Immigration Law
Overview
Patrick is a practitioner specialising in advice, representation and advocacy in all areas of immigration, asylum, nationality, deportation, detention, EU free movement and human rights law. While he is regularly instructed in appeals in the Court of Appeal and the High Court he has maintained his practice at the Tribunal Level. This gives his clients the advantage of an experience gained from having appeared in this Jurisdiction for over 21 years, making him one of the most experienced barristers practising in this field.
Patrick has been practising in the field of immigration law since 1992, and while he also undertook pupillage in family and criminal law, his decision to practice exclusively in immigration and human rights law has meant that he can specialise in every aspect of this increasingly complex area. The range of appeals in which he has successfully represented includes challenges to every type of immigration decision made by either Entry Clearance Officers abroad or the Secretary of State in the UK. He fully appreciates the fundamental importance of such appeals to those affected by adverse decisions.
Patrick acts for individuals and commercial undertakings in relation to matters arising for economic migrants under the points-based system (Tiers 1, 2 and 5) and other routes. Among other things, he provides advice to individuals and to banks and financial entities in relation to the Tier 1 (Investor) route, and to individual and sponsors under the other routes. He has advised in a number of applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur). His practice also involves advising in applications or representing in appeals by individuals and companies who wish to establish or maintain a business in the UK under the EC Association Agreements.
He frequently acts for clients whose appeal involves close family members such as a spouse, parent or a child. In many of these cases his expertise in the Immigration Rules, the European Convention on Human Rights and European Community law has proved to be decisive in the outcome of the appeal.
He has successfully acted for a number of individuals who have been granted leave to remain in the UK and subsequently applied for Indefinite Leave to Remain but whose application has been refused.
He is increasingly instructed in advising on the preparation and drafting of initial applications made both overseas and within the UK with the objective of avoiding the delays and expense of the appeal process.
Patrick has also been instructed to act for a significant number of individuals who face deportation having been convicted of serious criminal offences, including hijacking, terrorism and major drug importation. This is in addition to being instructed in proceedings occurring in the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), where national security grounds have been invoked by the Secretary of State. He has been instructed in a number of high profile cases.
His level of experience is such that he has been recognised as an expert on UK Immigration Law in proceedings in the High Court Principal Registry of the Family Division and foreign jurisdictions.
Patrick has been identified as one of the “Leaders at the Bar” in Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession for the last eight years.
