Laurie Fransman QC

Practice

Laurie provides advice, strategic planning and advocacy in all aspects of immigration, nationality and asylum but with an emphasis on sensitive cases, commercial immigration law and complex nationality issues at national and international levels. In his practice he substantially relies on European Community law, international and human rights laws and constitutional law.

Laurie co-founded the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA) and is regularly recognised in legal directories and the legal press as a leader in his field.

Chambers and Partners 2009 Directory ('star' rating):

Sources describe Fransman as a "veritable font of knowledge," variously labelling him "the guru" or "the god of nationality law." He is primarily celebrated for his expertise in nationality issues, although this forms just one thread of a practice that takes in all manner of complex immigration and asylum cases in both the UK and European courts. As one source explained, "he remains a truly brilliant and well-recognised expert across the board - he's first choice for anything relating to immigration."

The Legal 500: A 'leading Silk' in the field of immigration and nationality; (the 'number one choice for nationality law').

Nature of work: Laurie's cases are mostly judicial reviews and appeals before the immigration appellate authorities, but also include Strasbourg cases, references to the European Court of Justice and assistance in other jurisdictions. His policy work ranges from participation in Council of Europe initiatives and domestic "think tank" activities, to the presentation of policy papers at NGO, governmental and inter-governmental levels. He has also drafted nationality Bills or nationality amendments to Bills in passage and was partly responsible for provisions such as the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 (British citizenship for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong), s.6 of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (British citizenship for the Ilois) and s.13 of the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (British citizenship for certain pre-1983 children of British mothers).

Laurie is also involved in training, including judicial training. His principal committee work has been for ILPA, and he is a member of a number of other specialist Bar associations.

Publications

Articles and papers: on law, practice, procedure and policy, from commercial immigration under domestic law, to free movement and human rights in Europe, and the legitimacy of economic citizenship programmes.

Books:

Halsbury's Laws of England (Butterworths 4th ed, vol. 4(2) 2002 reissue); coordinating editor and principal contributor of the title British Nationality, Immigration and Asylum. Consultant editor, Halsbury's Laws of England new ed to be published in 2010.

Blackstone's Guide to the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (OUP, 2009); co-author.

Fransman's British Nationality Law (Fourmat, 1989), 2nd ed (Butterworths, 1998); 3rd ed (Tottel, due 2010).

Macdonald's Immigration Law and Practice (Butterworths 7th ed, 2008), contributor. Jackson & Warr's Immigration Law and Practice (Sweet & Maxwell, 2001), contributor.

Immigration, Nationality and Asylum under the Human Rights Act 1998 (Butterworths/Two Garden Court Chambers, 1999), contributor and co-editor with Nicholas Blake QC.

Citizenship and Nationality Status in the New Europe (Sweet & Maxwell/IPPR, 1998), contributor; Strangers and Citizens (Rivers Oram Press, 1994), contributor; The Constitution of the United Kingdom (IPPR, 1991), contributor; Immigration Emergency Procedures (LAG, 1986), jointly; Tribunals Practice and Procedure (Hemstal Press, 1985), jointly; and British Nationality Law and the 1981 Act (Fourmat, 1982).

Editorial: member of editorial board of Immigration & Nationality Law & Practice (Butterworths/Tolleys, 1987 to date); Member of editorial board of Immigration and International Employment Law (IRS/Eclipse, 1999 - 2001); Nationality consultant to Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th ed (1991); and UK contributing editor to Immigration Law and Practice Reporter, New York (1985).

(Last Updated: September 2009)

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Queen's Counsel

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