About Me

I am a barrister, professional author, and consultant.

I practise in London, though I travel in Europe and elsewhere to see clients. I take a strategic approach to ensure that all aspects of migration, mobility, residence, and citizenship applications, as well as legal remedies, are considered. I provide tactical advice to secure the optimum outcome for clients and their families.

I assist clients with applications for visas, residence permits, citizenship, and legal remedies. I see clients in conference to advise them, provide written advice, and act in hearings in the Immigration Tribunals, the High Court, and the senior appeal courts. I have appeared in numerous cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union and advise and act in applications to the European Court of Human Rights.

My most recent publications include Fransman’s British Nationality Law (co-author, 4th edition, 2024) and ‘Asylum and Irregular Migration’ in British Legal Reform (2024). I am a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum, and Nationality Law.

Services

I provide advice and advocacy services, as well as assistance with applications, in all aspects of UK immigration law; British nationality law; conflict of nationality laws; settlement and citizenship issues for high value migrants; EU Citizenship / Withdrawal Agreement law; family reunion visas; economic migration by investors, entrepreneurs and persons seeking UK work permits; human rights; Statelessness; and Asylum and International Protection.

I accept instructions in the traditional way via a solicitor or other licensed professional client.  Where appropriate, I act for clients directly under the Public Access scheme .

I act for individuals, communities and, where appropriate, NGOs and international organisations.

I accept instructions to assist persons with applications, reviews, and legal remedies in courts and tribunals.

I also act as a consultant to NGOs and international organisations, to assist with legislative policy work and amendment, and with strategic litigation.

In public access work, I have administrative assistance, which enables costs to be kept under control.

Chambers UK 2024 (Immigration Band 1) states:

“A repository of all knowledge. He’s very thorough and very well versed on domestic and EU immigration law.”

Chambers UK 2023 states:

“He is a superstar on nationality and EEA law. He has unrivalled knowledge, and is very generous with his time.”

Legal 500 2022 (Immigration Tier 1) states:

“He is without doubt one of the brightest barristers in the field. His knowledge of EU law and nationality law is unsurpassed.”

My recent notable cases include:

Fertré v Vale of White Horse District Council [2024] EWHC 1754 (KB), High Court, concerning access to homelessness assistance for EU citizens with Pre-settled Status on the same basis as British citizens (right to equal treatment).

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v VB and another (UC) (European Union law – free movement – workers) [2024] UKUT 212 (AAC), Upper Tribunal, concerning eligibility for universal credit.

R(Roehrig) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWCA Civ 240, Court of Appeal, concerning the acquisition of British citizenship by UK-born children of EU citizens.

R(AAA) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] UKSC 42, Supreme Court, concerning the removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Harrington v Secretary of State forWork and Pensions [2023] EWCA Civ 433, Court of Appeal, concerning the co-ordination of family benefits between the UK and Belgium for a UK-resident child.

R(Al Hashemi) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWHC 805 (Admin), High Court, concerning people of Somali heritage born in Aden in 1968 just after the end of British rule, who asserted they were British Overseas citizens under the British Nationality Acts of 1948 and 1981.

R(King) v Secretary of State for Education [2021] EWHC 2509 (Admin), [2023] ELR 93 High Court, concerning access to student maintenance, EU law and human rights law.

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs v Henrika Dakneviciute Case C-544/18 Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). Whether an EU Citizen retained self-employed status and a right to reside as such during periods of pregnancy and maternity.

Further information about my practice can be found on my Garden Court Chambers webpage.