PracticeHelen joined Chambers in October 2009 following the completion of her pupillage under the supervision of Maya Sikand and Sonali Naik. During this time she gained experience in criminal defence, immigration, extradition, prison law, inquests, public and administrative law, civil claims against the police and family law. Helen's current practice encompasses many of these areas, but is primarily focused on immigration and asylum law. She is keen to develop her practice in immigration-related judicial review and prison law.
Immigration and Asylum Helen regularly appears before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in asylum, immigration and entry clearance appeals, reconsideration hearings and appeals concerning EC law and the right to reside. She is especially committed to cases involving violence against women and sexual minorities. Helen has a particular interest in civil claims and judicial reviews arising from immigration detention, and frequently acts pro bono for Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID). She is currently instructed in a judicial review challenging a refusal to grant British citizenship on good character grounds. Prison Law
During her pupillage Helen advised on public law challenges to decisions on prisoner categorisation, licence conditions and the IEP scheme. She has been instructed to represent prisoners in adjudications and parole board hearings. Family Law
Helen maintains a practice in family law, and has experience of private and public law proceedings involving children. She recently successfully represented a victim of domestic violence in a heavily contested three day fact finding hearing. Crime Helen has in-depth experience of criminal law and has appeared regularly in the Magistrates', Crown and Youth Court. As the result of representing many young and vulnerable defendants where issues of mental capacity and fitness to plead have arisen, she is interested in developing a mental health practice.
Publications
Reform or Retreat? A Critical Analysis of Proposed Changes to the Role of Attorney General, Liverpool Law Review, 2010 (forthcoming). BackgroundPrior to coming to the Bar, Helen worked for eight years as a television producer and broadcast journalist, producing documentaries and current affairs programmes. During her legal training, Helen worked pro bono for the UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG), preparing asylum cases involving persecution due to sexual orientation. She also volunteered at Solace Women's Aid in Camden, and as an evening adviser at Hackney Law Centre. In 2008 she worked for JUSTICE on proposed reforms to the law on homicide. Helen recently worked with Liberty on an intervention strategy concerning the control orders regime, and drafted Liberty's response to a parliamentary inquiry into unimplemented Strasbourg judgments. Helen has a first class degree in Physics & Philosophy and a Masters with distinction in Gender Studies. She graduated top of her year in the CPE and was graded outstanding on the BVC. She is a Bedingfield and Arden Scholar of Gray's Inn.
SocietiesImmigration Law Practitioners' Association, Administrative Law Bar Association, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Liberty, JUSTICE, Amnesty International.
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