This in-person seminar was brought to you by the Garden Court Chambers Immigration Law and Civil Liberties & Human Rights Teams.
| Date: | Wednesday 26 March 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 6.00pm-8.00pm (followed by networking drinks) |
| Venue: | Garden Court Chambers |
| Cost: | Free |
| Areas of Law: | Immigration Law, Civil Liberties and Human Rights |
This in-person seminar delved into the key evidence and findings from the recent judgment in Varkey & Joseph (ETS – Hidden Rooms) India [2024] UKUT 142 (IAC), offering essential insights for practitioners navigating TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) appeals in the wake of this landmark case.
Participants gained a deeper understanding of the case’s impact and practical lessons to prepare for similar appeals in the future. Drawing parallels with the Post Office scandal, the seminar explored how these lessons can inform strategies for challenging TOEIC-related decisions.
Additionally, the panel discussed the wider implications for TOEIC cases moving forward, considering both the evolving legal landscape and emerging trends in immigration law.
Garden Court’s Immigration Team is recognised as the pre-eminent set of barristers in the UK specialising in immigration law. Our team won ‘Immigration Set of the Year’ at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024. We have been awarded the highest ‘Band 1’ status for immigration law by the independent Chambers Bar Guide rankings and we are ranked in ‘Tier 1’ in the Legal 500 UK Bar rankings. We are the only ‘Tier 1’ ranked chambers in immigration law.
In addition to this, Garden Court is recognised as one of the leading chambers in the UK specialising in civil liberties and human rights. We are highly ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for our expertise in this area of law and we have a large number of individual barrister rankings, including Band 1 rankings.
Speakers
Greg Ó Ceallaigh KC, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
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 2024 and the Legal 500 2024 for immigration. Greg has over 15 years’ experience in immigration law and has acted in all kinds of matters ranging from the most complex asylum and human rights claims to Tier 1 Investor cases. He has been working on TOEIC cases for over 10 years, having acted for the lead appellant in the Ahsan litigation. The core of Greg’s practice centres on public law challenges to decisions made by the Home Office and other bodies dealing with the rights of migrants, and civil actions to secure compensation where the power of the state has been abused. Greg is also a contributor to Macdonald’s Immigration Law and Practice and Butterworths Immigration Law Service.
Patrick Lewis, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
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. 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. 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.
Alex Schymyck, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Alex is ranked as a ‘Rising Star’ in Immigration by Legal 500. He acts in immigration proceedings of all kinds and routinely acts unled in the High Court and Upper Tribunal in urgent applications concerning immigration detention and removal. Alex was previously instructed in the Brook House Inquiry and is currently instructed in the Cranston Inquiry.
Abby Buttle, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Abby is building a broad human rights, public law and civil liberties practice, specialising in immigration, education and community care. Abby regularly acts in statutory appeals and bail applications in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum). Abby was exposed to inquest and inquiry work during pupillage and is continuing to build on her experience in this area.
