Miranda Butler

Overview

Miranda practices in all areas of immigration, with a particular focus on asylum and human rights. She is regularly instructed in matters before the High Court, Upper Tribunal and First Tier Tribunal, including judicial reviews and urgent applications for interim relief. 

Her practice encompasses asylum and human rights appeals with substantial experience of deportation, EEA cases, the Points Based System and claims related to children.

In early 2018 she appeared with Sonali Naik QC and Bryony Poynor in the High Court case of ZS v SSHD, challenging the lawfulness of the Home Secretary’s implementation of the Dubs Amendment.

Miranda regularly handles judicial reviews claims related to unlawful detention and certification, including urgent applications for interim relief. She recently appeared, led by Anthony Vaughan and David Lock QC, in the case of R (KG)(Sri Lanka) v SSHD [2018] EWHC 1767 (Admin), an unlawful detention claim which successfully challenged the Secretary of State’s failure to ensure proper provision of medical treatment in immigration detention. 

Miranda also undertakes advisory work on a broad range of immigration-related issues, including naturalisation and citizenship issues.

Notable Cases

ZS v Secretary of State for the Home Department: challenge to the implementation of the ‘Dubs’ Amendment, led by Sonali Naik QC and Bryony Poynor.

R (KG)(Sri Lanka) v SSHD [2018] EWHC 1767 (Admin): successful unlawful detention, including a challenge based on the failure to provide a rule 34 assessment. 

MD v Secretary of State for the Home Department: successful challenge to refusal of asylum for a victim of human trafficking. Also obtained release from immigration detention.

AD v Secretary of State for the Home Department: overturned asylum claim refusal in the Upper Tribunal in relation to a conscientious objector from Algeria. This claim included a challenge to the House of Lords’ decision in Sepet and Bulbul.

AK v Secretary of State for the Home Department: defended a Rwandan national against the Home Office’s exclusion from leave to remain on the grounds of alleged involvement in genocide, in a six-day First-tier Tribunal hearing.

Overview

Miranda works on a broad range of human rights claims, including issues of unlawful detention, prisoners’ rights and freedom of expression litigation.

Miranda has experience in litigation before the European Court of Human Rights, having acted for various freedom of expression NGOs intervening in the case of Khadija Ismayilova v Azerbaijan, led by Can Yeginsu. In its 2019 decision the Strasbourg Court agreed with the interveners’ submissions that the state of Azerbaijan had failed in its obligations not only under Article 8 ECHR, but also under Article 10, in that it had failed to protect the privacy of Ms Ismayilova, a journalist, which had a potential ‘chilling effect’ on freedom of expression. 

She also worked for the interveners on Big Brother Watch v UK, a successful challenge to the bulk interception and processing of metadata by the UK and its data sharing with foreign states.

She was awarded the 2017 Pegasus Scholarship and spent three months working as a stagiaire in the UK division of the Court.

Miranda has a particular interest in prisoners’ rights, having previously worked with Reprieve and the Howard League for Penal Reform. She has been instructed on several claims challenging unlawful strip-searching in prisons, both by way of judicial review and in civil claims.

Notable Cases

Khadija Ismayilova v Azerbaijan: counsel for various freedom of expression NGOs supporting a successful claim by a jailed journalist challenging mistreatment and covert surveillance by the state. The European Court of Human Rights found violations of Article 8 and 10 ECHR.

Big Brother Watch v UK: a successful challenge to the bulk interception and processing of metadata by the UK and its data sharing with foreign states in the European Court of Human Rights. Miranda acted for several interveners specialising on freedom of expression in the US.

Overview

Miranda works in a broad range of public law areas, including unlawful detention, trafficking, and strategic litigation. She is regularly instructed in judicial review challenges, including urgent matters and applications for interim relief. 

Miranda is currently instructed in NN v LP v Secretary of State for the Home Department, a challenge to the 45-day limit to support for recognised victims of trafficking.

Miranda appeared with Sonali Naik QC and Bryony Poynor in the High Court in ZS v ref, challenging the lawfulness of the Home Secretary’s implementation of the Dubs Amendment.

Miranda regularly works on unlawful detention challenges, both in the Administrative Court and in civil proceedings. She appeared with Anthony Vaughan and David Lock QC in the successful unlawful detention action R (KG)(Sri Lanka) v SSHD [2018] EWHC 1767 (Admin).

From 2014 – 2015 Miranda worked as the judicial assistant to Lord Kerr JSC at the Supreme Court. During that time she worked on a variety of high-profile public law cases including:

• R (Evans) v Attorney General
• R (Carlile) v Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Keyu and ors v Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and anor

Prior to pupillage Miranda volunteered in Pentonville and Wormwood Scrubs prisons as a teacher and has a strong background in penal reform. She regularly undertakes advisory work in prison law claims and is currently instructed in a number of linked civil claims arising out of unlawful strip searching of female prisoners.

Notable Cases

ZS v Secretary of State for the Home Department: challenge to the implementation of the ‘Dubs’ Amendment, led by Sonali Naik QC and Bryony Poynor.

R (KG)(Sri Lanka) v SSHD [2018] EWHC 1767 (Admin): successful unlawful detention claim, including a challenge based on the failure to provide a rule 34 assessment.

WM v London Boroughs of Croydon and Wandsworth: successfully obtained interim relief following a failure by the relevant local authority to provide support under s. 20 Children Act 1989.