Maaha Elahi

Year of Call: 2019

“Maaha dealt with the matter with the upmost professionalism. It was a pleasure to instruct her.”

Solicitor Client

“Maaha managed to identify the weaker and stronger aspects of each case with efficiency and ease. She displayed an impressive amount of knowledge and I was genuinely impressed by her attitude, composure and analytical ability throughout.”

Solicitor Client

“Maaha did not hesitate to dedicate the additional time required to ensure our client received the best possible representation.”

Solicitor Client

“Maaha took this case on with so much positivity, the lay client was extremely happy with her support, her exact words were that Maaha was amazing.”

Solicitor Client

Contact

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Maaha has a broad civil practice, specialising in immigration, housing and public law.

Maaha was featured on the Aziz Foundation and Emerald Network’s “100 Inspiring Muslims” List in September 2024, due to her work in human rights law.

Under the supervision of Sonali Naik KC, Maaha assisted in high-profile litigation relating to the Rwanda deportation plan, criminalisation of migrants arriving via small boats and Afghan relocation.

Maaha has a wealth of experience in researching and challenging systemic issues in the criminal justice system. She is well-placed to assist crime-related civil claims and judicial reviews.

Due to several years of experience as a paralegal, Maaha has a strong understanding of the demands placed on solicitors. She is committed to assisting and working closely with her solicitors.

Administrative and Public Law

Overview

Maaha’s multi-disciplinary practice enables her to accept judicial review instructions in a range of areas. She acts in urgent and complex claims for judicial review as sole counsel and led junior.

Under the supervision of Sonali Naik KC, Maaha assisted in notable immigration-related judicial reviews such as the Rwanda deportation and Afghan relocation litigation.

Owing to Maaha’s large immigration and housing practice, she is particularly well-placed to assist in judicial reviews concerning asylum support under sections 95, 98 and 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Maaha has been involved in a number of judicial reviews related to the treatment of prisoners. She assisted in a challenge of the criminalisation of migrants arriving via small boats. She has led debating programmes in prison and has been involved in high-profile litigation involving children’s rights in prison as a paralegal. Maaha holds an MPhil in Criminology and a number of academic publications in this area.

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Immigration Law

Overview

Maaha is regularly instructed across all areas of immigration law. She has had many successes in asylum and protection appeals and regularly represents individuals in the First-tier and Upper Tribunals.

Maaha is particularly interested in Kurdish rights, having investigated the treatment of Kurdish people during legal delegations abroad. She has successfully represented many Iraqi and Iranian Kurdish asylum appellants.

Maaha regularly conducts deportation challenges for EU and non-EU nationals. Her research into the experiences of foreign national offenders during her postgraduate studies makes her well-placed to explore all possible legal challenges, and understand the issues faced by appellants.

She is regularly instructed in bail applications and provides a holistic approach to advice and representation, including where issues of unlawful detention, deportation, asylum and/or asylum support arise.

Prior to pupillage, Maaha worked as a paralegal in high-profile asylum and extradition cases.

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Community Care Law

Overview

Owing to Maaha’s large immigration and housing practice, she is particularly well-placed to assist in judicial reviews concerning asylum support under sections 95, 98 and 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

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Housing Law

Overview

Maaha has successfully defended possession claims brought by both private and public landlords, on statutory and public law grounds. She has argued on novel points of law in relation to possession and has been involved in a number of appeals. She regularly acts in disrepair claims, having dealt with such issues as a Parliamentary Caseworker.

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Civil Liberties

Overview

Maaha has a wealth of experience in representing and researching systemic issues in the criminal justice system. She is well-placed to assist crime-related civil claims. Maaha holds an MPhil in Criminology and a number of academic publications in this area.

Prior to pupillage, Maaha represented children in the criminal justice system at the Howard League.

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Maaha Elahi

Notable Cases & News

Background

Prior to joining Garden Court, Maaha represented children and young people in prison at the Howard League. She also led debating programmes in women’s prison through the Gray’s Inn ‘Vocalise’ programme. She gained further experience as a paralegal in high-profile asylum and extradition issues at Payne Hicks Beach.

Maaha worked as a paralegal in the Infected Blood Inquiry. She drafted witness statements for those affected and conducted research relating to the cover-up of infections. Whilst working in Parliament, Maaha drafted representations regarding the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the deportation of migrants and overcrowded housing conditions. She also routinely represented individuals in the Social Security Tribunal pro bono.

Maaha has volunteered as a Researcher for notable organisations, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Redress and Human Dignity Trust. She has a strong understand of human rights and international law as a result.

Maaha volunteers as a Legal Supervisor at the Islamophobia Response Unit. In her free time, Maaha mentors school and university students from disadvantaged backgrounds in relation to their university studies and career. She is regularly invited to speak at universities to discuss her journey to the Bar.

Awards

  • McMahon Law Studentship, St John’s College, Cambridge (BPTC, MPhil)
  • Aziz Foundation Scholar (MPhil)
  • Listed in the Aziz Foundation and Emerald Networks list of ‘100 Inspiring Muslims’ (September 2024)

Training and seminars

  • ‘How do we define Islamist Extremism?’, Nordic Conference on Violent Extremism, Sweden (September 2022)
  • ‘Accommodation and support for destitute migrants’, Garden Court Chambers (April 2024)

Education

  • Law (BA), University of Cambridge (St John’s College)
  • Criminology (MPhil), University of Cambridge (St John’s College)

Professional Memberships

  • Administrative Law Bar Association
  • Young Legal Aid Lawyers
  • Aziz Foundation 

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