Peter Jorro is an immigration barrister with particular expertise in refugee and asylum law, and in private immigration cases. He undertakes advocacy in the Tribunal, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, the Administrative Court and the Court of Appeal and has been junior counsel in the Supreme Court.
He is ranked Band 2 for Immigration in Chambers UK and in Tier 1 in the Legal 500 (including business immigration) – leading juniors.
Peter is registered with the Bar Council for public access work and regularly assists private clients in various immigration and nationality law scenarios.
Immigration Law
Overview
Peter practises in all areas of immigration law. He joined Garden Court Chambers in 2000 after having been at the Refugee Legal Centre and having worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He undertakes advocacy in the Tribunal, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, the Administrative Court and the Court of Appeal and has been junior counsel in the Supreme Court.
In particular he has represented in several confidential asylum appeals made by individuals with a high profile in the countries from which they have claimed asylum.
He also has a wealth of experience and success in PBS (Points Based System), business, EEA, family and general immigration cases both on appeal and on judicial review in the High Court and now in the Upper Tribunal. He has advised and made written submissions to the courts on immigration issues in family proceedings. He has advised and assisted clients on applications for British nationality, by way of registration and naturalisation, and has successfully challenged refusals of British nationality by way of judicial review.
He has advised and assisted on behalf of companies applying for Tiers 2 and 5 ‘Sponsor licences’ (in order to employ migrant workers) and has drafted representations and grounds for judicial review in challenging Home Office decisions to refuse or to suspend and revoke sponsor licences.
He is ranked Band 2 for Immigration in Chambers UK and in Tier 1 in the Legal 500 (including business immigration) – leading juniors.
Public access
Peter is registered with the Bar Council for public access work and regularly assists private clients in various immigration and nationality law scenarios, including, in particular, with applying under Tier 1 of the PBS, making human rights applications, advising and assisting in applications for British citizenship and in challenging, by way of appeal or administrative and judicial review, refusals of leave and in assisting companies with PBS sponsorship issues.
Notable Cases
HJ (Iran) and HT (Cameroon) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] UKSC 31, [2011] 1 AC 596
Seminal asylum judgment relating to gay claimants but with wider applicability in terms of the true ambit of surrogate protection under the Refugee Convention.
T6 v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] UKSIAC 95/2010
Appeal before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission by a very high profile Algerian businessman / ‘oligarch’ who has fallen out with the Algerian President and whose case was certified by the Secretary of State on ‘UK’s relations with other country’ and ‘public interest’ grounds.
Gekhang (Interaction of Directives and Rules) [2016] UKUT 374, [2016] Imm AR 1141
A legally important case for the Tribunal endorsing the appellant’s submissions as to the correct inter-relationship between, and the primacy of, the EU Qualification and Procedures Directives to the approach to asylum determination in the Immigration Rules. The determination is also very helpful to all Tibetan asylum seekers previously resident in India.
R (Tshiteya) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 238 (Admin)
Regarding fresh claims and Article 8, ECHR.
FK (Kenya) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2008] EWCA Civ 119
Successful appeal against negative ‘country guidance’ decision relating to risk of genital mutilation for Kenyan women.
RM (Somalia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2007] EWCA Civ 751
Successful appeal in case emphasising the importance of not conflating claims for refugee status and humanitarian protection.
AJ (Liberia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2006] EWCA Civ 1736
Successful appeal relating to risk of suicide as an argued breach of Article 3.
Secretary of State for the Home Department v Akaeke [2005] EWCA Civ 947, [2005] Imm AR 701, [2005] INLR 575
On administrative delay by the Home Office rendering a decision to remove a person from the UK a disproportionate interference in her right to respect for her family life in the UK.
He v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2002] EWCA Civ 1150, [2002] Imm AR 590
Chinese religious sect member fearing persecution.
Also MN and others (Ahmadis – country conditions – risk) Pakistan CG [2012] UKUT 00389 (IAC); RQ (Afghan National Army – Hizb-i-Islami – risk) Afghanistan CG [2008] UKAIT 00013; HY (Yibir – YS and HA applied) Somalia [2006] UKAIT 00002; MN (Findings on Sexuality) Kenya [2005] UKIAT 00021; AK and others (Tribunal Appeal – out of time) Bulgaria (starred) [2004] UKIAT 00201, [2004] Imm AR 486; OA (IFA – Unduly Harsh – Chechens – Relocation) Russia CG [2002] UKIAT 03796; Horvath [1999] INLR 7 (IAT); Yousfi [1998] INLR 136; Mario [1998] INLR 306; Mustafaraj [1994] Imm AR 78; Laftaly [1993] Imm AR 284; on-going (into 2018) cases relating to the Afghan citizens who ‘hijacked’ an aircraft to the UK in 2000.
