Shirin is a solicitor in our Public Law and Human Rights team. She represents clients in a wide range of public and international law matters, with a particular interest in challenges relating to migrant rights, national security and data protection.
Shirin is experienced in bringing judicial review and civil claims against the state on a range of domestic and international law matters. She represents victims of trafficking, false imprisonment, arbitrary detention, torture and extraordinary rendition. She also specialises in bringing appeals before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), on behalf of individuals deprived of their British citizenship.
She has participated in roundtable meetings in relation to Syrian returnees and in 2023, provided written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry on the State Handling of Hostage Situations.
Shirin also regularly challenges decisions by the police and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) concerning disclosure of information, police record deletion requests, appeals before the Information Tribunal and civil claims for data protection breaches.
She is a Trustee of PBI International (UK).
Education and career
- Shirin graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in English Literature and Language (BA Hons) in 2012
- She completed the Graduate Diploma in Law in 2011 and the Legal Practice Course at BPP in 2015
- She worked at two solicitors firms in London between 2016 – 2020, before joining Bindmans in February 2021
Experience
Shirin’s cases include:
- Successful judicial review challenge to the government’s failure to lawfully consult on its proposed National Disability Strategy, in R(Binder & Others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
- Representing the family of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the pro-Biafran secessionist movement, in relation to his torture, extraordinary rendition and arbitrary detention in Nigeria – (R (Kanu) v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, [2023] EWHC 652 (Admin)
- Providing written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry into State Handling of Hostage Situations
- Successfully representing individuals in appeals against the deprivation of their British citizenship
- Securing the release of asylum seekers detained at Napier Barracks during the Covid-19 outbreak
- Challenge to the police’s inclusion of an environmental activist on the domestic extremism database
- Successfully challenging Kent North East Coroner’s refusal to allow a journalist to attend an inquest remotely during the pandemic
- Successful claim for damages regarding the UK government’s role in the extraordinary rendition and detention of a Pakistani national for ten years during the Iraq war
- Securing a successful settlement against a local authority on behalf of a family whose personal details were disclosed by the local authority to the birth mother of their adopted child, in breach of the Data Protection Act 2018
Recognition
Legal Directories
Chambers and Partners UK 2024
- Shirin is ranked ‘Associate to Watch’ in Administrative & Public Law: Traditional Claimant.
- Feedback says, ‘”She has been very impressive in the handling of my case.”
- “She fights really hard and handles amazing public law work on behalf of disabled claimants.”
- Shirin is also ranked ‘Associate to Watch’ in Civil Liberties & Human Rights.
- Clients note, ‘”Shirin is a brilliant solicitor – she is fantastically committed and keeps cases moving along. She is really up to speed with the law and is excellent at writing letters that clearly set out the legal and factual issues.”
Legal 500 2024
- Shirin has been ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in Administrative & Public Law.
- A client shares, ‘‘I have particularly noticed Shirin Marker, who is highly efficient and a pleasure to work with.’
- Shirin has also been ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in Civil Liberties & Human Rights.
- Feedback says, ‘ ‘Shirin Marker really is one to watch. Her style is understated but she is extremely intelligent and has the strategic nous of a practitioner with many more years of experience.’
Legal 500 2023
- “Shirin Marker was incredibly knowledgable, while also being straight forward and clear in a way that gave me total confidence in her ability”
- “Shirin Marker is a real one to watch – bright, efficient, excellent client rapport and can get to grips with the most complex of cases, quickly. Particular expertise with vulnerable female clients, and cases involving closed material/ secret evidence”
Professional memberships
- Young Legal Aid Lawyers
- Immigration Law Practitioner’s Association
- Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
