in immigration detention.
Fatima is a member of the Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG).
During her pupillage, she worked with Stephen Simblet QC on a number of highly specialist claims against the police as well as jury trials in false imprisonment and malicious prosecution claims.
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Protest Rights
Overview
Fatima represents protesters in a variety of cases including civil injunctions taken out by commercial organisations and the police, committal proceedings, and those charged with a range of criminal offences.
Fatima also regularly advises in actions against the police arising from incidents of unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and assault during protests. She has a particular interest in challenging the arbitrary and excessive use of police powers at protests, with a special interest in anti-racism protests.
Fatima is a founding member and Director of Black Protest Legal Support (BPLS), who support protesters and activists in the Black Lives Matter and anti-racist movements. Fatima leads the group’s strategic litigation team. She is also a volunteer Legal Observer and regularly provides legal updates to volunteer legal observers on the ground as well as contributing to drafting bust cards explaining protesters’ rights.
Fatima contributed to the Second Edition of The Protest Handbook. She has held a number of webinars related to defending protesters rights.
Notable Cases
UK Oil & Gas Plc v Persons Unknown (2021)
High Court radically scales back wide-ranging UK Oil and Gas protest injunction granted in 2018 against protesters at oil and gas sites.
Thames Valley Police v DB [2021] (Milton Keynes County Court)
Committal proceedings against HS2 protester dismissed for lack of notice of the civil injunction.
R v MM & Ors [2020] (City of London Magistrates’ Court)
Protester acquitted of criminal damage, having glued their hands to the window of an Oxford Circus store.
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National Security
Fatima is building a practice in the Special Immigration Appeal Commission and is currently junior counsel on a high profile deprivation of citizenship case. She also advises on actions against the state in cases arising out of the unlawful use of counter-terrorism powers. She has a particular interest in privacy law and surveillance.
Fatima’s background in counter-terrorism law makes her suited for instruction in such cases. She previously worked with the former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation to review the operation of the Terrorism Acts as well as their impact on community and individual rights. As part of her role, she reviewed the use of terrorism law powers by counter-terrorism police during the investigations into the Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and Manchester Arena attacks of 2017.
