International Protection

Our specialist immigration team has been advising businesses and individuals on all aspects of UK immigration and nationality law for over 20 years. Alongside our market leading Extradition and International team we offer specialist support and advice to individuals facing complex situations across multiple jurisdictions.

Our team are highly sophisticated, astute and supportive, particularly known for their skill in providing strategic, sensible and practical advice in relation to private client and family matters, dispute resolution and asset protection and where an individual is wanted by another State.

Immigration and asylum

We are recognised experts in dealing with complex human rights, asylum and international protection immigration issues and have extensive experience of litigating judicial review cases and appeals. This can include applications and/or appeals on the basis that your human rights have been or are at risk of being infringed. We also offer a comprehensive service for those who are seeking safety in the UK as a refugee or for humanitarian protection.

Extradition and INTERPOL Red Notices

We regularly advise clients before extradition proceedings commence. We have the skill and experience to deal with INTERPOL Red Notices, which are often the first indication that a person may be facing a potential extradition request. In many cases, we are able to either negotiate with the authorities to avoid extradition proceedings completely or to obtain a more favourable outcome if a person is extradited.

Where an extradition request is made, we advise on the technical, statutory and human rights challenges available and proactively defend our clients from these requests. We have notable experience of successfully defending political extraditions.

Asset Denial

Targeting the UK wealth of foreign nationals is a government priority and law enforcement focus. There are a variety of powers that are available where there are suspicions as to the provenance or intended use of such wealth. Law enforcement agencies such as the police, Serious Fraud Office, and National Crime Agency are now regularly using these powers to freeze property, to obtain information about it, and ultimately to seek its forfeiture. We have extensive experience in advising those facing such action or who are concerned about such a risk

International families

We have been assisting clients with international roots since the firm’s inception and are very used to working with people from different cultures and backgrounds and provide a collaborative and personal service. Our clients often have complicated family or financial arrangements and have investments or assets overseas and are looking to organise their affairs to protect their and their families’ future.

International Disputes

Many of the largest cases in the specialist Commercial Court in London involve foreign parties. In fact 80% of the cases in the Commercial Court have a foreign Claimant or Defendant. As a result of the draconian remedies available in the English Courts, the UK can be the jurisdiction of choice for fraud claims, which very often begin with a worldwide freezing injunction. We are very experienced in dealing with cases involving foreign parties: indeed most of our work is for foreign clients litigating in the English Courts. We are particularly well versed in proceedings where remedies such as freezing injunctions have been obtained.

Further information

Please see the links below for further information on services we offer that may be relevant to international international protection.

If you would like further information, or to speak to one of our specialist lawyers, please contact a member of our international protection team.

Recent Cases

Our recent International Protection work has included advising individuals in relation to allegations in GCC countries, Russia and former CIS states, China, Turkey and India amongst others.

Our clients have found themselves pursued by overseas authorities, facing politically motivated persecutions, extradition proceedings and subject to INTERPOL Red Notices. Their personal and commercial lives have been impacted with their free movement and family life severely curtailed and in many cases, banking facilities withdrawn. In many of these cases their human rights are being infringed.

Examples of such cases include:

Acting for a HNW individual in an investigation driven by political interests in Russia.
Advising an individual subject to an INTERPOL Red Notice issued by China in respect of corruption charges in a politically motivated case.
Advising a high profile/HNW individual in a former CIS state facing political persecution in a case that includes human rights and fair trial concerns.
Representing an individual facing potential extradition proceedings and advising on potential asylum application.
Acting for an individual whose extradition was sought in respect of alleged sanctions violations.
Removal of a number of INTERPOL red notices issued by former GCC states in relation to unfunded cheques.
Advising an individual facing a potential INTERPOL Red Notice arising from India in a politically motivated action that raises human rights concerns.
Removal of INTERPOL red notice issued by India in a religiously motivated case.
Advising an individual in anticipation of extradition proceedings in the UK and related Interpol Red Notice and potential asylum claims, in a case that is politically motivated with serious human rights concerns.
Advising HNW individuals in relation to a large scale financial crime investigation resulting in a civil settlement with an overseas authority. Advising on related judicial review proceedings on the client’s immigration status.