Colin is an experienced and specialist immigration barrister working in all areas of immigration law for a full range of clients, from law centres to high net worth individuals. He also regularly appears in the media and edits the widely read immigration law website Free Movement.
Immigration Law
Overview
Well known and widely respected in the immigration sector, Colin's practice covers the full spectrum of immigration law. This includes opinions, appeals and judicial reviews in family, asylum, EU, nationality and business cases.
Notable Cases
Entry Clearance Officer, Sierra Leone v Kopoi, 2017 EWCA Civ 1511 – Important case on when it is and is not possible to appeal against refusal of a family visit visa.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department v SU, 2017 EWCA Civ 1069 – Unusual case on entry in breach of a deportation order followed by an application for revocation.
Ryanair v Secretary of State for the Home Department C50CL033 – Unusual and unsuccessful appeal against imposition of a carrier sanction on an airline in the case of a claimed family member of an EU citizen.
Sleiman (deprivation of citizenship; conduct: Lebanon), 2017 UKUT 367 (IAC) – Addresses tests to be applied in deprivation of citizenship cases and causal link between deception and the grant of citizenship.
GJ and Others (post-civil war: returnees) Sri Lanka CG, 2013 UKUT 00319 (IAC) – Country Guidance case on Sri Lanka on the post-conflict risk to returned Tamils and others. Colin acted for the Intervenor, Tamils Against Genocide.
MN and others (Ahmadis – country conditions – risk) Pakistan CG, 2012 UKUT 00389 (IAC) – Landmark and successful Country Guidance case on Ahmadi Muslims from Pakistan and religious persecution claims.
Jarusevicius (EEA Reg 21 – effect of imprisonment) Lithuania [2012] UKUT 120 (IAC) – Heard by the President of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the Upper Tribunal, this is one of a series of cases which saw the tribunal revisit its approach to residence rights in EU free movement law.
JD (Congo) & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department & Anor, 2012 EWCA Civ 327, [2012] 1 WLR 3273, [2012] Imm AR 719 – Reported in The Times and elsewhere, Colin acted in the leading case on the interpretation and effect of the 'second appeals test' on permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
MS (Somalia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, 2010 EWCA Civ 1236 – Led by Stephen Knafler QC on the interpretation of domestic and international provisions on refugee family reunion.
MD (Guinea) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, 2009 EWCA Civ 733
Guidance case on the assessment of credibility of child witnesses in an asylum context.
DM v SSHD (Timing of funding application) Zimbabwe, 2006 UKAIT 00088
N v SSHD, 2005 UKSIAC 18/2002 – National security case on revocation of a deportation order made against a Pakistani national accused of nuclear proliferation activities.
KA v SSHA (Draft-related risk categories updated) Eritrea CG, 2005 UKAIT 00165
MN v SSHD (Entry clearance facilities – availability) Iraq, 2004 UKAIT 00316
IM v SSHD (Article 3 – Orhodox Jew – Military Service) Russia CG, 2002 UKAIT 05952
HM v SSHD (Mental Health) Sierra Leone CG, 2002 UKAIT 04459
Contact Colin
CROSS-BORDER FAMILY CASES
Overview
Colin has experience in family law children proceedings, particularly in cases with an international or immigration dimension, and regularly drafts expert opinions on immigration matters for family law proceedings, being one of the few barristers with genuine experience in both areas.
Notable Cases
W (A Child) [2009] EWCA Civ 370, [2009] 2 FLR 436 – Addressing shared residence orders in the family courts and the circumstances in which a shared residence order might be granted to a parent with relatively little contact time with children.