Garden Court Chambers

Considered a ‘powerhouse in the field of immigration and public law’, Garden Court Chambers has a longstanding reputation as the ’go-to’ set for complex claimant immigration matters. The set has wide-ranging expertise spanning immigration detention, asylum and deportation, alongside business immigration capabilities, with barristers regularly appearing before the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Of note, several barristers are at the forefront of Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) cases, with Edward Grieves KC leading Emma Fitzsimons on P3 v SSHD, involving the deprivation of British nationality based on alleged connections to Iranian intelligence. Irena Sabic KC and Eva Doerr are recognised for their expertise in cases concerning the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement and EU Settlement Scheme, having acted in Vasa v SSHD before the Court of Appeal, which set a significant precedent regarding the admission of non-EEA family members to the UK under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2016. With notable expertise on the Afghanistan Relocation and Assistance Programme, Nicola Braganza KC led Maria Moodie on a significant case before the Court of Appeal, acting on behalf of a senior Supreme Court judge in Afghanistan prior to Taliban rule.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

The clerking team at Garden Court is excellent. In particular, Lisa O’Leary stands out as consistently helpful, efficient, and accommodating. She ensures a smooth administrative experience and is always available to assist.
The clerks are excellent, Helen Louise D\'Agostino and Harriet Massie are particularly responsive and always able to assist.
'The clerks at Garden Court are some of the most efficient and friendliest clerks I have had the pleasure of dealing with over the years.'
'Garden Court Chambers are a leading immigration law practice. They have barristers with a wide breadth and depth of knowledge in this area, with a professional and responsive clerking team.'
'Garden Court Chambers is well-organised and supportive. Communication was smooth and timely throughout. The clerking team were responsive and helpful.
'The clerks are approachable and responsive, which makes the process of instructing counsel smooth and reliable. This high level of professional support reflects the chambers’ strong infrastructure and commitment to client-focused service.'

Lawyers

Leading Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

Laurie Fransman KC

‘Laurie is one of the top KCs in the field. Go-to for complex nationality cases.’

Stephanie Harrison KC

'Stephanie is a compassionate yet steely silk who can out-think everyone.'

Sonali Naik KC

‘Sonali is definitely one of the leading barristers in immigration law in the UK.'

Nicola Braganza KC

‘Nicola is a formidable advocate with a clear and very compelling style. She is extremely engaged and great with tactics.'

Edward Grieves KC

‘It is utterly thrilling to see Edward on his feet. He is fearless, smart and forensic in his preparation. He is a giant in the making.’

Irena Sabic KC

Duran Seddon KC

Amanda Weston KC

2025 Silks

Adrian Berry KC

2024 Silks

Greg Ó Ceallaigh KC

‘His advice is pragmatic but not over-cautious: he is determined to get the best possible outcomes for the clients. He is very clever and is always two steps ahead of the room when thinking through sticky legal and strategic issues. He is approachable and communicative, and is a pleasure to work with.’

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

Kathryn Cronin

Absolutely excellent.'

Raza Halim

is a truly excellent barrister. His written submissions are excellent and his advocacy is outstanding and highly persuasive. He is not afraid to take on challenging cases and his success rate speaks for itself. One of the best immigration barristers.'

Peter Jorro

Peter is outstanding counsel and a go-to barrister for the most complex immigration cases. His strategic thinking and advocacy skills make him an invaluable asset in high-stakes proceedings.’

Sadat Sayeed

‘Sadat is an exceptional advocate. He gets to the heart of the legal issues, is deeply persuasive in his oral and written advocacy, and works passionately in the best interests of his clients.'

Ronan Toal

‘Ronan is very thorough in his preparation, excellent written work and highly persuasive in making submissions. Consistent and outstanding immigration counsel specialist for 25 years.'

Ali Bandegani

‘Ali is a natural advocate who is a joy to watch at work. He is deeply committed to the work and has obtained positive results in the most difficult claims. We are very lucky to have him in our field.'

Rebecca Chapman

‘Rebecca is a star in the immigration field. She brings great compassion and humanity to cases, alongside her considerable legal knowledge and tactical skill. She is a go-to barrister for complex family, asylum and medical cases.’

Emma Fitzsimons

‘Emma is an extremely dedicated barrister and advocate. Her vast knowledge of the complicated realms of immigration and human rights law is second to none. She has a way of making both the instructing solicitor and client feel completely supported and at ease.'

Helen Foot

‘Helen is tremendously knowledgeable and fantastic with clients. She always goes above and beyond. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of immigration law and she's a fantastic advocate.'

David Jones

‘David is held in the highest regard for his intellectual rigour, his comprehensive and innovative legal knowledge, and his incredible dedication to his clients. Clients do not know another barrister who enjoys such a rapport with his clients. His ability to put clients at ease whilst informing them about very serious, contentious issues is exemplary.’

Patrick Lewis

‘Patrick is a talented barrister who is able to tackle even the most complex and novel immigration law issues with ease. He has a wealth of experience in immigration law.'

Mark Symes

‘Mark Symes is an outstanding immigration, asylum and human rights barrister. His written work is breathtakingly good and his advocacy is very persuasive. He is one of the finest asylum and immigration barrister at the Bar.'

Grace Brown

‘Grace is meticulous in drafting and an excellent advocate.'

Ubah Dirie

Ubah is a tour de force - unrelenting and fearless in the most complex of cases and circumstances. Ubah will do her all to achieve the best results for clients and is available every step of the way. A true leader in the field.'

Bijan Hoshi

‘Bijan is an exceptional barrister whose strengths include an astute legal mind and a deep understanding of legal detail and commercial sensitivities. His ability to plan effective legal strategies collaboratively is a particular asset.'

Sangeetha Iengar

Sangeetha puts forward difficult arguments attractively and persuasively for unaccompanied children, survivors of torture and trafficking and those with complex mental health problems.’

Taimour Lay

‘Excellent oral and written advocacy. Committed to getting the best for each client.’

Maria Moodie

‘Maria is an incredible barrister with exceptional understanding of complex legal issues. She meticulously prepares extremely high-quality, detailed submissions in which the client is at the forefront of the case. The level of care and attention she gives is outstanding.'

David Sellwood

‘David demonstrates exceptional strength across both private and business immigration matters, combining in-depth legal knowledge with a practical, solutions-focused approach.'

Abigail Smith

‘Abigail is among the very best at the immigration and asylum Bar. Her blend of legal brilliance, client care and collaborative spirit makes her a standout advocate and a genuine asset to any legal team.'

Bojana Asanovic

Alex Grigg

Zehrah Hasan

‘Zehrah is an effective and strategic advocate, with an impressive ability to inspire confidence among both solicitors and individual clients. The depth of Zehrah’s expertise in LGBTQI+ asylum law and practice is obvious – it is perhaps the combination of her reassuring presence, authentic determination for her clients and excellent communication skills that really make her stand out as a rising star in this space.’

Gordon Lee

Gráinne Mellon

Excellent barrister, who has been instructed in complex cases which cross over between criminal and civil procedure, which she has handled excellently.’

Maha Sardar

Maha is an excellent barrister. Her written submissions are of extremely high quality and her advocacy is well-judged and effective. She is meticulous in her preparation as well as very personable and approachable.'

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.