Free Hybrid Seminar – Asylum in Peril: Key Changes in the Home Office November 2025 Statement

Speakers 

Sonali Naik KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Sonali Naik KC is Joint Head of Garden Court Chambers. Sonali specialises in public law cases and in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law and practice. She is ranked in immigration and public law in the Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 Bar Guides. Sonali is a senior practitioner with over 30 years’ experience. She was appointed King’s Counsel in 2018 and conducts almost exclusively leading work at all levels: the European Court of Human Rights, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the Administrative Court and in the Upper Tribunal in statutory appeals and judicial reviews.

Adrian Berry KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Adrian practices across the field of public law, especially in British nationality, statelessness, immigration, EU law and after matters, international protection (refugee status, asylum), housing and accommodation, social assistance, and education. His most recent publications include Fransman’s British Nationality Law (co-author, 4^th edition, 2024) and ‘Asylum and Irregular Migration’ in British Legal Reform (2024). He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law. Adrian is a Patron of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), Convenor of its Legislation Working Group, and its former Chair. Adrian acts for individuals, communities, NGOs, and international organisations. In addition to his casework, he assists with legislative policy work and amendment, and with strategic litigation. He is widely known for his contribution to debates on immigration and nationality law.

Greg Ó Ceallaigh KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Greg Ó Ceallaigh KC is a barrister specialising in human rights, asylum and immigration, civil and public law. He is ranked in the Chambers UK Bar Guide 2025 and the Legal 500 2025 for immigration. Greg is highly experienced in immigration detention work and has represented detainees in detention claims at every level from the Administrative Court to the Supreme Court, as well as in civil actions for false imprisonment both in the County Court and the Queen’s Bench Division. He has contributed to several of the leading practitioners’ texts on the subject of immigration detention and is a LexisNexis Panel expert on false imprisonment.

Zehrah Hasan, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Zehrah practises in immigration, asylum and public law, with particular expertise in LGBTQI+ asylum, human rights cases, detention challenges, and representing survivors of torture, gender-based violence, trafficking, and exploitation. She assists Rainbow Migration’s legal team as a Consultant Lawyer, where she advises on individual claims, and has worked on strategic litigation and policy interventions. Zehrah previously worked at several leading non-profit organisations in the sector, including as the Advocacy Director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), and in policy and campaigning roles at Liberty and Southall Black Sisters. She has subsequently worked and advised on several strategic legal challenges, both as counsel and in NGOs, including on immigration detention, asylum accommodation, migrant workers’ rights and Palestinian refugees. 

Maaha Elahi, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Maaha has a broad civil practice, specialising in immigration, housing and public law. Maaha was featured on the Aziz Foundation and Emerald Network’s “100 Inspiring Muslims” List in September 2024, due to her work in human rights law. Under the supervision of Sonali Naik KC, Maaha assisted in high-profile litigation relating to the Rwanda deportation plan, criminalisation of migrants arriving via small boats and Afghan relocation. Maaha has a wealth of experience in researching and challenging systemic issues in the criminal justice system. She is well-placed to assist crime-related civil claims and judicial reviews.

If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to all those who have signed up on the day of the event. If you have not received the link by 2pm on Monday 15th November, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.