Theo Lester > The 36 Group > London, England > Barrister Profile

Theo Lester

Work Department

36 Public & Human Rights

Position

Immigration, international protection, and public law

Theo has represented immigration and asylum clients in both the First-Tier and Upper Tribunals.

Prior to coming to the Bar Theo had already gained extensive experience in the immigration and asylum fields,having worked at the leading specialist firm Luqmani Thompson & Partners as a Law Society-accredited SeniorCaseworker. In that role he had personal conduct of numerous asylum claims, specialising in particular in UASC(unaccompanied asylum seeking child) cases. This included working with victims of trafficking and victims oftorture, in tandem with organisations such as Freedom from Torture.

During his time at Luqmani Thompson, Theo also assisted the senior partners on a wide range of immigration andpublic law matters including at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level (e.g. WA (Pakistan) v SSHD [2019]EWCA Civ 302), conducting legal and country research as well as other casework tasks, and working on complexcriminal deport matters as well as on public law actions such as injunctive relief applications (stays on removal).

Additionally as part of his own caseload Theo advised and represented private clients making human rights basedapplications, and had conduct of Tribunal appeals.

Theo’s first practical contact with the area of immigration law was during his legal studies, when as a volunteer forHaringey Migrant Support Centre he assisted (in a non-advisory capacity) clients of the Centre on a wide range ofimmigration and related matters, and worked on the preparation of cases including pro bono appeals. Through hispro bono immigration work he also had contact with many prominent NGOs in the immigration sector such asMigrants Organise and Coram Childrens Centre.

He continues to pursue his passion for pro bono work as a barrister, representing immigration clients at bailhearings with Bail for Immigration Detainees and taking on cases through Advocate.

 

Pro bono background

Theo is a passionate pro bono advocate. Beyond his immigration experience and current pro bono activities (seeabove), prior to commencing independent practice he gained pro bono experience in a wide variety of areas,including representing numerous clients as a Free Representation Unit volunteer in employment and socialsecurity matters, drafting case documents, helping negotiate settlements (including, in one case, to a value of£30,000), and representing clients in the Employment and Social Security Tribunals from 2015 to 2019.Additionally from 2015-16 he assisted the National Centre for Domestic Violence on numerous County Courtinjunction matters.

Career

Call: 2018

Memberships

• Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association
• Administrative Law Bar Association

Education

• Bar Professional Training Course, City Law School
• Graduate Diploma in Law, City University of London
• BA Music (Hons.), University of Oxford