A day in the life of an asylum and immigration solicitor

What do both organisations do?

Wilsons is a private law firm specialising in immigration, family and public law. The firm has a deep commitment to social justice, reflected in its motto: “we believe in justice for all”. This means we are committed to legal aid work despite ongoing funding challenges.

Rainbow Migration is a charity which supports LGBTQI+ asylum seekers through the asylum and immigration system. The organisation has a legal team which provide advice alongside support groups and campaigns for positive changes in LGBTQI+ asylum policy. As a Justice First Fellow I work with Rainbow Migration one day a week and the rest of my time is spent in Wilsons.

What attracted you to a career in law generally and to your particular area of law specifically?

My route to law is a little unusual. It is not something I ever considered as a child or young adult. My family background is all in the trades, from the pub trade to the roofing trade and everything in between. I wasn’t aware of any ‘professionals’ growing up; we didn’t have any teachers in the family let alone lawyers. My first passion, even as a child, was helping people and, by the time I left secondary school, I wanted to be a child psychotherapist.

From the age of 17 I became an immigrant rights and anti-racist activist. This experience meant I came up against the intransigence, inequality and injustice embedded in the law and legal system. Whether it was trying to get justice for victims of racist attacks and police brutality or trying to stop people being removed/deported, I saw firsthand the deep inadequacies of the legal system.

I did not finish my A-Levels or go to university; my early jobs were various hospitality, retail and administrative roles. I even did a stint in a bingo hall (yes, I have been a bingo caller!). I eventually settled into a long career in the mental health and disability sector as an adviser and support worker. My unpaid voluntary work was always my first passion and priority, but I also found working in mental health and disability deeply rewarding.

In my 30’s, after being made redundant I decided to do a Fine Art degree. I had always loved art and thought if I’m going to ‘do university’ for three whole years, I want it to be something I enjoy. I’m a passionate advocate of find the things you love and do them! I had no intention of becoming a ‘professional artist’, I just wanted to do something completely different and that brought me joy.

It wasn’t until I was in my late 30’s that I started thinking about law as something I could or should do. I was engaged in a lot of voluntary work with detainees in immigration centres and those facing deportation on charter flights. I was working closely with solicitors and barristers. A lot of my encounters with legal professionals were negative; I was sickened by the way some practitioners took advantage of people in such vulnerable situations. However, I also started to see what a difference it could make to have good quality, kind, ethical legal representation. I supported several pieces of strategic litigation through evidence gathering and writing witness statements. I witnessed the impact and potential of that work. At the same time, the circle of ethical, high-quality immigration practitioners working in the legal aid sector (with capacity) was ever shrinking. I had to stop even hoping to find representation for people or make do with inadequate representation because there just were not enough legal aid lawyers to go round.

That’s when the little intrusive thought “I should just do it myself” started to get louder. It was not an easy decision. I knew only too well the immense pressures faced by lawyers in the sector I wanted to join. As someone with a chronic health condition, an immune system disorder, I was afraid that there was no way I could survive a two-year full time training contract or paralegal role. I had seen good people with no health issues burn out and worried that would be me. I procrastinated for a while and sought advice from people I know in the sector. I wrote down a list of the firms I could see myself working in (you could count them on one hand and Wilsons was in the top three). I found out about the Justice First Fellowship; I was excited to be part of a project that was so committed to and focused on social justice, I decided getting a Justice First Fellowship would be my goal. Then I jumped in!

All of our routes to law are different. If I could give one piece of advice to young aspiring lawyers it would be don’t shut any doors. You don’t need to get everything done now, you have a whole lifetime ahead of you and our career journeys can be long and winding with many surprises! If you follow what you love, what brings you joy and satisfaction, you can’t go wrong.

What has been your qualification route?

I started studying the PGDL part time at London Southbank University in September 2019. I was very surprised to find I really enjoyed the work. We were lucky to have some amazing teachers, and I found myself even enjoying contract law (something I was not expecting).

My PGDL experience was unique: my first year was pre-COVID and focused on memorisation; my second year was during the pandemic, meaning everything moved online, and exams became open book. I personally hated online learning. Being clinically vulnerable, I moved in with my parents in Wales, shielding for the duration. Despite the challenges, I completed my PGDL with distinction in July 2021.

Halfway through the PGDL (which I had funded with student finance), I found out about the Diversity Access Scheme, a Law Society initiative to help fund the LPC (and now SQE prep courses) for those who could not afford it, to help improve diversity in the sector. I was thankfully successful in my application to the DAS and that allowed me to start on the Legal Practice Course part time at the University of Westminster Law School in September 2021. I could never have afforded to pay for the LPC without that funding.

DAS also found me a mentor who also lived with a chronic health condition that I could talk to. This was great as it helped somewhat ease my worries that there could be a place for me in the profession. They helped me get a work placement at Bindman’s (another firm in my top three) where I spent two weeks with the immigration and family law teams.

I found I enjoyed the LPC even more than the PGDL. I realise that’s not a universal experience, but the practice-based approach was right up my ally, its perfect for career changers as most of us have decades of organisational and admin experience, we can utilise. The teachers at Westminster were equally wonderful and of course post COVID we were all back in the classrooms. I obtained a distinction in the LPC in July 2023. I feel sad that the LPC is being replaced by the SQE, I worry greatly about the format of the SQE exams especially for disabled students.

At the time of completing the LPC, I was working in the University of Westminster Legal Advice Clinic as the Student Engagement Co-ordinator. I loved the job and loved working with students but still had my eye on a training contract. I always said that my goal would be to qualify before I turn 50 (in January 2027).

I was very excited to learn that Wilsons would be hosting a Justice First fellowship that year with Rainbow Migration and got my application in. It was a happy coincidence because LGBT asylum is something I am passionate about. I have had lots of experience campaigning for and supporting LGBT asylum seekers over the years. Add in to the equation that Wilsons was one of my top choice firms and I was very happy. It was not an easy ride though; I was so disappointed when I was told after interview that I had not been successful. I had decided to make my peace with working for another year in the Clinic (thankfully a job I loved) before applying to the Fellowship again.

A couple of weeks later, Wilsons contacted me and it turned out they wanted to offer me the position after all. I was excited, relieved and anxious all in equal measures!

I started working at Wilsons at the end of April 2024 and (barring some terrible disaster) am on track for qualifying a few months before my 50th birthday!

What advice would you give to those wanting to gain work experience in your particular area of law?

When I started this training contract, I had zero paid legal experience. All my legal experience was voluntary through my activism or through my university legal advice clinic. There are so many ways you can gain experience relevant to immigration law.

My first piece of advice is, don’t discount lived experience. If you supported your parents for years, translating for them, helping them with applications, that is valuable experience. If you have had to do your own leave to remain applications and engage with the home office, that is valuable experience. Find a way of talking about your lived experience when networking, in applications and interviews.

In most areas of the UK there are local migrant rights and/or refugee organisations. In London there is virtually one in every borough. To name a few I know of in London, Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers, Haringey Migrant Support Centre, Notre Dame Refugee Centre, Hackney Migrant Centre, Young Roots, West London Welcome and Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants. Most of them need volunteers from time to time. There are also national organisations that provide support to asylum seekers and refugees, for example The Refugee Council, Care4Calais and Refugee Action.

Some things you could be doing include helping with English language classes, facilitating drop ins, co-ordinating donation drops, helping people with form filling, befriending – so many different things! While most of them will not be directly legal, you will gain a valuable insight into your future clients and what they contend with on a day-to-day basis.

There are also lots of opportunities for volunteering with people who are detained; most detention centres have visitors’ groups. As a visitor you will be meeting people who are detained in immigration detention and providing them with much needed support. Check out AVID to find the closest visitors group to you. Also working with detainees are the excellent Bail for Immigration Detainees and Detention Action.

Try to volunteer consistently over a long period of time (minimum 6 months). That kind of consistent volunteering experience over time is worth much more than 1- or 2-weeks' work experience. When you work with asylum seekers or detainees you will inevitably learn a lot about the immigration and asylum system, and it is incredibly valuable experience. It is a great way of figuring out if this is something you want to do long term and of providing some meaningful contribution while you are figuring that out.

Also consider attending asylum rights protests and getting to know the organisations in that field (policy and campaigning). Follow the news on developments in immigration and asylum law, make note whenever you hear a firm mentioned in news articles. Immigration is an extremely fast paced and changeable area of law; it is also vast in terms of the work you will do. Currently my work is largely focused on asylum and specifically LGBT asylum, but I have colleagues specialised in family reunion, skilled worker routes, criminal deport cases, trafficking, citizenship deprivation and many more areas in this vast area of law.

Good places to find information on immigration and asylum law and opportunities are Immigration Law Practitioners Association, Free Movement and Electronic Immigration Network.

Some other organisations to check out : JCWI, Migrants Organise, Works Rights Centre, PRCBC, We Belong and Migrants Rights Network.

My LinkedIn is largely focused on encouraging the next generation of social justice lawyers. I always share early career opportunities and if you check out my pinned post, I have listed some good volunteering options (not just limited to immigration).

I established the Social Justice Law Fair (SJLF) while working and studying at Westminster. The idea for it came while I was studying for my PGDL, and I was frustrated at how little law students are exposed to the social justice sector. There is an overwhelming focus on the corporate and commercial sector with a smattering of pro bono (which is very different to legal aid).

I have been very lucky over the years to have made lots of connections in the sector and I know what a vast, dynamic and rewarding sector it is to work in. The SJLF brings together legal aid firms, chambers, law centres, charities, NGOs and campaign groups in one place for anyone who is curious about the sector to attend. In 2023 it was hosted by the University of Westminster and in 2024 by City University. It will be taking place again in 2025 and is a great place for people to make connections and find volunteering and work experience opportunities.

Keep an eye on the Legal Aid Practitioners Group and the Law Centres Network website for job opportunities and events in the legal aid sector.

My final bit of advice is, follow your passion. Don’t volunteer just for ‘work experience’, find an area you are passionate about and then commit to it. If you do it just for the experience, you will never get as much out of it. While someone’s genuinely held passions really shine through, I promise a lack of passion is equally glaring!

What attracted you to your current places of work?

I have long been aware of Wilsons work through my activism. I have worked with many people who were represented by Wilsons, and I was always impressed by the job they did for people. I remember while I was considering following this path, I met a Wilsons trainee at an immigration tribunal for a client I was supporting. I had been very impressed with the Wilsons bundle (I had seen some real stinkers!) and asked the trainee how Wilsons managed it. He was very clear that Wilsons prioritises the quality of work for all their clients whether legally aided or private. He clearly was enjoying the work, and I came away thinking that Wilsons could be a good fit for me (should I ever make the decision!)

For me it was essential that a high quality of representation was prioritised by whatever firm I chose; this was one of my top requirements. I had witnessed the devastation caused when quality was not a priority for a firm and could never work somewhere without that ethos. My second priority was somewhere that could allow me a flexible approach to work considering my health condition. This was my trickiest ask and the one that caused me the most anxiety. My biggest worry about Wilsons was a long commute (from south to north London) and the impact that would have on my health.

I’m happy to say that after almost a year working with Wilsons and Rainbow Migration, my expectations have been exceeded. Wilsons motto “we believe in justice for all” is something that is put into practice every day. Most of my work as a trainee is largely legal aid cases, and there has never been a bit of pressure on me to cut corners. In fact, I have been encouraged to always strive for exceptional service. I have a wonderful supervisor who has been extremely supportive, and I have been allowed to work flexibly according to my health needs. My two priorities are more than met. There’s also the excellent menopause policy (very relevant to me!), lovely colleagues who all care about what they do, a commitment to improving wellbeing across the firm, a transparent policy on training and progression and more. For those with slightly more spoons* to spare than me, there’s also weekly yoga, football, bike rides, walks and even the first (I’m sure will become annual) Wilsons Sports Day.

What does your day-to-day work involve?

I currently work primarily on asylum appeals, with most of my clients identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. This is the largest area of unmet need for Rainbow Migration; finding legal aid representation for appeal-stage clients is extremely difficult. I’m pleased to have increased Wilsons capacity to take on these referrals. My LGBTQ+ appeal clients come from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Namibia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Uganda. My non appeal work is broad including human rights, family reunion, EUSS and public law work.

My day always starts out with my ‘to-do’ list; this is an essential step when dealing with so many competing deadlines and cases. Prioritising tasks is essential, it means keeping a close eye on the progress of the appeal cases. While doing my ‘to do' list I will check in with the online appeals portal (MyHMCTS) to check the status of the various appeals.

Then comes working through my emails. I am someone who prefers a clear inbox, or at least as clear as possible. I like to respond and deal with things and then move them into the relevant folders. If something is in my inbox, this means it needs my attention, I need to see it! This is a constant work in progress, getting down to less than 10 emails in my inbox is always my goal (but realistically, 20 is a win!); anything over 80 is a red flag for me to slow down and catch up!

My daily work is incredibly varied, no two days are alike, below is a list of some of the tasks I might be doing on any given day….

• Meeting with a client to work on their witness statement. This is an extremely important process and one of my favourite things to do. It is a privilege for me to help someone tell their life story. It is a terrible process for a client, having to relive their life and their traumas. My background in mental health has really helped me with this part of the job.
• Preparing a bundle of evidence for appeal. This is where the magic happens on appeal cases, you get to bring together all the evidence and witness statements you’ve been working on into a compelling and clear bundle which clearly lays out your client’s case. One of the reasons I wanted to be a solicitor as opposed to a barrister is that role of putting a case together from start to finish, painting a compelling picture and working with the facts of someone’s life as opposed to coming in at the end of that process and putting together the legal arguments. It also feeds my enjoyment of administration; there’s something satisfying about organising things which seem chaotic and random into a well organised file!
• Making legal aid applications. This is a regular task. Every new legal aid client requires assessments and forms, and additional funding is often needed for expert reports or interpreters. Some of my cases require Exceptional Case Funding applications for clients who wouldn’t ordinarily qualify for legal aid. It’s a frustrating process and was a steep learning curve, but it’s crucial for ensuring vulnerable clients receive representation.
• Country research and objective evidence gathering. I often need to carry out research on a particular country, finding objective evidence which supports our clients’ cases.
• Drafting applications. Appeal work inevitably involves drafting applications for extra time or adjournment.
• Reviewing materials. As well as reviewing the documents a client brings in, I may also be reviewing Subject Access Requests from the Home Office, prison services, medical records, etc., identifying key details relevant to the case.
• Drafting representations. For my clients who are claiming asylum it is often necessary to draft legal representations which lay out the law and why our client should be recognised as a refugee.
• Drafting briefs and letters of instruction. Briefs are what we write to give a barrister an overview of the case and the key information they need. Letters of instruction are needed when we instruct medical or country experts.
• Drafting Pre-Action-Protocol representations (PAPs): This is where public law intersects with immigration law. I have had a couple of clients whose cases were either certified as clearly unfounded or whose cases were deemed inadmissible. In these cases, you do not get a right of appeal so the way to challenge the decisions is by drafting a PAP which lays out clearly why the decision was unlawful.
• Trouble shooting! Immigration and asylum law is never boring. Unexpected crises arise regularly; a client facing eviction from asylum accommodation, being arrested or detained, a relationship breakdown, a mental health crisis, or a client at risk of overstaying if we don’t act fast. These situations often mean throwing my 'to-do' list out the window and responding urgently.

Overall, immigration and asylum law is fast-paced, unpredictable and deeply human. Some days are structured, others can feel like marshalling chaos. But at its core, the work is about giving people a fighting chance in a system that often feels stacked against them and that makes it deeply rewarding.

How do you ensure your wellbeing when working in such a challenging sector of the law?

This is something I’m extremely passionate about. I’m fortunate to come into this sector with years of experience in mental health, professionally and personally. Alongside my professional experience, I have undergone extensive personal therapy following a PTSD diagnosis in my 20's. These experiences mean I’ve developed a range of strategies to manage the emotional and physical toll of this work.

The most important thing is to give myself grace. This means recognising that even with all my experience and knowledge of mental health I will have periods where I am deeply affected or dealing with something external to work and struggle to manage it. This may mean having a day where I’m crying at my computer or spending a weekend with Netflix and ice-cream. Giving myself grace means I don’t judge myself negatively for these times. You would have to be a stone to not be personally impacted by the work we do and sometimes it takes a while to pull yourself out of it and that’s OK.

The second most important thing is to always talk about it. Normal human reactions can become crisis and burnout when we don’t externalise them. When you hold everything in, there’s only so much space inside there before the dam breaks! I will always prioritise telling someone what’s happening for me, it doesn’t even have to be a long meaningful talk. Sometimes just the act of telling another human being can make it feel less of a burden.

I strive to be a reflective practitioner. This means I try to think and reflect on my encounters I have with a client, I examine my own feelings and think about those feelings, where did they come from? I think about what the client said and what they communicated without words. I reflect on my own responses and examine any feelings I might be having, for example frustration, sadness, guilt, anger. Reflective practice helps me understand what a client is going through, think about any roadblocks or prevents me from acting on my own emotions to the detriment of my clients. I find this a critical process both for my own well-being and to help me become a better representative for my clients.

I approach working with my clients from the same trauma informed lens I used when I worked with those struggling with their mental health. It is important to apply a trauma informed focus not only with your clients but with yourself! Vicarious trauma is a very real risk for lawyers and strategies to prevent vicarious trauma need to be present from the moment you start working in the sector.

It is to my horror I realised that law students from undergraduates to postgraduates get no education in this area. It is so critical to retain people in the social justice sector, prevent burnout and cycles of trauma. Sadly, I think the extreme competitive nature of law school and a focus on corporate/commercial law sets people up with habits and ways of thinking about themselves that will be damaging as they progress in their career.

I’ve found Wilsons to be very open to discussing these issues and committed to implementing strategies to support practitioners. It will always be a work in progress, both personally and at an organisational level, it’s most important individuals and organisations commit to that process. I hope that law schools can also look at how this can be embedded into the curriculum.

As someone with an immune system disorder that causes fatigue and joint pain, I have very limited spoons to spare! This means I don’t have a long list of ‘things I do to relax’. That’s because a lot of the traditional things people do to relax end up costing me more spoons*. Mostly for me, it means attempting to prioritise sleep, eating well and relaxation. The truth is that most of my physical and mental spoons are spent on work. When I do have some sparks of energy, I find time to go swimming, especially wild swimming. I also love signing; it requires very few spoons and the joy I get from it is huge. I ensure I read fiction, something I set aside for 4 years of legal studies, it helps to relax me. Then of course there’s the endless distraction of streaming services!

I highly recommend ‘Vicarious Trauma in the Legal Profession’ by Joanna Fleck and Rachel Francis. If you are interested in finding out more about reflective practice and clinical supervision in the legal profession I recommend this article by Marc Mason.

If you are working in the legal sector and struggling with any of these issues you can talk to the charity LawCare.

*For those unfamiliar with the term, here’s an article about spoon theory.

Finally, tell us a little more about the positive impact a lawyer in your area of law can make to people’s lives.

It is impossible to overstate just what an impact immigration lawyers make on their client’s lives. Especially when working in asylum and refugee law.

Our clients have frequently been through deeply traumatic things, some have made treacherous and dangerous journeys just to find safety. Then they come up against a culture of disbelief form the Home Office and a racist media frenzy (not to mention the recent racist riots often focused on hotels housing asylum seekers). They have not had a moment to breathe, to rest, to find peace.

You accompany them as they tell their stories and navigate a deliberately hostile system. When they are finally granted refugee status is a day when they can start to think again about their future, their hopes and their dreams. Everything that may have been on hold for years, things citizens can so easily take for granted.

In the almost one year I have been doing this work, there is no better feeling than telling someone they have been granted refugee status.

The same is true for families who have been separated across borders, children reunited with their parents, spouses reunited after years of forced separation.

People who have been living in this country for decades, surviving in the margins and caught in the snares of the hostile environment, finally able to simply live their lives.

There are too many categories of people positively affected to mention! This area of law, while it can be fraught, messy, frustrating – it is also life changing for our clients and deeply rewarding.

Are you interested in a career in asylum and immigration law or keen to explore other areas? Browse our Candidate Hub areas for guidance and information.