Sarah Khan-Bashir MBE is an award-winning solicitor with a career spanning over 25 years. As the founder of SKB Law, she has carved a niche in family law, specialising in the complexities of Islamic divorce and the legal nuances of Nikah-only marriages. Her expertise in these areas has not only made her a trusted authority for clients across the world, but also led her to feature in two documentaries on the topic, one by Channel 4 and a German documentary. During her career at the Office of the Force Solicitor for West Yorkshire Police, Sarah created a protocol to be followed by the courts and partner authorities in order to case manage civil applications brought by the police to the magistrates’ courts; the model has been adopted by several police forces.
Beyond her individual legal practice, Sarah’s impact extends to national advocacy for the rights and protections of women. She is deeply involved in addressing the challenges faced by women in Nikah-only marriages, often characterised by a lack of legal protection. In 2023, she co-founded Aura Network for South Asian Women in Law, hosting a launch event at the House of Lords with legal professionals from across the UK. She is also the author of Understanding Your Rights: an essential guide to the Nikah Nama and host of Family Matters, a podcast exploring the issues, taboos and realities of divorce and separation in the South Asian community.
She was named 2023 Yorkshire Lawyer of the Year, 2022 Modern Lawyer of the Year, and is Highly Commended by the Law Society of England & Wales. She is also the recipient of an Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Law. She was awarded an MBE in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, recognising her work with Mosaic, a Prince’s Trust educational charity.
