Background
Emma qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and has worked in the personal immigration field for most of that time. She has recognised expertise in the complex immigration area of international adoption and surrogacy and is the first port of call for many clients and other practitioners in this area.
She acts in a variety of immigration/nationality cases, with a focus on family cases involving children, adoption, surrogacy and extended family members, besides making applications under and outside the immigration rules.
Emma has recently made a number of entry clearance applications for children adopted abroad to accompany their parents to the UK. She also specialises in visa applications for children abroad to join relatives in the UK where there are serious and compelling circumstances.
Her work acting for local authorities representing children in care and care leavers is also of note. She has unique expertise in discretionary applications for British nationality for children, often achieving successful outcomes in complex cases which do not fall within the usual criteria and has made a number of applications to register children adopted abroad by British citizens in countries whose adoption processes are not recognised in the UK.
Emma is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) and is a Law Society IAAS Accredited Supervisor and Senior Caseworker. She continues to train regularly for ILPA and is a co-convenor of ILPA’s family and person immigration working group. She has recently presented courses on children’s nationality applications, and indefinite leave to remain and contributes to ILPA’s annual family and immigration law conference. She also trains MPs’ caseworkers through ILPA. She is a volunteer adviser for Rainbow Migration (previously the UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG)).
Emma joined OTB Legal in February 2023. She worked at Bindmans LLP from August 2009 to February 2023. She trained at Bates, Wells and Braithwaite (now Bates, Wells) in London qualifying in 1995. She was later a partner in the immigration department there. She has also taught on the Legal Practice Course at Anglia Ruskin University and worked in the voluntary sector at a legal advice centre.
Emma has a degree in Hispanic Studies from Bristol University (1989). She completed the Common Professional Examination (CPE) and the Law Society Finals (LSF) (obtaining First Class Honours) at the College of Law, London in 1993. She also holds a PGCE in teaching and learning (higher education) from Anglia Ruskin University (2007).
Human Rights additional information (currently Band 2 in Chambers)
Areas of Expertise
Emma’s practice is broad and includes asylum and deportation cases which raise complex human rights issues. Emma has particular interest and expertise in asylum claims based on sexuality. She is currently working on an EU deportation case in the Court of Appeal. She has also worked for individuals addressing allegations of fraud in their appeals and on cases in the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).
She is a band 2 rated lawyer in Chambers in the personal and human rights categories. The Legal 500 calls her a key lawyer.
