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Background

Joanne Rothwell

Call: 1993

Ranked in Band 4

Chambers UK 2023 (Immigration - London)

Ranked in Tier 4

Legal UK 2023 (Immigration - London)

"She is a very experienced barrister and has a good reputation in tribunal work."

Chambers UK 2022

"She has particular expertise in finding solutions outside of the immigration rules."

Legal 500 2022

"She is exceedingly competent, compassionate towards clients and has a sound knowledge of the law." "She is excellent in conference with clients."

Chambers UK 2021

Joanne Rothwell’s practice specialises on Immigration and International law, covering various matters.

Expertise

Immigration, Asylum & Nationality

Joanne has expertise in all areas of Immigration and Nationality law and European law at all levels including the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, Administrative Court, House of Lords and European Court of Justice.

Joanne has a varied practice within her field and is instructed by Local Authorities, NGO’s, Law Centres and Private Law firms. Joanne has a special interest in the crossover of immigration law with family law and prepares opinions for Local Authorities and Law firms for use in the Family Division.

Joanne undertakes seminars at solicitors firms and is an assessor at Central Law Training.

Joanne practices Immigration and Nationality Law and European law relating to free movement of people, business immigration and deportation issues.

From a nursing and counselling background with emphasis on mental and women’s health, Joanne’s dissertation in her LLB (Hons) focused on Judicial Review within the area of Mental Health.

Jo has considerable experience in applications using the business route, be that Investor, Entrepreneur and Tier 1 and Tier 2, either advising solicitors to make the applications and also by direct access.

As an Immigration Judge she is aware of how the Home Office and Entry Clearance Officer view these cases and the main reasons why such applications tend to be refused. She can assist to prevent refusal by paying very close attention to constantly changing complex and evolving immigration rules and guidance and making sure that all the documents are submitted with the applications.

Jo has insight and understanding of the issues facing high net worth individuals and their families who wish to enter the United Kingdom, including the current non-domicile taxation rules. She also has connections to and associations with financial institutions and wealth management companies both within the United Kingdom and off-shore.

Business Immigration

Jo has considerable experience in applications using the business route, be that Investor, Entrepreneur and Tier 1 and Tier 2, either advising solicitors to make the applications and also by direct access.

As an Immigration Judge she is aware of how the Home Office and Entry Clearance Officer view these cases and the main reasons why such applications tend to be refused. She can assist to prevent refusal by paying very close attention to constantly changing complex and evolving immigration rules and guidance and making sure that all the documents are submitted with the applications.

Jo has insight and understanding of the issues facing high net worth individuals and their families who wish to enter the United Kingdom, including the current non-domicile taxation rules. She also has connections to and associations with financial institutions and wealth management companies both within the United Kingdom and off-shore.

  • Entrepreneur – assisting with the ground for Administrative Review and advising upon the evidential flexibility policy
  • Revocation of sponsorship licence for worldwide company with 30 UK based employees, some of whom are British and some with Visas. Jo assisted with a letter before action on Judicial Review and the Home Office caved in within 24 hours and stated that would review their decision.
  • Application for an exceptional talent migrant which was successful.

Notable Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Cases


SM and Anors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 1144 (Admin)

SSHD v TB (Jamaica) [2008] All ER (D) 90 Aug

R (on the application of Tum and Dari) v SSHD (Case C-16/05) [2008] 1 CMLR 18 [2007], [2007] All ER (D) 115 (Sep) ECJ.

DK (Serbia) v SSHD [2006] All ER (D) 312 (Dec)

R (on the application of Tum and Dari) v SSHD [2004] 2 CMLR 1131

R (on the application of Tum and Dari) v SSHD [2004]1 CMLR 1091

R v SSHD ex parte Zeqiri [2002] UKHL 3

Zeqiri v SSHD [2001] 1 All ER (D) 120

R v SSHD ex parte Boybeyi [1997] INLR 130 CA

International

Joanne practices the following areas:

International Human Rights

Joanne Rothwell is ranked in Chambers UK and Legal 500 as someone who “has an amazing success rate“.

She has a total commitment to those who are the most vulnerable in our society.

She regularly acts and succeeds on behalf of women and children, those with mental health issues, often as a result of torture in their home countries and those with learning difficulties.

She brings her previous career and expertise as a nurse and a counsellor to the Bar. She is most often instructed because of her success rate on behalf of sensitive and vulnerable lay clients.

A large proportion of her work involves issues in and around Article 8, whether that is in the area of Immigration, Court of Protection, Education or Family law with an immigration and international law aspect.

She has been a fee paid Judge of the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) since 2006, often sitting on Deportation Appeal Panels.

She has successfully taken cases from the first tier courts and Tribunals via the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and on the European Court of Justice.

Notable International Cases


SM and Anors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 1144 (Admin)

TB (Jamaica) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2008] All ER (D) 90 (Aug)

DK (Serbia) v SSHD [2006] All ER (D) 312 (Dec)

R(on the application of Tum and Dari) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Case C-16/05) 20 September 2007 ECJ.

R (on the application of Tum and Dari) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2004] EWCA Civ 788 CA

R (on the application of Tum and Dari) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2003] EWHC 2745 Admin

R v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Zeqiri [2002] UKHL 3

Zeqiri v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2001] EWCA Civ 1919

R v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Boybeyi [1997] INLR 130 CA

Related News, Resources and Events

News


Mr Justice Peter Lane and Mark Ockelton address solicitors at immigration law update

Over 140 solicitors have benefited from the expertise of top barristers and eminent speakers in the field of immigration at seminars held in Birmingham and…

News


Manjit Gill QC and Joanne Rothwell act as Interveners for Coram Children’s Legal Centre

Manjit Gill QC and Joanne Rothwell act as Interveners for Coram Children’s Legal Centre where UKBA’s Discretionary Leave Policy is found to preclude consideration of…

View all related news

    

"She’s absolutely excellent to work with. Her knowledge of immigration law is extensive and impressive." "She’s amazing at dealing with the brief, and is a compassionate lawyer who fights hard. She’s also a genuinely caring barrister."


"She is a leading light to all practitioners, amazingly creative and articulate - a superwoman."


"Accessible and will undertake legally aided work for unaccompanied minors."


"Routinely acts for highly vulnerable clients, including minors and individuals with mental health issues. Her broad caseload regularly sees her acting in complex immigration, asylum and nationality matters."


"Very friendly and cordial while staying highly"


"Sits as a Tribunal Judge and has a wealth of experience handling nationality, asylum and EU free movement matters. She has a particular interest in cases featuring mental health issues. She is phenomenally clever and wonderfully capable. Every time there is an element of complexity of law or sensitive issues, she is the one I go to without fail."


  • ILPA
  • ALBA
  • Joanne was appointed as a fee paid (part-time) Judge of the First Tier Tribunal – Immigration and Asylum Chambers in 2006 and the Social Entitlement Chamber in 2018.
  • LLB (Hons)
  • RGN (Registered General Nurse)
  • RMN (Registered Mental Nurse)

Related News, Resources and Events

News


Mr Justice Peter Lane and Mark Ockelton address solicitors at immigration law update

Over 140 solicitors have benefited from the expertise of top barristers and eminent speakers in the field of immigration at seminars held in Birmingham and…

News


Manjit Gill QC and Joanne Rothwell act as Interveners for Coram Children’s Legal Centre

Manjit Gill QC and Joanne Rothwell act as Interveners for Coram Children’s Legal Centre where UKBA’s Discretionary Leave Policy is found to preclude consideration of…

View all related news

Clerk Team

Abdul Hafeez

Practice Director, Immigration & Public Law

abdulh@no5.com

07957 403805

Lucas Bennett

Practice Manager, Immigration & Public Law

lucasb@no5.com

Jordan Lloyd

Immigration & Public Law Clerk

jordanl@no5.com

Emily Johnston

Immigration & Public Law Clerk

emilyj@no5.com

Hannah Muxlow

Immigration & Public Law Clerk

hannahm@no5.com

Isabella Taylor

Immigration & Public Law Clerk

isabellat@no5.com

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