Public Law & Human Rights

Sarah Collier

Senior Associate Solicitor, Public Law and Human Rights

London

Sarah joined Simpson Millar in 2017 and has more than ten years’ experience in the legal profession.

As a member of our Public Law team, she works across a range of areas, with the bulk of her practice being judicial review and associated claims under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Sarah specialises in bringing challenges against central and local government on behalf of vulnerable individuals, and she has a particular interest in representing children and victims of trafficking. She regularly acts for young people who have been exploited by county lines gangs.  She has extensive experience in bringing judicial reviews challenging NRM trafficking decisions, unlawful detention, child refugee family reunion refusals, and local authority decisions to deny support or accommodation to children in need and care leavers.

In addition to public law challenges, Sarah advises in private law actions against public bodies for false imprisonment, personal injury, and Human Rights Act damages claims, many of which follow on from a successful judicial review claim.

Sarah received a BA degree in Philosophy and Theology from Oxford University in 2010, following which she studied Law at the University of Law, earning the LLB qualification in 2013. She then completed her training contract at Linklaters LLP, qualifying into their Litigation department in 2015. Before joining the Public Law team at Simpson Millar, she worked in the Housing department of the Mary Ward Legal Centre, mainly representing vulnerable clients in housing possession cases.

Sarah has carried out pro bono work for several organisations including Bail for Immigration Detainees, the Centre for Criminal Appeals, Amicus, and the Centre for Reproductive Rights.

Testimonials

  • "Throughout the case Sarah was proactive, her advice was clear and sensible, she kept me informed throughout and she clearly made efforts to obtain the best possible outcome for a client who was, at times, challenging. I very much hope to work with her again. "

    Cheryl

    Office of the Official Solicitor

  • "Thank you to all the staff of Simpson Millar Solicitor especially to Ma’am Sarah Collier who did her best by helping me during my difficult time. She was very thorough and efficient. I felt reassured and she has been so patient with me during the process. I highly recommend their service to everyone who needed assistance."

    Mercy

    Client

  • "Sarah has been the most brilliant support. She’s helped us so much – really caring for us and always there for us. She did a great job in helping to organise and prepare our case in order to give us the best opportunity to get our Visas. I was so excited when I achieved mine earlier this year, followed not long after by my brother. I really appreciate the way Sarah has trusted us. She always made me feel really comfortable - asking if there was anything we needed and then helping if there was."

    Haroon Nikzaad

    Client

  • "Had the absolute pleasure of using simpson millar and Sarah Collier in particular. Sarah was professional, courteous and kept us informed of our process from start to finish. Would highly recommend "

    Karen

    Client

  • "I will alway say you're the best team ever for helping people in difficult situations of life to prive right from wrong as you did to us specially Sarah. You're unforgettable and best team ever."

    Musafa Nikzaad

    Client

  • "Sarah always respects my opinion and follow up my case carefully. For me, as a non-native speaker, my English skill is sometimes not really suitable for translating documents or communicating with other people. Sarah is the one who helps me to reach out to different people if needed and communicate with them to cooperate with me. In addition, Sarah also explains it thoughtfully for me. I recommend Sarah without reservation. "

    Nhan

    Client

  • "I would not have the basic living facilities if it was not for this company particularly “Sarah” & “Rachel”. I will forever be grateful to you for helping me in my worst time of need when I did not know who to turn to. I now have comfortable appropriate housing to call my own, which has aided me to feel much more suited in the right accommodation whilst I await for the next plans. Thank you for your excellent hard work and never giving up on me."

    Pia

    Client

  • "It was such a pleasure while working with Simpson Millar especially Sarah Collier. She’s very professional, knowledgeable and efficient. Kept me informed at every stages,gave me a lot of advices and always happy to answer any questions. And yes, my cases definitely ended up with positive results. I was very lucky while I worked with Sarah. Thanks for everything "

    Nam Nguyen

    Client

  • "Showed respect and determination with the case. Excellent. Would Definitely recommend.Outcome of the case.'We Won'!!! All thanks to the trusted supported of Sarah and the team. "

    Robert

    Client

  • "Sarah Collier is an exceptional person. Her professionalism, in terms of her confidence, dedication and efficiency in preparing my case helped me to know and feel that I was in safe hands. I was always kept informed and updated and she always ensured attention to details. I was always given the assurance that I could contact her via email/phone (if needed) when she was on annual leave, or she would go out of her way to call me (on weekends) to make sure that I was okay as the case was extremely difficult and emotionally draining at times with its twists and turns. "

    Naamah-Shalomit Shayahlah

    Client

  • "Sarah Collier is an absolutely fantastic and very professional solicitor who knows what she's doing. She is very confident in her role and made me feel very secure and always updated me on my ongoing cases. I had very low moments as my case it's quite sensitive, but she and the team made me feel at ease and Sarah is handling my case incredibly well. I have a lot of trust for her and those working around my case. Thank you so much for everything!"

    Helena

    Client

Recent cases

Cases Dealt With

2021

HNH v Secretary of State for the Home Department; multiple cases

Sarah acted for HNH in several linked cases against SSHD, beginning with simultaneous judicial reviews of the decisions to (i) detain HNH in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in 2020; and (ii) find that HNH was not a victim of trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Both cases were successful, and HNH was released from detention and formally recognised by SSHD as a victim of trafficking and modern slavery for the purpose of sexual and criminal exploitation. Sarah then brought a civil claim for damages for personal injury, false imprisonment and breaches of Articles 4 and 5 of the Human Rights Act 1998, ultimately securing a significant payment of damages from SSHD.

2019

HN & MN v Secretary of State for the Home Department; JR/4719/2019

Sarah acted for the Applicants HN and MN on a successful judicial review challenge against SSHD. The Applicants were unaccompanied minors seeking to join family member in the UK under the family reunification provisions of EU Regulation 604/2013 (Dublin III). The judicial review was won, and the court found that there had been a breach of the Applicants’ human rights under Article 8 ECHR.

2019

OP v The London Borough of Lewisham; CO/1368/2019

Sarah acted for OP, a young victim of county lines criminal exploitation, against a local authority which was refusing to comply with its duties to him as a care leaver under the Children Act 1989. They succeeded in their judicial review claim, and OP was granted entitlement to the full range of care leaver duties, including accommodation and financial support.

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