Mark Smith

Mark is a barrister specialising in extradition, international family and immigration matters. Mark is ranked as a Leading Junior in 3 areas in the Legal 500: Family: Children, Immigration, and International Crime & Extradition. He is also recognised in Chambers & Partners in 2 practice areas of Extradition and Immigration.

Mark has particular expertise in cases involving cross-border issues and parallel proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. Mark has appeared in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, as well as the High Court Family Division in international family matters and the Administrative Court in extradition proceedings.

He is an experienced extradition practitioner and regularly appears in requests from non-EU (Part 2) countries and on appeal before the Administrative Court. He recently appeared in a leading case considering the impact of extradition on pending EUSS applications and an extradition request with parallel private children proceedings.

Mark is an international family specialist and appears in wardship, child abduction and permanent relocation proceedings before the High Court. He is also regularly instructed in private children and care proceedings, especially those involving an international element. He has recently appeared in High Court proceedings addressing when an abducted child should be properly considered a dependant of an asylum-seeker and whether a local authority could withdraw an asylum claim made on behalf of a child in care.

Mark’s immigration practice includes high profile and complex litigation, recently including a citizenship claim by an ex-foreign government minister and an asylum claim following an extradition request. Mark frequently appears in judicial review proceedings and has recently appeared in a challenge to the ‘minded to refuse’ process applied in cases of deception.