This was a free webinar and you can watch the recording here.

This course wants to be a very practical introduction to immigration fee waiver applications. We will be talking about who is eligible for fee waivers; how to prepare fee waiver applications; when to submit fee waiver applications; and what to do if an application is refused. We particularly encourage non-lawyers including frontline organisations, volunteers and legal assistants to attend.

1.    Eligibility: which applications attract a fee waiver, and what are the tests to be granted a fee waiver
2.    Process: how and when to submit the application
3.    Preparation: what documents are needed and how to best present the evidence
4.    Decisions: what happens after a positive decision and what happens after a negative decision

Tutor details:
Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters, Nath Gbikpi, Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP and Sulema Jahangir, Dawson Cornwell

At the end of the course participants should fully understand the financial requirements in Appendix FM and the related evidential requirements in Appendix FM-SE, and be equipped to handle a range of applications involving different financial circumstances.

Saturday 23 November 2019, 12:00 – 17:00

The ILPA AGM and Conference is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet your peers and is attended by 100+ practitioners and people working within the sector every year.

Chair: Adrian Berry, Garden Court Chambers and ILPA Chair of Trustees

Panellists: 

Nick Armstrong, Barrister at Matrix Chambers

Alex Goodman, Barrister at Landmark Chambers

Alison Pickup, Legal Director at Public Law Project

Charlotte Kilroy QC, Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers

Bella Kosmala, Project Manager of the Strategic Legal Fund managed by ILPA

Nath Gbikpi, Solicitor at Wesley Gryk Solicitors and co-convenor of the ILPA Well-being Working Group

Joanna Fleck of Claiming Space

Anna Robinson, Solicitor at Laura Devine Immigration and Psychotherapist at Anna Robinson Therapy

Elspeth Guild, Partner at Kingsley Napley, Professory of Law at Queen Mary University and Co-convenor of the ILPA European Working Group

Bernard Ryan, Professor of Migration Law at the University of Leicester

Eva Doerr, Pupil Barrister at Lamb Building

Leonie Hirst, Barrister at Hirst Chambers

Adrian Seelhoff, Principle at A.Seelhoff Solicitors and Chair of the Law Society’s Immigration Law Committee

James Perrott, Senior Counsel at Marcfarlanes LLP and Co-convenor of the ILPA Economic Migration Working Group

Margot Gibbs, Senior Reporter at Finance Uncovered

Sally Weston, Head of Legal Strategy Team, Borders, Immigration and Citizenship System, Home Office.

Wednesday 19 June 2019, 15:00 – 18:15, 3.0 CPD Hours
Tutors: Nath Gbikpi, Wesley Gryk Solicitors and Emma Kendrick, Fragomen LLP 

This course is a practical session designed to help a caseworker become a pro at using the EU Settlement Scheme. The training will take you through the life cycle of a case using the Android app and will provide you with a detailed overview of the new system and how to effectively navigate it to assist your clients.  The materials will cover the law, documents required, red flags and how non EU national family members also apply under the Scheme. There will also be a specific focus on issues impacting those with vulnerabilities who are looking to make applications under the Scheme.

• The legal framework of the Settled Status Scheme and the legal basis of the status;
• The development of the Scheme and the plasticity of the rules – a warning that things can change fast;
• How to use the app to get to the application;
• How to make an application;
• The documentation: what to collect before starting the process including issues with regards to variations of documentation;
• Submitting documentation; the limitations of size and number and making paper applications;
• What to do if there is a request for further documentation and how to address the questions;
• Issues of importance in respect of people with vulnerabilities – identifying the vulnerabilities and seeking to overcome them;
• Regional case studies

This training was part of the ILPA EU Settlement Scheme training programme, which comprised of seventeen training sessions delivered in eight regions across the UK between June 2019 – December 2019.

Thursday 02 May 2019, 17:30 – 20:30

Are you thinking of a career in immigration law and want to find out more about training routes and qualifications? This discussion will introduce you to the variety of pathways into practising immigration law and will draw upon the expertise of immigration practitioners from across the sector. Our expert panel will share their routes into, and experience of, practitising immigration law as well as providing you tips and guidance for your own career pathway.

The event is open to all but is specifically targeted at law students, paralegals and anyone who works within the advocacy and advice sector.

Chair:
Elspeth Guild Partner, Kingsley Napley and Professor of Law, Queen Mary University

Panellists:

Julian Bild, Solicitor, Anti-Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU)

Sam Ingham, Trainee Solicitor (now qualified Solicitor), Laura Devine Immigration

Ayesha Mohsin, Partner, Luqmani Thompson and Partners and ILPA Trustee

Gillian Brownlee, Legal Counsel (FCILEx), Kingsley Napley

Zoe Harper, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers

Nath Gbikpi, Solicitor Wesley Gryk LLP

Aisha Choudhry, Associate, Bates Wells and co-convenor of the ILPA Well-being Working Group

We are delighted to be hosting the inaugural ILPA Well-being Conference for the first time on Thursday 16th May 2019 to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

The day will consist of a series of talks and workshops around the topics of mental health, vicarious trauma and well-being in the workplace.

10:00 – 10:15 Chairs Opening Remarks 
Nath Gbikpi, Soliciotr, Wesley Gryk Solicitors

10:15 – 11:00 Communication for Well-being
Anna Robinson, Senior Solicitors, Laura Devine Solicitors, Mental Health Ambassador and practising Psychotherapist

11:00 – 11:30 Welcoming Diversity
Raggi Kotak, Barrister, 1 Pump Court Chambers

11:30 – 12:15 Vicarious Trauma
Beate Dasarathy, Legal Officer in the Medico Legal Report Service and Ilana Bakal, Psychological Therapist, Freedom from Torture

12:15 – 13:00 Lunch

13:00 – 14:00 Experiential and Interactive Session 
Brendar Beder and Linsday Wittenberg, Smooth Transitions – Executive Coaching

14:00 – 14:45 Mental Health First Aid
Zoe Puckering, Mental Health First Aid England

14:45 – 15:00 Break

15:00 – 16:00 Panel Discussion: Self-care and care for others in the workplace

Chair:
Aisha Choudhry, Associate, Bates Wells

Panel:
Tim Barden, Partner and Head of Immigration, Bates Wells

Kat Hacker, Head of Legal Protection, Helen Bamber Foundation

Dr Francesca Brady, Clinical Psychologist and Co-head of Therapies, Helen Bamber Foundation

Rajesh Rai, Barrister, 1MBC Chambers

16:00 – 17:00 This Place Minds: Lewis Silkin Campaign 
Emma Richardson, Director of the Worksphere HR Service, Lewis Silkin LLP

17:00 – 17:15 Chair’s Closing Remarks

Tutors: Nath Gbikpi, Wesley Gryk Solicitors and Adam Cotterill, Penningtons Manches Cooper

At the end of the course participants should fully understand the financial requirements in Appendix FM and the related evidential requirements in Appendix FM-SE, and be equipped to handle a range of applications involving different financial circumstances.

Tutor details: Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters, Nath Gbikpi, Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP and Sulema Jahangir, Dawson Cornwell

The webinar will look at the phenomenon of transnational marriage abandonment, a form of domestic abuse which involves migrant women being deliberately stranded abroad, and how immigration lawyers can assist stranded spouses to return to the UK.

Topics:

1) The phenomenon of transnational marriage abandonment: what is it and what common experiences are reported by stranded spouses
2) Litigation relating to the phenomenon of transnational marriage abandonment: what has been done in family law and what needs to be done in immigration law
3) Assisting victims of transnational marriage abandonment to return to the UK: theory and practice

Programme:

13:45 – 14:00 Registration
14:00 – 14:10 Introductions
14:10 – 14:30 the phenomenon of transnational marriage abandonment: common experiences and why it is a form of domestic abuse
14: 30 – 14:50: SBS’ work to include the phenomenon of transnational marriage abandonment in family law regulations and in immigration law
14:50 – 15:00; group discussion/Q&A regarding the phenomenon of TMA
15:00 – 15:45: different options to assist stranded spouses to return to the UK, with case studies
15:45 – 16:00: Q&A
16:00 – end

Tutors: Nath Gbikpi, Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP and Adam Cotterill, Penningtons Manches Cooper

The course will review the Immigration Rules relating to sole responsibility for family members of PBS migrants and British and settled citizens; caselaw relating to the concept of sole responsibility, and the practical application of the Rules. We will also think of alternative options for families who cannot meet the strict Immigration Rules relating to sole responsibility.

Topics:

• The Rules relating to sole responsibility
• Caselaw relating to the concept of sole responsibility
• Applications in practice – evidence
• Difficulties with the rules
• Alternative options to move to the UK, including “compelling circumstances” and Tier 4 student applications
• Case studies

Programme:

13:45 – 14:00 Registration
14:00 – 14:10 Introductions
14:10 – 15:25 Part 1: the rules relating to sole responsibility, caselaw and practice (what evidence can you submit)
15:25 – 15:30 Activity/case study set – a practical example of how the rules can lead to unfair results
15:30 – 15:45 Break
15:45 – 16:00 Group discussion relating to above example
16:00 – 17:00 Part 2: thinking of ways for children to be able to come to the UK despite sole responsibility, including “compelling circumstances” rule and Tier 4 child applications
17:00 – 17:15 Group discussion/Q&A
17:15 End