Fatima has a broad civil and criminal defence practice, with a focus on state accountability and youth justice.
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).
Youth Justice & Child Rights
Overview
Fatima regularly represents children in the youth court, including vulnerable children with complex mental health issues and victims of trafficking.
Notable Cases
R v SP [2020] (Bexley Youth Court)
The defendant is a vulnerable child with multiple mental health conditions and is a victim of trafficking. He faced two counts of assault against emergency worker and one count of threatening with intent. Following legal representations, the CPS withdrew the charges.
R v DW [2020] (Wimbledon Youth Court)
The defendant is a vulnerable child who suffered from psychosis and is a possible victim of trafficking. He was convicted of knife-point robbery. Successfully argued for a non-custodial sentence.
R v TR [2020] (Willesden Youth Court)
The defendant is a vulnerable child with serious trafficking concerns, who pleaded guilty to a count of robbery (in a group). Successfully argued for a Referral Order, despite a previous conviction for robbery.
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Claims Against the Police and Public Authorities
Fatima has experience advising and representing 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 also acted in settlement hearings in actions against the police, for 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 in a number of highly specialist claims against the police and assisted during jury trials in false imprisonment claims.
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Protest Rights
Fatima is building a practice in protest law and has represented individuals charged with a range of criminal offences.
Fatima is a founding member of Black Protest Legal Support (BPLS) who support protesters and activists in the Black Lives Matter movement. Fatima is part of the group’s strategic litigation team.
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Civil Liberties and Human Rights
Inquests and Inquiries
Fatima accepts instructions in inquests and inquiries representing bereaved families.
She has experience assisting members of chambers in representing bereaved family members in inquests. She has particular experience of inquests concerning deaths from suicide in the community, as well as those arising within the mental healthcare context. Fatima is a member of the INQUEST lawyers’ group. During pupillage, Fatima gained invaluable experience of public inquiries, working with her supervisor, Stephen Simblet QC, on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).
Mental health law
Fatima has experience assisting clients in the First-Tier Tribunal (Mental Health), particularly in cases where clients are subject to a hospital order as part of a criminal sentence. Fatima has a keen interest in Court of Protection work. Fatima’s background in mental health makes her suited to instructions in such cases.
Prison law
Fatima welcomes instructions to represent prisoners in adjudications and parole boards hearings.
Civil injunctions
Fatima also has experience of civil injunctions. She represented a vulnerable defendant against the DWP who were seeking a wide and oppressive anti-harassment injunction. Fatima ensured a settlement which protected the interests and human rights of the defendant.
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Administrative and Public Law
Fatima welcomes instructions in judicial review claims concerning challenges to immigration detention, community care provision, age assessment challenges and decisions under the National Referral Mechanism.
Fatima is gaining experience of the Special Immigration Appeal Commission, including deprivation of citizenship cases. Fatima’s background in counter-terrorism law makes her suited for instruction in such cases. She worked with the former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation and reviewed the use of terrorism laws during the police investigations into the attacks of 2017.
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Pro Bono
Fatima has a strong commitment to pro bono work. She is regularly instructed by Bail for Immigration Detainees and Advocate.
Fatima has advised on several actions against the police on a pro bono basis. In each case, where she considers there to be merits, Fatima has referred cases to her own solicitor contacts and ensured legal representation for lay clients.
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Background
In addition to working as a senior medical statistician at UCL Fatima also worked with the Institute of Psychiatry at KCL and the Division of Psychiatry at UCL. Her research changed clinical practice across Europe and she received recognition for her teaching, winning a UCL Arena Award.
Fatima helped set up Sufra Food Bank in NW London in 2013 and was an active trustee until 2019. Her community engagement inspired her to retrain as a barrister focusing on social justice issues. The food bank won the Special Recognition Award at Brent Council’s Pride of Britain Awards 2017.
During her legal studies, Fatima worked with the then Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, Max Hill QC, to review the operation of the Terrorism Acts as well as their impact on community and individual rights. She then worked as a consultant for Forward Thinking, an organisation that connects policymakers with marginalised communities, scrutinising the impact of counter terrorism police raids.
She was recently awarded the Ubuntu Scholarship by City Law School in recognition of her commitment to pro bono work, allowing her to spend the summer at the University of Western Cape, South Africa, where she created a podcast on contemporary legal issues including land rights, legal pluralism and the environment.
Fatima is a trustee of the Kalisher Trust, which works to support talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to enter the Criminal Bar. She is the legal affairs editor of an online comment site, The Platform, which advances marginalised narratives.
Publications
Fatima contributed to the Young Legal Aid Lawyers' 2018 report on Social Mobility in a Time of Austerity.
Training and Seminars
Fatima organised and chaired a Garden Court Webinar on “Another counter-terrorism bill: Necessary or a knee-jerk reaction?” Panellists included Amanda Weston QC and Shina Animashaun (of Garden Court Chambers) and Lord Anderson. (June 2020)
Fatima was invited by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law to chair a seminar on Returning ISIS Women and Fighters: What are the Options? Panellists included Amanda Weston QC (of Garden Court Chambers) and Lord Anderson. (March 2019)
Fatima also organised a Kalisher Trust event on obtaining a crime pupillage. (January 2019)
Awards
International Scholarship, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple (2019)
Ubuntu Scholarship, City Law School (2019)
BPTC Scholarship, City Law School (2017)
BPTC Major Exhibition Award, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple (2017)
Education
Bar Professional Training Course, City Law School
Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP Law School
MSc Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
BSc Mathematics, Queen Mary, University of London
Professional Membership
INQUEST Lawyers' Group
Police Actions Lawyers’ Group
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
Black Protest Legal Support (BPLS)
Criminal Bar Association
Liberty
Languages
Arabic