Shaheed Fatima
- Called to Bar:
- 2001; NY Bar, 2002
- Practice areas:
- Degrees:
- LLB (Hons) (Glasgow) Joint First Class , BCL (Oxon), LLM (Harvard - Kennedy Scholar and Gammon Fellow), Holder of Arden, Bedingfield and Karmel Scholarships (Gray's Inn)
Shaheed is featured in Chambers UK 2009 as a leading junior in four sections:
- Administrative and public law: “Moving up the table this year, popular junior Shaheed Fatima is “accelerating fast” according to her rivals. “Everyone really respects her and is looking forward to seeing more of her”, interviewees report. She is “bright, easy to deal with and good on her feet”. Her reputation in public law and international law continues to blossom.”
- Human rights and civil liberties: “Shaheed Fatima has, by all accounts, “had a brilliant year”. Particularly expert on the interaction between human rights and international law, she has been involved in some cutting edge human rights work.”
- Public international law: “interviewees view her as “real class,” asserting that she is “extremely well polished and articulate.” Best known for her work in the international human rights field, she advises and acts for governments, NGOs and individuals.”
- Employment law: ““A charming but steely advocate" Shaheed Fatima is lauded as “an intellectual heavyweight”. “Incisive, thorough and determined”, this “formidable opponent” provides clients with “fantastic analysis” and is “definitely one to watch in the future.””
In the Legal 500 2008 Shaheed is featured as a leading junior in four sections:
- Human rights and civil liberties: “shows ‘outstanding promise.’”
- Administrative and public law: “an intellectual heavyweight - a steely advocate, incisive, thorough and very capable.”
- Public international law: “one to watch.”
- Commercial litigation: “super-bright and friendly”.
Shaheed is also listed in the Public international law section of Chambers Global 2008.
In an article in The Lawyer (18.4.05) on six star lawyers under the age of thirty, Shaheed was featured as the “human rights champion”. She was “Lawyer of the Week” in The Times (26.6.07) and was featured as one of ten “Future Stars of the Bar” in Times Online (1.10.07). In November 2007 she was awarded the “Professions Woman of the Future” Award at the second “Women of the Future Awards” and in December 2007 she was awarded the Liberty/JUSTICE “Human Rights Lawyer of the Year” Award for “her remarkable work, often on a pro bono basis. For her brilliant analysis, consistent arguments and commitment in debating human rights cases before both the British and the European Courts.” In July 2008 she was featured by Management Today in their “35 women under 35” list.
Since starting practice in 2002, Shaheed has written a book (“Using International Law in Domestic Courts”) and, since 2004, has been instructed in eight House of Lords cases. In 2008 she was appointed a Lecturer at Harvard Law School and taught “The War on Terror and Human Rights in the UK” in Spring 2009.
Professional Experience
Appointments:
Shaheed is a member of the Attorney-General's 'B' Panel.
Publications:
Using International Law in Domestic Courts (Hart Publishing) - published in October 2005 with a Foreword by Lord Bingham. Shaheed speaks regularly at conferences on this topic. The book has been reviewed in the Cambridge Law Journal; Judicial Review; European Human Rights Law Review, New Law Journal and King’s College Law Journal. See also (on the same topic) articles in the journal Judicial Review: [2003] JR 81, [2003] JR 138; [2003] JR 235.
Membership of Professional Bodies:
- COMBAR
- HRLA
- ILA
- New York State Bar Association
Shaheed is a Council member of Liberty, a Committee member of the International Law Association and a member of the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn Scholarships Committee.
Public Law and Human Rights
Shaheed advises and acts for governments, NGOs and individuals regarding constitutional and human rights issues, often in a judicial review context involving international law.
Current and recent work
A and others v HM Treasury (pending before the House of Lords)
Al-Saadoon and Mufdhi v United Kingdom (EHRC intervening) App. No. 61498/09 (pending before the European Court of Human Rights)
A v H (Registrar General for England and Wales and Secretary of State for Justice intervening) [2009] EWHC 636 (Fam)
Secretary of State for the Home Department v AF and others (JUSTICE intervening) [2009] 3 WLR 74
R (Al-Sweady) v SSD [2009] EWHC 1687 Admin
R (Kammash) v SSD (pending before the Administrative Court)
R (Brown) v (1)SSWP (2)SSBERR [2008] EWHC 3158 (Admin)
R (Corner House Research) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (JUSTICE intervening) [2008] 3 WLR 568 (House of Lords)
A Joint Opinion with David Pannick QC for Liberty on the Government's proposals to extend pre-charge detention to 42 days
R v Asfaw (UNHCR intervening) [2008] 1 AC 1061 (House of Lords)
Entico Corporation v UNESCO (Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth intervening) (2008) 1 Lloyd's Rep 673
Animal Defenders International v Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport [2008] 2 WLR 781 (House of Lords) (pending before the European Court of Human Rights)
R(Al-Jedda) v Secretary of State for Defence [2008] 1 AC 332 (House of Lords) (pending before the European Court of Human Rights)
R(Al-Skeini) v Secretary of State for Defence [2008] 1 AC 153 (House of Lords) (pending before the European Court of Human Rights)
R (European Roma Rights Centre) v Immigration Officer at Prague Airport [2005] 2 AC 1 (House of Lords)
Xenides-Arestis v Turkey 6.4.05 (European Court of Human Rights)
Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Louis v Tengur [2004] UKPC 9 (Privy Council)
Commercial
Shaheed has a wide-ranging general commercial law practice (including international arbitration) with a special emphasis on cases involving private international law/conflicts of law or public international law. She has particular expertise on state/sovereign immunity, non-justiciability/ act of state, and the rights and obligations of international organisations.
Current and recent work
C v D [2007] EWCA Civ 1282; (2008) 1 Lloyd's Rep 239
Cambridge Gas Transport Corp v Navigator Holdings plc [2007] 1 AC 508 (Privy Council)
Ansol Ltd v Tajik Aluminium Plant and others [2006] EWHC 2374 (Comm)
Ashton Investments Ltd v OJSC Russian Aluminium and others [2006] EWHC 2545 (Comm)
Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Canada v Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (UK) Limited [2006] EWHC 2716 (Comm)
Mariam Aziz v Aziz and HM the Sultan of Brunei (Intervener) [2008] 2 All ER 571 (Shaheed was junior counsel for HM the Sultan of Brunei in the High Court)
Other relevant experience
Shaheed contributed to Goode, Commercial Law (2005) (chapters 37 Conflict of Laws and 38 Commercial Litigation), was a research assistant for North and Fawcett, Cheshire and North’s Private International Law (1999) and for Crawford, Private International Law in Scotland (1998). From 2003-2005 Shaheed was a Retained Lecturer in Contract Law at Pembroke College, Oxford.
Public International
Shaheed has advised and acted for various foreign governments and individuals in public international law matters concerning, for example, treaty rights and obligations, human rights (including, in particular remedies arising from the deprivation of property e.g. expropriation) and international law immunities and privileges. Much of her work in English courts has involved elements or questions of public international law.
Current and recent work
A and others v HM Treasury (pending before the House of Lords)
Al-Saadoon and Mufdhi v United Kingdom (EHRC intervening) App. No. 61498/09 (pending before the European Court of Human Rights)
A v H (Registrar General for England and Wales and Secretary of State for Justice intervening) [2009] EWHC 636 (Fam)
R (Corner House Research) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (JUSTICE intervening) [2008] 3 WLR 568 (House of Lords)
R v Asfaw (UNHCR intervening) [2008] 1 AC 1061 (House of Lords)
Entico Corporation v UNESCO (Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth intervening) (2008) 1 Lloyd's Rep 673
R(Al-Jedda) v Secretary of State for Defence [2008] 1 AC 332 (House of Lords)
R(Al-Skeini) v Secretary of State for Defence [2008] 1 AC 153 (House of Lords) (pending before the European Court of Human Rights)
Xenides-Arestis v Turkey 6.4.05 (European Court of Human Rights)
Mariam Aziz v Aziz and HM the Sultan of Brunei (Intervener) [2008] 2 All ER 571 (Shaheed was junior counsel for HM the Sultan of Brunei in the High Court)
Media and Entertainment
Shaheed regularly advises on contractual and IP issues in the media and entertainment sector. Her recent cases relate to the construction of music management agreements, transfer of copyright, legal implications of territorially limited exclusive licences and assignments of copyright, payment of royalties to collecting societies and on the interpretation of patent licences.
She acted for the Defendant (with Ian Mill QC) in Novello and Co. Ltd v Keith Prowse Music Publishing Company Limited [2005] EMLR 21 (Court of Appeal) – addressing the long-standing issue about the scope of the s. 5(2) proviso in the Copyright Act 1911 and the inter vivos transmission of reversionary rights under the Copyright Act 1956.
Employment
Shaheed’s employment law practice focuses on discrimination cases.
Current and recent work
Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset v Dolan (Bristol ET and EAT; EAT Judgment dated 22.4.08; second EAT judgment pending)
House v Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset (Bristol ET and EAT; EAT judgment dated 2.2.09)
