Olivia Whitehorn
Associate solicitor
Olivia is an associate solicitor in the human rights department
Olivia joined Leigh Day in 2020 and qualified as a solicitor in September 2023.
Olivia assists Waleed Sheikh on a variety of matters with a particular focus on migrants’ rights.
Olivia acts for clients who are, or have been, detained under immigration powers. This includes public law claims challenging unlawful detention, delays in the provision of Home Office accommodation and claims relating to immigration bail conditions. For clients released from detention, she assists with private law compensation claims for false imprisonment and in claims concerning mistreatment within detention centres.
Olivia acts in judicial review proceedings on behalf of age disputed young people.
She also assists Waleed Sheikh representing clients in cases involving national security, including in the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).
Olivia’s work includes settling damages claims on behalf of a group of thirty individuals who were detained by the Home Office for the purpose of transfer to a third country, unlawfully and in breach of the Dublin III Regulations, between 1 January 2014 and 17 March 2017.
Detention of women on International Women’s Day
On International Women’s Day 2024 Stephanie Hill and Olivia Whitehorn consider the immigration detention of women