Semaab Shaikh

Junior A

7 Feb

Written By Nick Calton, Toucan Creative

Call: 2002

Semaab Shaikh

LL.B (Hons), University of Birmingham (1999)

LL.M, Comparative, European & Public Law,
University of Birmingham (2000)

Lincoln’s Inn

Legal Aid Supplier Number 835PA

Semaab Shaikh was called to the Bar in 2002 (Lincolns Inn) and completed her pupillage at Cloisters in London. Prior to coming to the Bar she was employed as a legal adviser and support worker for a domestic violence organisation in the North of England.

She practises in the area of Family Law. Semaab is a highly-rated barrister who since 2010 has been regularly recommended by the Legal 500 for her specialist knowledge and ability to represent clients in the most difficult situations. As an experienced family law barrister she specialises in all aspects of private and public children law; radicalisation cases; domestic abuse; removal from the jurisdiction; international child abduction, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Semaab appears on behalf of parents, local authorities and children. She has been involved in high profile cases that have attracted local and national media interest. She has a strong interest in the area of forced marriage and cases with an international element.

In addition to her practice, Semaab provides training on children law, domestic abuse, deprivation of liberty, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, the interplay between family law and immigration law and related areas. In November 2018 she provided training on gender based violence as part of the Hong Kong Justice Centre’s annual symposium held at the University of Hong Kong.

From 2008 to 2014 Semaab was appointed to the Bar Council’s Equality and Diversity Committee. In 2018 she was invited to sit on the Advisory Board of the School of Law of the University of Bradford.

Other languages:
Urdu

Expertise

Family

Semaab is a highly rated barrister and established family law practitioner. She has provided advice and representation from first instance to Court of Appeal level and has experience of making an application to the High Court for permission to “leapfrog” to the Supreme Court. She regularly represents and advises individuals, local authorities and children’s guardians in cases involving the following:

Private children disputes, including where allegations of serious domestic abuse have been raised and in relation to contact, living arrangements, education, temporary and permanent removal from the jurisdiction Public law proceedings , including care and placement order proceedings Adoption Child Abduction, Wardship and applications under the Inherent Jurisdiction Forced Marriage Female Genital Mutilation Cases with an international element Human Rights Act 1998 * Applications under the Family Law Act 1996

Children (Public Law)

In relation to public law care proceedings Semaab has been instructed in cases involving the death of a child, serious non-accidental injuries, sexual abuse (including grooming cases and inter-sibling abuse), factitious illness syndrome and parents with serious drug and alcohol addictions. She has particular experience in advising and representing parties in applications in respect of children giving evidence in family cases and is experienced in cross-examining children and vulnerable witnesses.

Cases of Interest:

Led in a case before Holman J representing a child complainant where allegations of inter-sibling sexual abuse had been made and were successfully proven

Instructed to represent a step-father facing serious allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children; requiring cross-examination of the eldest child complainant

Advised and represented a local authority in two separate cases seeking and obtaining forced marriage protection orders in respect of victims outside the jurisdiction

Represented a local authority in a case in which children were at risk of significant harm due to the risk of removal by the parents to ISIL controlled areas

Instructed in a case in which the local authority had concerns that a teenage child had been groomed by a paedophile ring and was being sexually exploited

Instructed and led in a case representing a foreign national mother and a “stranded spouse” abroad. At the conclusion of the case, successfully persuaded the local authority to assist the mother in returning to the jurisdiction enabling her to care for the children.

Children (Private Law)

Semaab has in depth knowledge of private children law cases in which domestic abuse has been raised. She has a particular interest in private children law cases with an international element. She has experience of representing vulnerable parties and parents with serious drug and alcohol addictions.

Cases of Interest:

Represented a high profile individual in the entertainment industry facing allegations of serious illicit substance misuse and at the final hearing secured extensive unsupervised contact ;

Instructed to represent a mother with limited leave to remain in the UK where her dual national child had been left in the care of his extended paternal family abroad;

Represented a mother in wardship proceedings , lengthy private law proceedings and public law proceedings. The case concerned complex and protracted proceedings with an international element and the unusual feature of two siblings each living with one parent and for a period of time having no contact with the other sibling or parent.