Internationally renowned barrister S Chelvan of No5 Barristers’ Chambers has been awarded a PhD in Law by King’s College, London.
Dr Chelvan is a globally recognised legal expert on refugee and human rights claims based on sexual, or gender, identity and expression and is instructed on cases in the UK up to and including the Supreme Court and the Strasbourg Court.
He has practised in the field of LGBT +asylum since 2001 and has earned reputation for being the leading legal expert in the UK, spearheading some of the leading cases since 2005 as well as providing consultation to the United Nations, the IOM, regional and national government organisations and bodies, lawyers and NGOs.
Dr Chelvan’s thesis examined the shift in approach in asylum cases in England and Wales from conduct to identity. Its title was: ‘At the End of the Rainbow: Where Next for the Queer Refugee? Understanding Queer Refugees’ Lives: Moving from sexual conduct to identity in sexual orientation/identity cases in England and Wales’.
Describing his motivation for gaining the PhD Dr Chelvan said: “My drive is to ensure that by bringing the threads of litigation and academic research together I am able to influence policy and ensure people seeking asylum are granted protection in the UK.”
Dr Chelvan describes himself as being the ‘mouthpiece for people who know the words but who have no voice’ and has won plaudits from clients who have credited him for saving lives.
