Emma Turnbull

Asylum & Immigration

Emma regularly appears in the First-tier Tribunal representing clients in asylum, human rights and deportation appeals, as well as representing applicants for immigration bail. She is also an experienced advocate in the Upper Tribunal.

Emma has particular expertise in complex deportation appeals, including:

• EEA national clients where the Home Office have failed to recognise their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement and/or Appendix EU
• Clients with a British partner or child, including where there are ongoing Family Court proceedings
• Clients with complex mental health needs
• Clients at risk of persecution or ill-treatment on return.

Emma has a busy asylum practice, representing clients from Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh, Colombia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Iraq, Iran, Kurdistan, Sierra Leone, Syria and Turkey. She has particular expertise in political opinion claims.

Emma also provides effective representation in Article 3 medical cases and Article 8 cases under Appendix FM and outside the Rules, including:

• A successful appeal for a client with complex mental health condition including psychosis
• A successful appeal for a client with a settled partner who were trying to start a family
• A last-minute withdrawal by the Home Office for a client who had recently been widowed
• Ongoing representation for a client with HIV.

Among Emma’s most rewarding achievements have been in family reunion cases: https://tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-2024-004700-ors.

Emma has had success at error of law hearings in the Upper Tribunal in:

https://tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-2023-003691

https://tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/ui-2023-002568

https://tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/da-00036-2022

She has also assisted her former supervisor, Emma Daykin, on Afghan resettlement scheme applications and judicial review claims.

Emma provides pro-bono representation for vulnerable clients through Bail for Immigration Detainees (BiD) and RAMFEL.

She has also contributed to the Free Movement website.

Housing

Emma regularly represents tenants in possession proceedings and unlawful eviction claims, including injunctions for re-entry and committal proceedings.

Emma’s recent successes have included:

• A s.204 appeal at Central London County Court in which the Court set aside the review decision having accepted that the reviewer took a wholly unrealistic approach to the client’s vulnerability (which was complex and multifactorial)
• A substantial award of damages at Croydon County Court for a client in an unlawful eviction claim
• Avoiding an outright possession order for a client with significant historic arrears accrued during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She has also assisted her former supervisor, Martin Hodgson, on anti-social behaviour possession and committal proceedings, and discretionary succession cases.