London
54 Doughty Street
London
WC1N 2LS
020 7404 1313
MIGRANT'S RIGHTS SEMINAR SERIES 2023
Doughty Street Chambers are delighted to launch a series of seminars for 2023 covering different topics on migrant's rights. The seminars will take place in person at Doughty Street Chambers.
Please note that these seminars are for claimant solicitors, caseworkers and counsel; for legal academics; and for NGOs in the field.
We hope you can join us.
NRPF and access to support for migrants more generally | Thursday 19 October 2023 | 17:30 - 19:00 | Online via Zoom
This webinar is part of our Migrant Rights series. Our expert panelists will discuss challenges to accessing support for migrant families who are subject to no recourse to public funds. The barriers affect their day to day living, and range from access to financial subsistence and suitable accommodation from local authorities to NHS charging. Many of these families have leave to remain but still find themselves affected by the wide reach of hostile environment measures which are not intended for them, often because they are without the proper documents or because they have outstanding NHS debts. Our expert panellists will also look forward to the likely impact of and potential challenges arising from the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the changes to asylum support arrangements under the draft Houses in Multiple Occupation (Asylum-Seeker Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2023.
Speakers:
Leonie Hirst (Chair), barrister at Doughty Street Chambers
Shu Shin Luh, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers
Adam Straw KC, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers
Caz Hattam - UNITY project
Rupinder Parhar - UNITY project
PAST SEMINARS
Asylum Support | Monday 6 March - 18:00
The first seminar in our Migrants Rights series will explore developments in the law and practice relating to Home Office accommodation and support for asylum seekers and refused asylum seekers. Our expert panellists will discuss the latest legal challenges concerning the provision of asylum support under the Immigration Act 1999 and provide practical advice on challenging decisions by appeal and judicial review and bringing claims for damages for breaches of equality and human rights law.
Issues covered will include asylum support rates, inadequate accommodation, the use of hotels, dispersal problems, vulnerability and disability issues, poor performance by Home Office contractors, bail accommodation and curfews. The seminar will also look at expected changes in legislation and potential arears for future legal challenge. The seminar will be useful for legal practitioners, advisers, caseworkers, community organisers and asylum seekers and refugees interested in developing their understanding of asylum support law and will provide a space for sharing concerns and discussing practical legal solutions.
Speakers
Jamie Burton KC (Chair), barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Marie-Lyse Numuhoza MBE, community organiser at CAN Connect.
Simon Cox, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Michael Spencer, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Afghanistan and Ukraine: immigration, benefits and housing | Thursday 23 March - 12:00
This webinar will look at recent caselaw, including cases on relocation of Afghan citizens under ARAP and other schemes, interpretation of and challenges to policy (such as R (CX1) v SSD), discrimination between the Afghan and Ukraine schemes (R (AB) v SSHD), national security cases (such as R (ALO) v SSHD), challenges to decisions to rehouse people relocated under those scheme in the UK. The webinar will cover tactics and practical issues in making applications and challenges, including in national security cases and applications for leave outside the rules. It will also cover policy and potential future challenges.
Speakers:
Erin Alcock (Leigh Day)
Unaccompanied Minors/Care Leavers | Wednesday 26 April - 18:00
The recent disappearance of dozens of migrant children from hotels in the UK has highlighted the importance of local authorities’ duties towards unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (“UASC”).
This seminar aims to provide a broad overview of the current issues facing UASC in the UK from both a legal and policy perspective. The speakers will explore the support available under the Children Act 1989 and what remedies are available to children and care leavers failed by local authorities, including victims of trafficking and modern slavery.
Speakers:
Rowena Moffatt (Chair), barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Catherine Meredith, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Donnchadh Greene, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Kamena Dorling, Helen Bamber Foundation
EVENT MATERIALS
Please email events@doughtystreet.co.uk to request event material for these seminars.
