Immigration Law

"Areas of particular strength include complex asylum and deportation matters in the context of European human rights law, but also private, business and high net worth immigration."

Chambers UK Bar Guide - Band 1

"Garden Court Chambers is the best immigration set in the country. They have a range of truly excellent barristers."

Chambers UK Bar Guide - Band 1

"A highly esteemed immigration set with a strong track record in sophisticated cases at the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and SIAC."

Chambers UK Bar Guide - Band 1

"Highlights have included success for Amanda Weston KC, leading Gordon Lee, in the Supreme Court case of R (Majera (Rwanda)) v Secretary of State."

Chambers UK Bar Guide - Band 1

"Lisa, Helen-Louise and Harriet are wonderfully responsive and make it their mission to provide the absolute best service to their professional and lay clients." "The best clerking in the business - utterly efficient."

Chambers UK Bar Guide - Band 1

To contact the Immigration Clerks, please email immigrationclerks@gclaw.co.uk or phone

+44 (0)20 7993 7600

Garden Court’s Immigration Team is recognised as the pre-eminent set of barristers in the UK specialising in immigration law. Our team won 'Immigration Set of the Year' at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023.

We have been awarded the highest ‘Band 1’ status for immigration law by the independent Chambers Bar Guide rankings and we are ranked in 'Tier 1' in the Legal 500 UK Bar rankings. We are the only 'Tier 1' ranked chambers in immigration law.

We know the immigration system inside-out and have covered every kind of situation. Our barristers have appeared in many of the cases that have shaped UK immigration law, and we continue to write the leading textbooks on immigration and asylum. We handle cases with unrivalled levels of expertise. We will be at the forefront of holding the government to account in the future treatment of EU citizens post-Brexit.​

We work with NGOs and charities on test cases, policy work, campaigns and events. These include the Immigration Law Practitioners Association, the Anti Trafficking Legal Project, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, Bail for Immigration Detainees, UNHCR UK, All Party Parliamentary Group on Visas & Immigration, Amnesty International, Equality & Human Rights Commission, Medical Justice, Young Roots, the Helen Bamber Foundation, Liberty and the Trafficking Law and Policy Forum.

Areas of Expertise

  • Asylum and international protection
  • Family and children immigration
  • National security, terrorism and international armed conflicts
  • Human rights
  • EU citizens
  • Commercial and business immigration (including the Points Based System)
  • Sponsor licences for businesses and colleges
  • British nationality
  • Trafficking
  • Deportation
  • Third country removals
  • Foreign criminal matters
  • Immigration detention
  • Migrant welfare
  • Private immigration work, acting for individuals from the highest echelons of international politics, business and sport

our immigration counsel

  • Provide the very best strategic advice on the most relevant evidence and the strongest arguments to support any kind of application to the Home Office or Entry Clearance Officer – the earlier counsel comes on board, the more value they can add
  • Give realistic guidance on your options when your last application has failed (including whether a further application or a legal challenge to the last refusal makes most sense)
  • Ensure that Court and Tribunal challenges are based on the latest legal thinking and are backed by the best available evidence
  • Understand the way that government decision-makers and judges think, and are thus very well-placed to advise on how best to present a case from the earliest stages

 

OUR IMMIGRATION CLERKS

Our team of specialist barristers are supported by clerks with expert knowledge of:

  • King’s Counsel and senior barristers who are well known across the immigration sector, with extensive knowledge, depth and legal experience - having appeared throughout the courts; from the tribunals to Supreme Court.
  • Experienced and knowledgeable junior barristers who can handle cases more cost-effectively, and who have the expertise of senior colleagues to draw on

To contact the Immigration Clerks, please email immigrationclerks@gclaw.co.uk or phone +44 (0)20 7993 7600

 

conferences

Barristers can add value to the legal advice you offer your client beyond acting as advocates. Sometimes the most useful work we do is to offer insight into a client’s options well before any litigation takes place. Whatever stage a case has reached, it is always useful to get another view.

Our barristers can:

  • Help to plot a strategic solution to a client’s needs, whether that involves making a further better evidenced application or pursuing another immigration route altogether
  • Advise on the required evidence and legal arguments available in administrative review applications, appeals or judicial review claims: the sooner counsel comes on board, the earlier they can start making a real difference
  • Ensure that an application is structured in the best way possible to generate an appeal if refused

 

administrative review

Some administrative review applications are straightforward and solicitors may well be comfortable with drafting themselves.

However, the more complicated the legal and evidential issues, the more likely it is that counsel may add value, particularly where it is likely that the application is just a prelude to a judicial review claim.

Our counsel are experts at:

  • Analysing the Rules and Guidance to spot arguable errors
  • Understanding the nuances of evidential flexibility found in Rule 245AA addressing missing documents and information
  • Running arguments based on fairness when things have gone wrong at the interview stage

 

LITIGATION

Our casework includes:

  • Drafting persuasive grounds of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal, which may result in concessions from Entry Clearance Managers or senior Home Office staff before a case comes to court
  • Advising on precisely what evidence is needed, looking over draft witness statements and checking supporting documents
  • Drafting skeleton arguments and providing the very highest quality of advocacy at appeal hearings
  • Drafting grounds in order to obtain permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal against First-tier Tribunal decisions and then providing expert representation at the subsequent hearings
  • Litigating in judicial reviews – we can add value at every stage, from drafting the original Pre Action Protocol letters to providing the concise and well-argued grounds that are vital to steer a judicial review application to a realistic conclusion.
  • We act in every kind of challenge, including nationality refusals, administrative review refusals, challenges to “clearly unfounded” certificates, refusals to recognise fresh claims, and unlawful detention claims

 

ASYLUM AND DEPORTATION

Our casework includes:

  • Strengthening the client’s case by pointing those instructing towards the best possible country evidence to support an asylum claim, advising on expert reports and advising on witness statements
  • Persuading judges to allow appeals by our knowledge of the latest asylum and international protection case law
  • Preventing deportation by putting together a watertight case on links to the UK

Visit our Immigration Detention, Asylum and Deportation page for more details

 

FIGHTING DISHONEST ALLEGATIONS

Our casework includes overturning refusals based on dishonesty allegations, such as:

  • Refusals of settlement because the Home Office do not accept the claimed earnings are genuine, including where there are inconsistencies between earnings shown on tax returns and immigration applications
  • Accusations of cheating in English language tests
  • Omissions in application forms

 

SECURING AND UPHOLDING eUROPEAN uNION rESIDENCE rIGHTS

Our casework includes:

  • Advising on the best way for a British citizen to lawfully move abroad for a period and return in the future ensuring residence rights in European Union law for their here (ie Surinder Singh cases)
  • Obtaining permanent residence for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals with complex histories of work, self-sufficiency and study
  • Preventing the expulsion of EEA nationals accused of involvement with marriages of convenience or abuse of EEA rights
  • Winning appeals involving proof of continuous residence and exercise of Treaty Rights throughout a person’s stay in the UK
  • Advising on the likely consequences of the UK’s departure from the European Union

 

LONG RESIDENCE AND PRIVATE LIFE

Our casework includes:

  • Advising on the best way for a British citizen to lawfully move abroad for a period and return in the future ensuring residence rights in European Union law for their here (ie Surinder Singh cases)
  • Obtaining permanent residence for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals with complex histories of work, self-sufficiency and study
  • Preventing the expulsion of EEA nationals accused of involvement with marriages of convenience or abuse of EEA rights
  • Winning appeals involving proof of continuous residence and exercise of Treaty Rights throughout a person’s stay in the UK
  • Advising on the likely consequences of the UK’s departure from the European Union

 

FIGHTING FOR FAMILIES

Our casework includes:

  • Demonstrating that there really were “insurmountable obstacles” to relocation abroad for a loving couple whose “partner” application had been refused
  • Showing that it would be unreasonable for the parents of a British citizen child to have to leave the country
  • Making further representations that were accepted as a fresh human rights claim, generating a further right of appeal
  • Overturning “clearly unfounded” certificates to ensure a right of appeal before an independent immigration judge
  • Getting refusals overturned for much-loved family members who have been repeatedly denied visit visas
  • Obtaining a visa for an elderly adult dependent relative with complicated care needs that could not be met in their country of origin

 

POINTS BASED SYSTEM CASES

Our barristers can:

  • Advise on the complicated web of Rules and Guidance that govern applications to make sure everything is in order
  • Cast an eye over the evidence which it is proposed to rely on
  • Analyse the client’s route to indefinite leave to remain having regard to the need for continuous lawful residence
  • See whether a refusal can be undermined having regard to missing documents, evidential flexibility, and common law principles of fairness

 

BUSINESS IMMIGRATION

Our barristers can:

  • Help advise on business plans and other aspects of an Entrepreneur application – and go on to fight the client’s corner during administrative and judicial review challenges
  • Advise on the best strategy where a Sponsor’s licence is under threat: whether the client is facing an audit, or had the licence suspended or revoked. Remember: the sooner we come on board and start advising, the higher the chances of success
  • Give realistic advice on the best approach to take to a Civil Penalty Notice

 

PUBLICATIONS

We have authored or contributed to all of the authoritative texts on immigration law including:

  • Macdonald’s Immigration Law and Practice (Butterworths LexisNexis, 9th edition)
  • Immigration Appeals and Remedies Handbook (Bloomsbury, 2015)
  • Immigration Practice and Procedure in Family Proceedings (Jordans, 2013)
  • Fransman’s British Nationality Law (Bloomsbury Professional, 3rd edition 2011)
  • JCWI Guide to the Points-Based System (JCWI, 2011)
  • Halsbury’s Laws of England (Butterworths 5th ed, vol. 4 2011) British Nationality
  • Asylum Law and Practice (Bloomsbury, 2nd edition 2010)
  • Blackstone’s Guide to the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (Oxford University Press, 2010)
  • Support for Asylum Seekers and other Migrants (Legal Action Group, 2009)
  • HJT and ILPA’s Home Office Policy Manual (HJT, 2009)
  • Blackstone’s Guide to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (Oxford University Press, 2009)
  • Jackson and Warr’s Immigration Law and Practice (Tottel, 4th edition 2008)

 

Recent notable cases and news

Grace Brown awarded Highly Commended at Women & Diversity in Law Awards 2024 in 'Advocate of the Year' category

We are delighted to announce that our Joint Head of Chambers, Grace Brown, is highly commended in the 'Advocate of the Year' category at the Women & Diversity in Law Awards 2024.

14 March 2024

UK Home Office grants asylum to Palestinian citizen of Israel

Franck Magennis, of the Garden Court Chambers Immigration Team, represented the Appellant, instructed by Taher Gulamhussein of Riverway Law.

12 March 2024

High Court allows judicial review claim of Afghan Judge who contributed to UK mission in Afghanistan and was denied relocation to UK

Duran Seddon KC and Ali Bandegani, of the Garden Court Immigration Team, instructed by Zoe Cooley of Wilson Solicitors LLP, represented the claimant in the successful case against the decision of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

7 March 2024

Foreign Office grants Indefinite Leave to Remain to mother of British Embassy workers in Kabul and agrees to pay indemnity costs

Our Helen Foot and Emma Fitzsimons successfully represented the Claimants in R (AA and RA) v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs AC-2023-LON-002498, instructed by Tori Sicher of Bhatt Murphy Solicitors.

29 February 2024

Important judgment on the correct approach to assessing eligibility under ARAP

Our Nicola Braganza KC and Maria Moodie of the Garden Court Public Law Team successfully represented MA, instructed by Siobhan Foulner of Wilson Solicitors.

20 February 2024

Adrian Berry assists in securing damages for client as Home Office settles for breach of GDPR

Our Adrian Berry acted alongside Matt Lewin of Cornerstone Barristers and David Lemer of Doughty Street Chambers, instructed by Raman Kumar, Nazia Khan and Paviter Juss of Duncan Lewis in the Administrative Court Judicial Review.

20 February 2024

High Court challenge to Legal Aid Agency’s decision to refuse public funding to Windrush victim in compensation claim while new report finds 'structural weaknesses' in Windrush Compensation Scheme

Grace Brown, Joint Head of Garden Court Chambers, is acting in an upcoming High Court challenge to grant legal aid to a claimant under the Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS) and is among the contributors to KCL's research report.

14 February 2024

Secretary of State for the Home Department’s Discretionary leave policy for trafficking victims declared unlawful: Upper Tribunal decision in VTL (Vietnam)

The Applicant was represented by Gráinne Mellon, Eva Doerr & Hannah Lynes of Garden Court Chambers. Counsel instructed by Ben Goldberg of Turpin Miller Solicitors.

8 February 2024

Garden Court responds to Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights' Call for Evidence on Safety in Rwanda (Asylum & Immigration) Bill

This consultation response is submitted by Garden Court Chambers, which is a multi-disciplinary Chambers based in London. It has over 190 barristers (including 30 King’s Counsel) and is one of the largest in the country with over 40 years of experience in

12 January 2024

David Jones on Friends of ERA Association Event speaker panel

David Jones of the Garden Court Immigration Team is a guest speaker at The UK Chapter of the Friends of ERA Association's online panel debate.

11 January 2024

Blog: Windrush - When is a Promise Not a Promise?

This blog is by Grace Brown of the Garden Court Chambers Immigration & Public Law Teams.

8 January 2024

Immigration Blog: Section 2 of the Illegal Migration Act - Duty to Remove

Blog by Eva Doerr and Isaac Ricca-Richardson of the Garden Court Immigration Team.

3 January 2024

Blog: Irena Sabic KC and Alex Grigg Reflect on the Rwanda Bill

Irena Sabic KC and Alex Grigg of our Public Law and Immigration teams at Garden Court provide reflections on the Rwanda Bill (personal views only) and with thanks to Liam Mckenna for his contribution.

22 December 2023

Rwanda Judgment: Supreme Court unanimously rules Rwanda policy is unlawful

Sonali Naik KC, Adrian Berry, Mark Symes, Eva Doerr and Isaac Ricca-Richardson, of Garden Court Chambers, represent AS (Iran). David Sellwood, of Garden Court Chambers, is part of the team representing RM (Iran).

15 November 2023

Alex Grigg obtains permission from High Court to challenge 'clearly unfounded' certification of Albanian's asylum claim

Alex Grigg, of the Garden Court Chambers Immigration & Public Law Team, is instructed by Bahar Ata, Erin Alexander McGowan and Joshua Chia of Duncan Lewis.

6 November 2023

Immigration Blog: The expansion of immigration detention in the Illegal Migration Act 2023

Blog post by Alex Schymyck of the Garden Court Immigration Team.

1 November 2023

Garden Court Chambers welcomes four new pupils

Garden Court Chambers is delighted to welcome four new pupils: Matthew Banks, Abby Buttle, Daniella Davenport, and Christopher Lambert.

9 October 2023

Rwanda Plan in Supreme Court: Garden Court representing asylum seekers

Sonali Naik KC, Adrian Berry, Mark Symes, Eva Doerr and Isaac Ricca-Richardson, of Garden Court Chambers, represent AS (Iran). David Sellwood, of Garden Court Chambers, is part of the team representing RM (Iran).

9 October 2023

Garden Court secures top tier rankings in the Legal 500 UK 2024

Garden Court Chambers is proud to be recognised as a Top Tier set again in the Legal 500 UK 2024 rankings.

4 October 2023

Garden Court Chambers wins Immigration Set of the Year at Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023

Congratulations to all members of the Garden Court Chambers Immigration Team.

4 October 2023

Immigration Blog: Age Assessments - More Than Just a Number

Blog post by Georgie Rea of the Garden Court Immigration Team.

2 October 2023

Immigration Blog: Illegal Migration Act - An Asylum Apocalypse?

Blog post by Maha Sardar of the Garden Court Immigration Team.

15 September 2023

Immigration Blog: Illegal Migration Act's implications for victims of trafficking and modern slavery

Blog post by Nadia O'Mara of the Garden Court Immigration and Public Law Teams.

4 September 2023

JUSTICE launches report calling on Government to double down on efforts to relocate Afghans who supported Britain

Garden Court Chambers is delighted to be hosting the launch of JUSTICE's report. Sonali Naik KC of the Garden Court Immigration and Public Law Teams, and Chair of the JUSTICE Committee, wrote the foreword to the report.

15 August 2023

Garden Court Chambers responds to MoJ consultation on Legal Aid Fees in Illegal Migration Bill

Garden Court Chambers responds to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) consultation on the fees applicable to immigration legal aid work being brought into scope by the Illegal Migration Bill in England and Wales.

9 August 2023

High Court rules Local Authorities obliged to consider support requests by appeal rights exhausted care leavers

Irena Sabic KC and Alex Grigg of Garden Court Chambers represented the Claimant, anonymised as DK, instructed by Radhi Shah of Youth Legal.

27 July 2023

Gráinne Mellon advises CAJ in Belfast on immigration checks on Irish land border

The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) has commissioned a legal opinion on the legality of ongoing passport/immigration checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland following Brexit.

21 July 2023

Blog: Reflection on the Children's Rights Summer Conference

Kate Aubrey-Johnson reflects on the Children's Rights Summer Conference held at Garden Court Chambers on 11 July 2023.

21 July 2023

Helen Foot secures resettlement for former female Afghan judge

Helen Foot of the Garden Court Chambers Immigration Team was instructed by Oliver Oldman of Kingsley Napley and Lucy Blake of Jenner & Block.

18 July 2023

'Name Me Lawand' Documentary Film Screening Now

A heartfelt documentary about Lawand, a six-year-old profoundly deaf boy from Iraq, who the Home Office tried to deport, is screening now. Lawand was represented by Gráinne Mellon, of the Garden Court Chambers Immigration Team.

17 July 2023

Kathryn Cronin wins Legal Aid Barrister of the Year at the 2023 LALY Awards

We are delighted to announce that Kathryn Cronin is the winner of Legal Aid Barrister of the Year at the 2023 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards.

12 July 2023

Garden Court Chambers shortlisted for record-breaking TEN awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards

We are delighted to announce that Garden Court Chambers has been shortlisted in a record-breaking ten categories at The Legal 500 Bar Awards.

12 July 2023

The Team

Laurie Fransman KC

Year of Call: 1979

Year of Silk: 2000

Stephanie Harrison KC

Year of Call: 1991

Year of Silk: 2013

Sonali Naik KC

Year of Call: 1991

Year of Silk: 2018

Amanda Weston KC

Year of Call: 1995

Year of Silk: 2018

Nicola Braganza KC

Year of Call: 1992

Year of Silk: 2022

Duran Seddon KC

Year of Call: 1994

Year of Silk: 2023

Edward Grieves KC

Year of Call: 1995

Year of Silk: 2023

Irena Sabic KC

Year of Call: 2002

Year of Silk: 2023

Kathryn Cronin

Year of Call: 1980

Peter Jorro

Year of Call: 1986

Rebecca Chapman

Year of Call: 1990

Valerie Easty

Year of Call: 1992

Navita Atreya

Year of Call: 1994

David Jones

Year of Call: 1994

Louise Hooper

Year of Call: 1997

Patrick Lewis

Year of Call: 1997

Adrian Berry

Year of Call: 1998

Gordon Lee

Year of Call: 1998

Ronan Toal

Year of Call: 1999

Bojana Asanovic

Year of Call: 2000

Sadat Sayeed

Year of Call: 2001

Colin Yeo

Year of Call: 2002

Maha Sardar

Year of Call: 2002

Abigail Smith

Year of Call: 2003

Andrew Eaton

Year of Call: 2004

Mark Symes

Year of Call: 2004

Greg Ó Ceallaigh

Year of Call: 2006

Alex Grigg

Year of Call: 2007

Richard Reynolds

Year of Call: 2007

Helen Foot

Year of Call: 2008

Gemma Loughran

Year of Call: 2008

Ali Bandegani

Year of Call: 2009

Raza Halim

Year of Call: 2009

Gráinne Mellon

Year of Call: 2010

Emma Fitzsimons

Year of Call: 2011

Bijan Hoshi

Year of Call: 2011

Taimour Lay

Year of Call: 2011

Maria Moodie

Year of Call: 2011

Grace Capel

Year of Call: 2012

David Sellwood

Year of Call: 2012

Stephen Clark

Year of Call: 2013

Ubah Dirie

Year of Call: 2014

Matthew Ahluwalia

Year of Call: 2015

Franck Magennis

Year of Call: 2016

Zehrah Hasan

Year of Call: 2016

Steven Galliver-Andrew

Year of Call: 2018

Ella Gunn

Year of Call: 2018

Nadia O'Mara

Year of Call: 2018

Navida Quadi

Year of Call: 2018

Eva Doerr

Year of Call: 2019

Maaha Elahi

Year of Call: 2019

Rehab Jaffer

Year of Call: 2019

Georgie Rea

Year of Call: 2019

Isaac Ricca-Richardson

Year of Call: 2020

Alex Schymyck

Year of Call: 2020

Harry Harris

Year of Call: 2021

Grace Brown

Year of Call: 1995

Hannah Lynes

Year of Call: 2021

Josephine Fathers

Year of Call: 2022

Associate Members

Femi Omere

Year of Call: 1999

Jo Wilding

Year of Call: 2007

We are top ranked by independent legal directories and consistently win awards.

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