Brenda Efurhievwe (Efu-rie-ve)

Brenda has a busy immigration and public law practice and is instructed in a wide range of matters on both a publicly and privately funded basis. She regularly represents individuals in the First-Tier and Upper Tribunal in asylum appeals, immigration appeals, deportation appeals, judicial reviews and bail applications. Brenda also advises on and acts in judicial reviews in the High Court.

Brenda is also particularly interested in matters at the intersection of civil and public law, with a focus on claims against public authorities. She represents Claimants in matters including claims for damages for unlawful detention, civil penalty notice appeals, data protection breaches, claims relating to personal injury and cross border matters.

Brenda regularly delivers seminars on matters relating to immigration law and asylum. Her recent webinar on “Afghan clients: quasi refugee routes and issues in contemporary asylum claims” can be accessed on Free Movement.

Prior to joining Goldsmith Chambers, Brenda gained a diverse professional experience in immigration, human rights and financial services. She completed an LL.M. at Columbia Law School as a Human Rights Fellow, where she received a Best-in-Class award for the Human Rights course with Professor Sarah Cleveland and Amal Clooney. During her LL.M, Brenda was able to pursue her academic interests in immigration law, critical race theory, and business and human rights. During her pupillage, Brenda also had an opportunity to work in private international law, including assisting her supervisor in a large group litigation claim relating to oil spills in Nigeria.

After gaining professional experience in asylum casework and the National Referral Mechanism, Brenda volunteered with a number of non-governmental organisations in the UK, Poland and Greece. Following the completion of her Bar course, Brenda volunteered as an Asylum Lawyer with European Lawyers in Lesvos. More recently, she also worked at Columbia Law School’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic as a member of a team assisting an asylum seeker in securing international protection in the US.

Brenda has a longstanding relationship as a volunteer with Bail for Immigration Detainees and she continues representing its clients in immigration bail hearings, deportation appeals and asylum support appeals. She also undertakes pro bono work with a number of organisations, including the Windrush Justice Clinic and Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej (the Association for Legal Intervention).

Brenda’s other interests include human rights advocacy, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, as well as public and private international law. She has been involved with a number of social justice organisations and movements as a campaigner and organiser.