On 18 September, Goldsmith Chambers collaborated with Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID) to hold a seminar on unlawful detention. BID and Goldsmith were kindly hosted by Allen & Overy, who provided drinks and canapes before the event.
Rita Sethi, Head of our Immigration Team at Goldsmith, welcomed all who attended. The event was fully booked and Ms Sethi expressed her delight at the impressive turnout.
Anthony Metzer QC, Head of Chambers, began the evening’s presentations with a discussion of unlawful detention in immigration. He took us through the statutory powers to detain and the famous ‘Hardial Singh’ principles, followed by the various cases which have since elaborated on those principles.
Barry Coulter, Head of our Civil Team at Goldsmith, then addressed the attendees on damages for unlawful detention, with a focus on quantum. He reminded practitioners to focus carefully on the authority under which their clients are being detained and to spot as early as possible when damages might begin to accrue.
Kezia Tobin of our Immigration Team then gave a presentation on bail applications including bail in principle, suggesting strategies for the ideal preparation of bail applications as well as common pitfalls. Kezia finished with a discussion on the merits of making applications for bail in principle in suitable cases.
Pierre Makhlouf, Assistant Director of BID, closed the evening with a rousing talk on the immigration bail application process now and in the future. Pierre urged practitioners to use bail applications as part of a legal strategy to challenge unlawful detention.
Those who attended have so far raised £2,272.44 for BID. Goldsmith and BID thank all who attended for their generous donations.
BID is an independent charity that exists to challenge immigration detention in the UK through the provision of legal advice, information and representation to people held in immigration detention alongside research, policy advocacy and strategic litigation aimed at improving detention policy and practice. BID’s vision is of a world in which there is no immigration detention and in which people subject to immigration control are not deprived of their liberty for administrative convenience.
If you would like to donate to BID’s work, please do so here.
