Garden Court Chambers remains the ‘go-to set for immigration‘ with its deep bench that covers the full scope of work touching on nationality and deportation, asylum and international protection, national security, EU free movement, and business immigration. Acting across all courts, including up to the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights, the set has significant experience handling complex appeals. The set has been deeply involved in the high-profile Rwanda litigation, with Amanda Weston KC and Sonali Naik KC leading Mark Symes, Isaac Ricca-Richardson, and Eva Doerr in AAA v Secretary of State for the Home Department, opposing the Government’s policy to remove persons who enter the UK irregularly, to seek asylum or otherwise, to the Central African country. Stephanie Harrison KC leading Gordon Lee have similarly been active in the public inquiry into the allegations of ill-treatment at the Brook House immigration detention centre, and the set remains actively engaged with the wide-ranging litigation that has arisen from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, with Nicola Braganza KC and Irena Sabic KC engaging with a number of these cases such as R (NBS) v SSHD.
Immigration (including business immigration) in
London Bar
Garden Court Chambers
Les références
‘Clerks are excellent and in particular Harriet Massie, who responds extremely quickly and is always helpful.’
‘The clerks service is always helpful and excellent. Helen-Louise D’Agostino and Harriet Massie have particularly stood out this year.‘
‘Garden Court are the go-to set for immigration and asylum. They are able to provide capable counsel for any matter. They consistently arrange superb training sessions for practitioners.’
Principaux dossiers
One Pump Court
Claimant-side set One Pump Court has a specialist immigration team that is able to advise on the full gamut of immigration, asylum, and deportation cases, including those that cross-over into other areas of law such as human rights and Court of Protection matters. The chambers includes a number of notable juniors who have acted in relation to a number of high profile mandates, such as David Chirico KC and Benjamin Bundock , who represent the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in its intervention into R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the substantial litigation around the government policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Alex Burrett is acting for an appellant who was stripped of his British citizenship by the Secretary of State in an appeal before the European Court of Human Rights in Pham v UK.
Les références
‘All the clerks are quick and helpful in their response to you. Mycal Thomas is always friendly and kind and facilitates a solution in even the most inconvenient scenarios.‘
‘I think the Pump court is a great set. They are about the individual and they care massively about justice for everyone.’
‘I have worked with One Pump Court for over 10 years and I find all their clerks and barristers to be diligent and the utmost professionals.’
Principaux dossiers
39 Essex Chambers
39 Essex Chambers has ‘real strength in depth‘ in immigration, regularly appearing in judicial reviews challenging removal, detention, and immigration rules before the first tier and upper tribunals, and going up to the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and European Court of Justice. The set ‘has been involved in many of the leading cases over the last years‘, with Rory Dunlop KC acting for the government in respect of R (AAA and others) v SSHD interim relief and case management hearings concerning the Rwanda proposals before the Administrative Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. Joining the set in November 2022 from 5 Essex Chambers, Alan Payne KC has been representing the government in relation to the challenge to immigration officers to seize mobile phones from small boat arrivals to the UK in R (HM) v Secretary of State for the Home Department. Lisa Giovannetti KC, Charles Cory-Wright KC, and Zane Malik KC are also key members of the chambers – all notable for their government work, and Cory-Wright KC in his capacity as a special advocate in national security-related proceedings.
Les références
‘The Chambers has been involved in many of the leading cases over the last 12 months, including the Rwanda litigation, the Country Guidance appeal on El Salvador, and a series of challenges to the Home Office’s policy on asylum and trafficking support.’
‘Great set with real strength in depth.’
‘From my experience, this set of chambers have high calibre of counsels experts in various areas of the law.’
Principaux dossiers
Blackstone Chambers
Blackstone Chambers is particularly strong in its work at the intersection of public law and immigration, handling judicial reviews relating to asylum and deportation before appellate courts, and is noted for being ‘at the top of their game on public law matters‘. Lord Pannick KC is representing the Government in the high-profile Rwanda litigation in R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, while Charlotte Kilroy KC represents a claimant charity in a related appeal and Jason Pobjoy was part of the team which secured interim relief for refugee claimants before the European Court of Human Rights. James Eadie KC - as "treasury devil", the government's first-choice outside barrister - Tom Hickman KC are also active in this space, crossing over between public law and immigration.
Les références
‘They are known to be at the top of their game on public law matters.’
‘The clerks are very helpful, communicative and proactive.’
Principaux dossiers
Doughty Street Chambers
Doughty Street Chambers is a ‘real human rights driving force in the market‘, with casework that covers the spectrum of immigration, nationality, and asylum law. Litigation surrounding immigration enforcement is a particular strength of the set with its own immigration detention group, but the chambers has experience handling trafficking and business immigration work also. Laura Dubinsky KC has led a team representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the intervention into the Rwanda litigation in R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, with Alasdair Mackenzie and Shu Shin Luh have represented refugee claimants in related cases. Joe Middleton KC has represented a high-profile HNW individual in a judicial review of the Home Secretary’s exclusion decision before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in E6 v SSHD.
Les références
‘Emily Norman and Rachel Finch are fantastic. They are helpful and quick to respond, even at the busiest of times.’
‘Excellent. Rachel Finch and Emily Norman are awe inspiring and totally dedicated to providing a first class service.’
‘The clerks are second to none. Highly professional, very responsive and adept at matching the ideal barrister to a case.’
Principaux dossiers
Landmark Chambers
Landmark Chambers acts for claimants, NGOs, and the government in leading cases across the High Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, leveraging the set’s strengths in public law to expertly handle immigration litigation. David Blundell KC has represented the government across a number of high-profile cases, appearing before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in the ongoing Shamima Begum citizenship revocation litigation, and in the case of R (Howard) v SSHD as to the legality of the good character requirement for naturalisation under the Windrush scheme. Samantha Broadfoot KC and Tim Buley KC are both involved in work around the Rwanda litigation on behalf of refugee and NGO claimants. Richard Drabble KC remains a key figure in this field.
Les références
‘Excellent set, right up there with the best public law chambers, providing an excellent service. Their clerks are so easy to work with and there’s a good range of juniors.’
‘I have worked with Landmark chambers for over 10 years and I find all their clerks and barristers to be diligent and the utmost professionals.‘
‘My experience has been, that this set has an extremely high standard of counsel.’
Principaux dossiers
Matrix Chambers
Matrix Chambers covers the full breadth of work and courts, with particular strengths in trafficking, modern slavery, immigration systems, and publicly-funded work more generally, while sports and business immigration have been a growing focus for the set. The set continues to engage with high-profile litigation, with Raza Husain KC, amidst his wider practice in refugee and HNW individuals asylum claims, has been leading a team in relation to the judicial review around the government’s Rwanda policy; Jonathan Glasson KC acting on behalf of the government in respect of the Shamima Begum appeal; and Christopher Buttler KC being a leading counsel challenging the Home Secretary’s pushback’s policy regarding the small boats in the Channel. Hugh Southey KC and Samantha Knights KC have been active in relation to work around exclusion on the basis of national security and EU asylum claims respectively.
Les références
‘The practice teams at Matrix are helpful and responsive. They offer a high degree of professionalism and good advice on counsel expertise and availability.‘
‘Matrix is a strong immigration and trafficking set. The majority of counsel I work with are from Matrix and provide high calibre advice and advocacy.‘
‘Excellent set with good breadth of counsel with expertise in this area and excellent training sessions.‘
Principaux dossiers
Goldsmith Chambers
Goldsmith Chambers has a wealth of experience in immigration public law challenges, and is able to deploy the cross-disciplinary expertise of its teams, particularly in civil, family, and criminal law, to handle cases at such intersections of those fields. The chambers draws on a number of impressive juniors, such as Charlotte Bayati, who has brought a challenge on the correct approach post-AM (Zimbabwe) in the Supreme Court as to the remit of medical experts; Samina Iqbal works in relation to unlawful detention claims; and Julian Norman being led by Anthony Metzer KC in a claim on behalf of a Ukrainian seeking refugee status having evaded conscription in OS (Ukraine) v SSHD.
Les références
‘My main point of contact is Neil Dinsdale who is head clerk for the immigration team. He is very helpful and efficient and always offers practical measures depending on circumstances that arise.’
‘Very approachable friendly clerks, excellent team work, their ethos is quality in everything they do.‘
‘I regularly instruct Goldsmith Chambers on our immigration matters. They are an excellent set and I have been impressed by all the barristers I have instructed. They have a decent-sized team who have been able to cover the full spectrum of issues.‘
Principaux dossiers
No5 Barristers' Chambers
No5 Barristers’ Chambers brings both a national presence through its offices around the country and experience in appearing before the First-Tier Tribunal up to the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court to its representation of a wide range of claimants. Manjit Singh Gill KC was part of the team representing a Sudanese individual in the wider Rwanda litigation of R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State of the Home Department, alleging unlawful transfer of personal data and failure to investigate data protection concerns involved in the scheme. Abid Mahmoud represented a refugee appellant in the Court of Appeal in SR (Sri Lanka) v SSHD regarding the impact of anti-government activities (in this case, support for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War) on the likelihood of ill-treatment on return to his home country.
Principaux dossiers
Garden Court Chambers
Les références
‘Clerks are excellent and in particular Harriet Massie, who responds extremely quickly and is always helpful.’
‘The clerks service is always helpful and excellent. Helen-Louise D’Agostino and Harriet Massie have particularly stood out this year.‘
‘Garden Court are the go-to set for immigration and asylum. They are able to provide capable counsel for any matter. They consistently arrange superb training sessions for practitioners.’
Principaux dossiers
One Pump Court
Claimant-side set One Pump Court has a specialist immigration team that is able to advise on the full gamut of immigration, asylum, and deportation cases, including those that cross-over into other areas of law such as human rights and Court of Protection matters. The chambers includes a number of notable juniors who have acted in relation to a number of high profile mandates, such as David Chirico KC and Benjamin Bundock , who represent the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in its intervention into R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the substantial litigation around the government policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Alex Burrett is acting for an appellant who was stripped of his British citizenship by the Secretary of State in an appeal before the European Court of Human Rights in Pham v UK.
Les références
‘All the clerks are quick and helpful in their response to you. Mycal Thomas is always friendly and kind and facilitates a solution in even the most inconvenient scenarios.‘
‘I think the Pump court is a great set. They are about the individual and they care massively about justice for everyone.’
‘I have worked with One Pump Court for over 10 years and I find all their clerks and barristers to be diligent and the utmost professionals.’
Principaux dossiers
39 Essex Chambers
39 Essex Chambers has ‘real strength in depth‘ in immigration, regularly appearing in judicial reviews challenging removal, detention, and immigration rules before the first tier and upper tribunals, and going up to the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and European Court of Justice. The set ‘has been involved in many of the leading cases over the last years‘, with Rory Dunlop KC acting for the government in respect of R (AAA and others) v SSHD interim relief and case management hearings concerning the Rwanda proposals before the Administrative Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. Joining the set in November 2022 from 5 Essex Chambers, Alan Payne KC has been representing the government in relation to the challenge to immigration officers to seize mobile phones from small boat arrivals to the UK in R (HM) v Secretary of State for the Home Department. Lisa Giovannetti KC, Charles Cory-Wright KC, and Zane Malik KC are also key members of the chambers – all notable for their government work, and Cory-Wright KC in his capacity as a special advocate in national security-related proceedings.
Les références
‘The Chambers has been involved in many of the leading cases over the last 12 months, including the Rwanda litigation, the Country Guidance appeal on El Salvador, and a series of challenges to the Home Office’s policy on asylum and trafficking support.’
‘Great set with real strength in depth.’
‘From my experience, this set of chambers have high calibre of counsels experts in various areas of the law.’
Principaux dossiers
Blackstone Chambers
Blackstone Chambers is particularly strong in its work at the intersection of public law and immigration, handling judicial reviews relating to asylum and deportation before appellate courts, and is noted for being ‘at the top of their game on public law matters‘. Lord Pannick KC is representing the Government in the high-profile Rwanda litigation in R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, while Charlotte Kilroy KC represents a claimant charity in a related appeal and Jason Pobjoy was part of the team which secured interim relief for refugee claimants before the European Court of Human Rights. James Eadie KC - as "treasury devil", the government's first-choice outside barrister - Tom Hickman KC are also active in this space, crossing over between public law and immigration.
Les références
‘They are known to be at the top of their game on public law matters.’
‘The clerks are very helpful, communicative and proactive.’
Principaux dossiers
Doughty Street Chambers
Doughty Street Chambers is a ‘real human rights driving force in the market‘, with casework that covers the spectrum of immigration, nationality, and asylum law. Litigation surrounding immigration enforcement is a particular strength of the set with its own immigration detention group, but the chambers has experience handling trafficking and business immigration work also. Laura Dubinsky KC has led a team representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the intervention into the Rwanda litigation in R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, with Alasdair Mackenzie and Shu Shin Luh have represented refugee claimants in related cases. Joe Middleton KC has represented a high-profile HNW individual in a judicial review of the Home Secretary’s exclusion decision before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in E6 v SSHD.
Les références
‘Emily Norman and Rachel Finch are fantastic. They are helpful and quick to respond, even at the busiest of times.’
‘Excellent. Rachel Finch and Emily Norman are awe inspiring and totally dedicated to providing a first class service.’
‘The clerks are second to none. Highly professional, very responsive and adept at matching the ideal barrister to a case.’
Principaux dossiers
Landmark Chambers
Landmark Chambers acts for claimants, NGOs, and the government in leading cases across the High Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, leveraging the set’s strengths in public law to expertly handle immigration litigation. David Blundell KC has represented the government across a number of high-profile cases, appearing before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in the ongoing Shamima Begum citizenship revocation litigation, and in the case of R (Howard) v SSHD as to the legality of the good character requirement for naturalisation under the Windrush scheme. Samantha Broadfoot KC and Tim Buley KC are both involved in work around the Rwanda litigation on behalf of refugee and NGO claimants. Richard Drabble KC remains a key figure in this field.
Les références
‘Excellent set, right up there with the best public law chambers, providing an excellent service. Their clerks are so easy to work with and there’s a good range of juniors.’
‘I have worked with Landmark chambers for over 10 years and I find all their clerks and barristers to be diligent and the utmost professionals.‘
‘My experience has been, that this set has an extremely high standard of counsel.’
Principaux dossiers
Matrix Chambers
Matrix Chambers covers the full breadth of work and courts, with particular strengths in trafficking, modern slavery, immigration systems, and publicly-funded work more generally, while sports and business immigration have been a growing focus for the set. The set continues to engage with high-profile litigation, with Raza Husain KC, amidst his wider practice in refugee and HNW individuals asylum claims, has been leading a team in relation to the judicial review around the government’s Rwanda policy; Jonathan Glasson KC acting on behalf of the government in respect of the Shamima Begum appeal; and Christopher Buttler KC being a leading counsel challenging the Home Secretary’s pushback’s policy regarding the small boats in the Channel. Hugh Southey KC and Samantha Knights KC have been active in relation to work around exclusion on the basis of national security and EU asylum claims respectively.
Les références
‘The practice teams at Matrix are helpful and responsive. They offer a high degree of professionalism and good advice on counsel expertise and availability.‘
‘Matrix is a strong immigration and trafficking set. The majority of counsel I work with are from Matrix and provide high calibre advice and advocacy.‘
‘Excellent set with good breadth of counsel with expertise in this area and excellent training sessions.‘
Principaux dossiers
Goldsmith Chambers
Goldsmith Chambers has a wealth of experience in immigration public law challenges, and is able to deploy the cross-disciplinary expertise of its teams, particularly in civil, family, and criminal law, to handle cases at such intersections of those fields. The chambers draws on a number of impressive juniors, such as Charlotte Bayati, who has brought a challenge on the correct approach post-AM (Zimbabwe) in the Supreme Court as to the remit of medical experts; Samina Iqbal works in relation to unlawful detention claims; and Julian Norman being led by Anthony Metzer KC in a claim on behalf of a Ukrainian seeking refugee status having evaded conscription in OS (Ukraine) v SSHD.
Les références
‘My main point of contact is Neil Dinsdale who is head clerk for the immigration team. He is very helpful and efficient and always offers practical measures depending on circumstances that arise.’
‘Very approachable friendly clerks, excellent team work, their ethos is quality in everything they do.‘
‘I regularly instruct Goldsmith Chambers on our immigration matters. They are an excellent set and I have been impressed by all the barristers I have instructed. They have a decent-sized team who have been able to cover the full spectrum of issues.‘
Principaux dossiers
No5 Barristers' Chambers
No5 Barristers’ Chambers brings both a national presence through its offices around the country and experience in appearing before the First-Tier Tribunal up to the Upper Tribunal, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court to its representation of a wide range of claimants. Manjit Singh Gill KC was part of the team representing a Sudanese individual in the wider Rwanda litigation of R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State of the Home Department, alleging unlawful transfer of personal data and failure to investigate data protection concerns involved in the scheme. Abid Mahmoud represented a refugee appellant in the Court of Appeal in SR (Sri Lanka) v SSHD regarding the impact of anti-government activities (in this case, support for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War) on the likelihood of ill-treatment on return to his home country.