Michelle Brewer

Practice

Michelle's practice covers a wide spectrum of private and publically funded immigration advisory and appellate work, asylum and human rights appeals.

Within these areas Michelle specializes in the following areas:

Trafficking: Michelle is recognised as a specialist in the field of trafficking work and has this year been instructed on several public law challenges to the UK Government's implementation of the Council of Europe Convention Against the Trafficking in Human Beings. Michelle was instructed as junior Counsel in the case of LM, MB, DG, Betti Tabot and Yutunde Tijani [2010] EWCA Crim 2327, in the light of this specialist knowledge. This was a case which succeeded in quashing the convictions of three victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation who had committed crimes during and as a consequence of their exploitation. In this appeal Lord Justice Hughes, Vice President of the Court of Appeal gave guidance on the UK obligations under the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings 2005 (CETS No 197), parts of the substantive criminal law which were in issue, and the impact of particular guidelines for prosecutors which had been promulgated as a result of the convention. Michelle was also counsel in the country guidance decision of AZ (Trafficked Women) Thailand CG [2010] UKUT 118 (IAC), this case concluded that trafficked women constituted a particular social group and set out the relevant factors that may assist in determining the risk of such women if returned to Thailand. Michelle also works actively with organisations such as ECPAT UK, Anti-Slavery and Kalayaan on monitoring the UK Government's implementation of anti-trafficking measures. Michelle is a member of the Anti-Trafficking Legal Practitioners group and has given evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on their behalf.

ECtHR: Michelle has been junior Counsel in a number of applications to the European Court of Human Rights and has worked alongside organisations such as the AIRE Centre. Michelle was instructed in JN, KN and EN v United Kingdom (application no. 58043/08) which concerned the Article 8 rights of JN and her estranged husband, who were both HIV positive, and their young British child. The Court made an urgent communication to the UK having viewed the letter of introduction and, after the application was lodged with the Court, the Secretary of State issued JN with indefinite leave to remain.

Unaccompanied minors: Michelle also has a particular interest and experience in representing separated children in their asylum and human rights appeals. One of Michelle's strengths is her ability to represent the interests of extremely traumatised appellants and to fight rigorously on their behalf.

Private immigration advisory and appellate work: Michelle is regularly instructed by top legal 500 immigration firms to advise on the migration needs of international business people and those of UK based companies.

Highly regarded for her meticulous preparation and tenacity, Michelle is also regularly instructed by the country's leading private client immigration law firms.

Publications

Michelle has been heavily involved in updating the JCWI Immigration, Nationality & Refugee Law Handbook 2006, the highest selling text on UK immigration law.
She is also a contributor to Macdonald's Immigration Law and Practice (8th Edition, 2010), specifically to the sections on 'Families and Children' and those concerning victims of trafficking.

Societies

• Michelle is a member of the Anti-Trafficking Legal Practitioners group and has given evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on their behalf.
• Michelle is also a member of ILPA
• Michelle works closely with organisations such as Anti-Slavery and ECPAT UK, (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children).

Updated March 2011

Year of Call

Education

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