Public Law and Human Rights

Basmah Sahib

Solicitor, Public Law and Human Rights

London

Areas of Expertise:

Public Law & Human Rights

Basmah Sahib is a Solicitor within our Public Law and Human Rights team.

Professional biography

Basmah advises and represents individuals and families in complex Public Law and Human Rights matters, particularly where concerns have been raised about the actions or decisions of public bodies. Her work includes supporting bereaved families following deaths in psychiatric hospital, or in the community, while under the care of psychiatric services, and cases involving potential failures by public authorities to protect people's rights. For example, in July 2026, Basmah secured a ruling from the Court of Appeal prohibiting the closure of a college that provided education to adults with learning disabilities. The judges accepted the argument which Basmah and the legal team had advanced: namely that the college closure was rendered unlawful by the local authority’s failure to consult the college students before proceeding with the closure.

Her role involves reviewing evidence, advising clients on their legal options and preparing cases that may involve judicial review proceedings or other legal challenges against public bodies. She works closely with clients, barristers and other professionals to investigate the circumstances of a case and help individuals and families understand their rights and the options available to them.

Basmah also acts as a supervisor under Simpson Millar’s contract with the Legal Aid Agency, overseeing the provision of legal advice and representation in relation to inquests and claims against the police and other public authorities.

Basmah has extensive experience in Mental Health Law, inquests, judicial review and wider Public Law and Human Rights matters. Earlier in her career, she represented patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, including advocacy before the Mental Health Tribunal. Although she no longer undertakes this work at Simpson Millar, her experience has given her a strong understanding of the legal protections available to people receiving mental health care.

Her previous work includes representing an unaccompanied young person seeking asylum whose age was disputed by a local authority. Following a hearing in the Upper Tribunal, the judge placed greater weight on the young person's evidence and that of their therapist than on the local authority's age assessment.

Basmah has also been involved in wider legal challenges concerning government policies and decisions. This includes judicial review proceedings relating to the introduction of new contractual arrangements for junior doctors and challenges to government guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She completed her training contract at another law firm in August 2017 and has worked in Public Law and Human Rights since qualifying as a Solicitor.

Professional memberships and accreditations

Basmah is a member of the INQUEST Lawyers Group, a network of legal professionals working on cases involving deaths in custody and other state-related deaths.

Basmah is a Trustee of Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID), a charity providing legal advice and representation to people held in immigration detention.

Awards and recognitions

Basmah has been recognised in the Chambers and Partners UK rankings, achieving a Band 1 individual ranking for Mental Health: Patients in recognition of her specialist experience in this area of law.

Case studies and notable cases

BUJ v Bromley Council [2026] EWCA Civ 888
In July 2026, Basmah was part of the legal team that secured a Court of Appeal ruling concerning the proposed closure of a college providing education to adults with learning disabilities.
The Court accepted the argument that the local authority's decision was unlawful because it had failed to consult the students before proceeding with the closure.
AB, by his Litigation Friend XY v Wiltshire NHS Trust
Basmah represented a client who had been kept in seclusion by an NHS Trust for more than three years. She brought a claim under Article 5 of the Human Rights Act 1998, concerning the right to liberty. The case settled for £100,000 in damages, plus legal costs.
Inquests into the deaths of Melissa Parrish and Bethany Tenquist
Basmah represented the bereaved families of Melissa Parrish and Bethany Tenquist in inquest proceedings following their deaths. Both cases received significant media attention, including coverage of Melissa Parrish's inquest by Sky News and The Independent. Further information about Bethany Tenquist's inquest is available through INQUEST.
AMA v Harrow Council
Basmah represented a client in a Human Rights Act claim arising from an unlawful age assessment. The claim was brought after the original age dispute and settled before court proceedings were issued. She also discussed the legal issues involved in pursuing compensation several years after an unlawful age assessment at a roundtable meeting hosted by Doughty Street Chambers, attended by legal professionals specialising in this area.
E v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (JR-2022-LON-001940): Basmah represented a young girl seeking asylum whose age had been disputed by a local authority. She had experienced sexual abuse during her journey to the UK. Following a hearing, the judge accepted her stated age and date of birth. The judge also criticised aspects of the local authority's age assessment, including the assessors' consideration of matters outside their expertise.
AY v London Borough of Brent
Basmah represented a young person seeking asylum whose age and date of birth had been disputed by a local authority. The judge accepted the young person's stated age and date of birth, finding that only limited weight could be placed on the local authority's age assessment because it was unclear which questions had been asked and how the young person had responded.

Educational background

Basmah graduated from SOAS University of London with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), achieving a 2:1.

She was admitted as a Solicitor on 1 September 2017.

Get in touch, today!

Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0800 260 5010