Rebecca practises in all aspects of immigration, asylum and administrative law. She has particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable women and children and political asylum claims and represents clients at all levels from First-tier Tribunal to Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.
IMMIGRATION: ASYLUM AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Overview
Rebecca practises in all aspects of immigration and asylum law. She has developed particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable women and children and political asylum claims. She represents clients at all levels from the First-tier Tribunal to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. Rebecca was appointed a Deputy Judge of the Upper Tribunal (IAC) in 2015.
Notable Cases
SS Malaysia (2013) EWCA Civ 888
Whether the circumcision of a male child engaged Articles 3 and 8 of ECHR.
R (ota) Shah (2013) EWHC 2206 Admin
Legacy - no legitimate expectation that Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) rather than Discretionary Leave (DL) would be granted; unfairness did not amount to unlawfulness.
OO (Algeria) (2013) UKUT 63 (AIC)
Country guidance decision regarding the risk of persecution to gay Algerians.
MM (Zimbabwe) v Sec State Home Dept (2012) EWCA Civ 279
Whether Article 8 engaged and, if so, the test was to be applied in respect of a deportation appeal where the appellant suffered from severe mental health issues.
IA (Turkey) (2010) EWCA Civ 625 (distinguishing TB (Jamaica)
Unlawfulness earlier in the decision meaning that history may, in principle, sometimes taint a subsequent immigration decision but an earlier immigration decision by the Secretary of State of the Home Department (SSHD), which might have been appealed to the Tribunal, but which has not been appealed, or not been appealed in time, must subsequently be treated by all parties as lawful.
R (ota) Ahmed (2009) EWHC 2676 Admin
Judge Ouseley ordered the SSHD to return the claimant to the UK from Iraq following a finding that his Article 8 rights had been breached.
R (ota) Abdullah (2009) EWHC Admin 1771
Whether the unmarried third country national partner of an European Economic Area (EEA) national has an in-country right of appeal.
R (ota) Malik (2008) EWHC Admin 888
Judicial review of the decision to remove a third country national to Greece under the provisions of the Dublin Convention.
Jasim v SSHD (2006) EWCA Civ 342
Risk on return to an Iraqi Kurd.
AC (Turkey) (2004) UKIAT 00122
Whether the Article 8 rights of the mother, who was facing deportation, were shared by her daughter.
AA (Somalia) (2002) UKIAT 05720
Geledi are a sub-clan of the Benadiri minority clan and are thus at risk of persecution.
R (on the application of) B v an Adjudicator (2002) EWHC 1469
Medical evidence has to be considered by an adjudicator when assessing the credibility of an asylum applicant.
Contact Rebecca
Background
Before joining Garden Court Chambers in 2013, Rebecca practised at Tooks Chambers for 17 years. Prior to this, Rebecca worked for the Refugee Legal Centre (latterly Refugee and Migrant Justice) for four years.
Rebecca has acted as an external examiner for the Human Rights LLM at the University of York.
Rebecca is on the executive committee of Refugee Legal Support, Athens.
She lives in London with her partner and son.
Training and Seminars
Rebecca is a regular trainer for the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) and has also conducted training sessions for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrations (JCWI), Amnesty International and FORWARD UK.
Rebecca regularly trains and speaks at conferences and seminars concerned with the rights of refugee and migrant women, particularly on domestic violence and trafficking, both to lawyers and community groups and organisations.
What others say
"She is extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of immigration law. She has always been excellent and her appointment as a judge has given her another edge as she's now even better at knowing how a tribunal is going to react to an argument."
Chambers UK, 2020
"She has the combination of being passionately committed to the client as well as organised and focused. Clients know she's 100% on their side, and she delivers."
Chambers UK, 2020
"Brings to her practice sharp intellect, high-class written work and steely determination."
Legal 500, 2020
"A delight to work with." "Willing to pursue complex arguments with vigour."
Chambers UK, 2019
"She is an extremely persuasive advocate and entirely comfortable in the Court of Appeal."
Legal 500, 2019
"She is passionate, intelligent and reliable. She is able to respond quickly in an emergency, think flexibly and insightfully, and see each case afresh."
Chambers UK, 2018
"She is very compassionate and strong on children or family cases." "An absolutely fantastic advocate."
Chambers UK, 2017
She is at the cutting edge of immigration and asylum law."
Legal 500, 2017
Education
- BA (Hons) Sociology (York), Diploma in Law (London)
Professional Membership
- Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA)
- The Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
- Amnesty International
- Burma Campaign UK