Free In-Person Seminar - Complex Asylum: Part 2

This event series, divided into two sessions, is designed to address the legal, evidential and practical issues involved in representing applicants in sensitive and complex asylum cases, in which the applicant is typically: of high profile; has become a perceived political threat to the political establishment in the country of return; in control of significant business or media interests or assets, which are often of strategic importance; the target of serious criminal allegations alleged to operate as the vehicle of persecution; the subject of an extradition request and/or an INTERPOL Red Notice; and may be involved in related complex civil proceedings. Part 1 will take place on Thursday 26th September, chaired by Laurie Fransman KC. 

Part 2 on Tuesday 1st October will be chaired by Duran Seddon KC. Topics will include:

• Confidentiality and asylum claims – Eva Doerr & Rebecca Chapman, Garden Court Chambers
• Admissibility – Isaac Ricca-Richardson, Garden Court Chambers
• INTERPOL Red Notices – Ubah Dirie, Garden Court Chambers
• The extradition/asylum overlap - Will Hanson, Jacob Bindman, Shahida Begum, & Bijan Hoshi, Garden Court Chambers
   

Speaker Panel

Duran Seddon KC, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Duran has been involved in a range of high profile, significant cases including Onibiyo (the first major asylum 'fresh claim' case and the first return to Nigeria following the execution of the Delta campaigners); the 'Oakington Detention Centre' case; the long-running Afghan / Stansted 'hijack' case; Singh & Singh (first SIAC asylum case); Huang & Kashmiri (leading article 8 case); EB (Kosovo) (leading case on article 8 and delay). Duran has been instructed to assist, advise and represent in cases involving senior political and or business figures.

Rebecca Chapman, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Rebecca practises in all aspects of immigration and asylum law. She has particular expertise in cases involving vulnerable women and children, LGBTI+ individuals, family reunion and article 8 cases, and deportation. Her three decades of experience in asylum law has had a particular focus on unaccompanied minors and those facing persecution on account of their gender or sexual orientation.  She co-authored "A Practical Guide to Health & Medical cases in Immigration Law", published in 2021. Rebecca was appointed a Deputy Judge of the Upper Tribunal (IAC) in 2015.

Shahida Begum, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Shahida is a specialist criminal defence practitioner, defending clients in a range of matters, from serious violence and dishonesty to drug supply and terrorism, with experience in cases involving a cross-over with other practice areas. Shahida has also worked on cases raising immigration, family and housing law issues which has led to a specialism in defending refugees and victims of trafficking, and she also practises extradition. Shahida is a co-author of Criminal Disclosure Referencer, Third Edition.

Jacob Bindman, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Jacob provides advice and representation in the areas of serious crime, national security, financial crime, extradition and related public law matters. Jacob also appears in public inquiries and provides advice and assistance on international human rights issues. Jacob has substantial experience in the field of National Security and terrorism-related work, acting in major criminal prosecutions under terrorism legislation, as well as providing advice and representation in a range of jurisdictions. Jacob is often instructed to advise companies and individuals in cases with an international dimension.

Bijan Hoshi, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Bijan has a broad public law practice. His areas of specialism include immigration, community care, prisons, and criminal justice. His cases have raised a broad spectrum of issues in areas including international protection; protected rights under the European Convention on Human Rights; British nationality law; the Immigration Rules, the Points Based System; EU law; trafficking claims; and immigration detention. He has also acted in proceedings with a national security dimension before SIAC and is regularly instructed to challenge removal from the UK at short notice.

Ubah Dirie, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Ubah is recognised as a tenacious and client focused advocate who specialises in advice, representation and advocacy in all areas of immigration, asylum, nationality, EU free movement, deportation and detention. Ubah is frequently instructed to represent vulnerable individuals including victims of trafficking, unaccompanied asylum seeking children and those with complex mental health issues or without capacity. Ubah also has a particular interest in immigration matters involving EEA nationals and their family members. 

Eva Doerr, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Eva specialises in all areas of public and human rights law, with a focus on immigration and asylum law and challenges based on the Equality Act. She has expertise in EU free movement law, the impact of Brexit on EEA nationals and their family members, and asylum inadmissibility provisions. Eva regularly delivers training on these topics on behalf of ILPA, HJT and solicitors in-house. Alongside Sonali Naik KC, Adrian Berry, Mark Symes and Isaac Ricca-Richardson, Eva represented one of the Claimants (AS) in proceedings concerning the UK Government’s policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Isaac Ricca-Richardson, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Isaac practices in judicial review, immigration & asylum, human rights & civil liberties, education, and community care. Isaac has had a number of successes in asylum, deportation, and human rights appeals, and public law challenges to fresh claim decisions and urgent removals. He is adept at building relationships and trust with vulnerable clients who have suffered torture or trafficking, and also has experience of contentious political asylum claims, including for High Net Worth clients. Isaac was on the legal team representing (AS) in proceedings concerning the UK Government’s policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Isaac is ranked in the Legal 500 2024 as a 'Rising Star' for Immigration.

Will Hanson, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Will is developing a broad criminal defence practice, with experience in general crime, financial crime and extradition. Will has a particular interest and experience in cases engaging human rights issues, including modern slavery, public order and protest. He accepts instructions in both extradition and asylum and is currently acting on a number of complex political asylum cases. As a solicitor, Will advised on and prepared asylum claims for a number of politically exposed individuals and dissidents across a range of jurisdictions. He also advised on the attendant risks of extradition and issues relating to INTERPOL Red Notices and Diffusions.