Specialist in
Dispute ResolutionDirect Access
Experience
Catherine Robinson is a member of the immigration team. She has a wide range of experience in this field, this includes representing clients at all stages of the immigration and asylum process. Catherine’s immigration practice encompasses personal and business advisory work.
Catherine regularly appears before the First-Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal in immigration and asylum appeals and bail hearings.
Catherine has extensive experience of drafting judicial review grounds and applications for permission to appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal and also undertakes unlawful detention work. She also has experience of cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.
As part of her ongoing commitment to this area of law Catherine is keen to represent vulnerable individuals within the immigration system.
In October 2020, Catherine was appointed a Recorder, South Eastern circuit, Family division.
Voluntary work
Catherine acted on a pro-bono basis as junior counsel for the AIRE Centre in SM v ECO, Visa Section C-129/18, SM (Algeria) v Entry Clearance Officer [2018] UKSC 9 and Khan v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 1755. The instructing solicitors in these cases were Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and the senior counsel were David Chirico and Aidan O’Neil QC.
Catherine participates in the Bail for Immigration Detainees duty advocacy scheme.
From 2014 until 2018 Catherine was a trustee of Migrants Resource Centre (incorporating Asylum Aid). She was previously a member of the Management Committee of Lambeth Law Centre.
Previous experience
Prior to joining 1 Pump Court Chambers, Catherine was an immigration solicitor at Fisher Meredith LLP for 5 years. Her experience included: judicial reviews; appeals at all levels; and fresh asylum and human rights claims. She had a wide range of clients including: individuals needing personal and business immigration advice; victims of trafficking and domestic violence; those considered to be a risk to national security; and unaccompanied minors.
She was ranked as an Associate to Watch by Chambers & Partners 2011 in the category Immigration: Personal: London. The entry said:
Associate Catherine Robinson enters the rankings this year due to her handling of complicated immigration cases with a terrorist aspect. She is particularly admired for her client-care skills: “She is respectful, kind and honest about the hazards within the asylum system, while still giving fearful and desperate people a sense of hope.”
Catherine completed her training contract at (as it was then known) Herbert Smith LLP, an international law firm.
What the directories say
Chambers & Partners
Respected junior who regularly acts in complex, high-profile judicial review proceedings. Her impressive caseload covers areas such as nationality law, deportation and detention. She has recently acted in matters involving vulnerable individuals including individuals with learning disabilities and victims of domestic violence and trafficking.
Strengths: “She is extremely well organised, focused and effective.” “She is a very good strategic thinker and has practised as a solicitor, so understands the demands that solicitors are under.” “She is always very responsive and has an enviable ability to put complex issues in clear and concise pleadings.”
Recent work: Acted for the appellant in EYF (Turkey) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, an appeal concerning the correct approach to the revocation of a deportation order, where ten years had passed and the deportee had complied with the terms of the order.
Chambers & Partners 2021
Respected junior who regularly acts in complex, high-profile judicial review proceedings concerning deportation. Her impressive caseload covers areas such as asylum and refugee law. She has recently acted in matters concerning the application of EU law in the context of cases concerning complex reunification of extended family members.
“Very committed to clients. She really goes the extra mile on her cases and she is good tactically.” “Her knowledge of the law and her ability to analyse the details of the cases are exceptional.”
Chambers & Partners 2019
“Respected junior who regularly acts in complex, high-profile judicial review proceedings concerning deportation. Her impressive caseload covers areas such as asylum and refugee law.
Strengths: “She really sees her client’s point of view, really listens.” “She’s incredibly intelligent and excellent on trafficking and deportation.”
Recent work: Acted in BXS v SSHD, a case regarding the Home Secretary’s refusal to consider an in-country application to revoke a deportation order from an EEA national.”
Chambers & Partners 2018
“She is a really effective advocate, especially in the First Tier Tribunal.” “She is very good with clients and is approachable, hard-working and tenacious.”
Chambers & Partners 2016
Ranked as ‘Up and Coming’ by Chambers & Partners 2016 in the category Immigration – London (Bar)
“A very good advocate who gets really good results for clients.” “She is meticulous and very responsive, and will think about every issue.”
Chambers & Partners 2015
Legal 500
Catherine is tenacious in her pursuit of her clients’ cases and is wonderful with vulnerable clients.’
2021 Legal 500 Ranked: Tier 4
Cited as a leading junior in Immigration (including business immigration):
“She understands how to win cases and how cases should be prepared.” 2019 Legal 500 – Tier 4
“Very good at understanding the needs of solicitors, having been one herself.”
Ranked: Tier 4
2018 Legal 500 – Tier 4
Education
University of Warwick – first class honours LLB (European)
School of Oriental and African Studies – LLM (merit)
Professional Memberships
Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association
CPBA
Languages
French and German
