Emma has always practised in immigration, asylum and human rights. Over the last year she has been instructed in a number of judicial review cases involving Afghan interpreters, judges and special forces military personnel and their families refused under the ARAP scheme and related policies. She is experienced in closed material proceedings in national security cases.
In recent years she has become the expert and led the way in conceiving major strategic judicial review challenges to primary and secondary legislation particularly involving the Ankara Agreement for Turkish businesspersons.
Emma is increasingly instructed on a public access basis, particularly at the initial stages for strategic advice. Clients are able to capitalise on Emma’s vast appellate experience at the application stage when the solution to a problem is less than obvious in order to put forward strong applications, which are prepared with future litigation in mind, often resulting in positive results without the need for further litigation.
Emma acts as an advocate and advises at all levels. She has particular experience in Afghan cases, complex trafficking claims, deprivation of nationality, asylum claims based on sexual identity, the Turkish Ankara Agreement and appeals against deportation. She also regularly advises and acts in judicial review matters (including urgent applications and injunctions) and civil claims for damages for unlawful detention.
Emma has a particular interest in civil penalties for immigration offences and civil cash forfeiture.
Before focusing her practice towards purely immigration, asylum and human rights, Emma also maintained a successful criminal defence practice.
Emma is a reviewer and volunteer barrister with Advocate.
Emma remains absolutely committed to representing those facing the death penalty through her involvement with the charity Amicus. Emma’s devotion to this work began in 2004 when she worked as an investigator with the Office of Capital Defense Counsel, in Jackson, Mississippi on numerous capital murder cases and returning in 2007 and Missouri in 2015.