Region Area

Barristers

Eleri Griffiths

Eleri Griffiths

Work Department

Housing & Community CarePersonal ImmigrationBusiness ImmigrationPublic LawCivil LawModern Slavery & Trafficking Team

Position

Call: 2014

Career

Eleri specialises in immigration and housing law and acts in cases across the spectrum of both fields in both private and public law matters. She is adept at engaging with and representing exceptionally vulnerable clients with disabilities or a history of severe trauma.

Asylum & Immigration

Eleri regularly provides advice and representation in a broad range of asylum and immigration matters. She acts in protection and human rights claims, entry clearance, family reunion, deportation, EEA appeals, cessation of refugee status and exclusion, and securing the release of immigration detainees on bail.  As well as providing advocacy services in the Tribunals in statutory appeals, Eleri also accepts instructions in judicial review or civil claims for damages for false imprisonment in immigration detention or related matters.

Eleri’s dedication to access to justice means she is particularly committed to clients receiving respect and integrity whilst navigating the often complex and daunting procedures, including those who lack litigation capacity.

Having formerly volunteered with an asylum charity, she continues to assist client’s pro-bono through Bail for Immigration Detainees and RAMFEL.

Eleri’s recent cases have included advising on Afghan resettlement applications and family reunification, acting in Court of Appeal proceedings concerning Article 8 ECHR and deportation, an asylum appeal for an unaccompanied minor trafficking victim, and complex Upper Tribunal proceedings regarding the revocation of refugee status of a young adult with very poor mental health.

Housing & Community Care

Eleri has a busy and varied practice across the range of housing law. Her cases include defending possession proceedings for rent arrears and/or anti-social behaviour, injunctions sought under the Anti-Social Behavior, Crime and Policing Act 2014, bringing claims for disrepair or discrimination, succession issues, appeals against possession orders, homelessness appeals, judicial review, and claims for unlawful eviction. She advises or acts in cases requiring applications for emergency injunctive relief.  She regularly appears in court on behalf of tenants or the homeless and also undertakes substantial drafting and advisory work at all stages of a case including up to the Court of Appeal. She particularly welcomes cases involving public law challenges and matters arising under the Equality Act 2010 and also acts on instruction by the Official Solicitor.

Eleri also has particular interest in Welsh housing law. She has authorised articles on the topic for the Journal of Housing law and provided consultation/advisory work on the development of Welsh housing law, including the Renting Home (Wales) Act 2016 and the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

As both an immigration and housing barrister, Eleri is adept at recognising multi-disciplinary issues where the two fields cross-over and finding practical solutions for them.

Eleri has presented at a number of conferences and events on English or Welsh law, including for the Housing Law Practitioners Association, Young Legal Aid Lawyers, The Law Friends Society and Legal Action Group .  She also regularly provided training on chambers seminar series’. Her experience as a Senior Debt Adviser helps in finding creative solutions to broader issues facing clients. She also participates in the Lord Edmund Davies Legal Education (LEDLET) charity summer scheme.

Languages

English, Welsh (Fluent)

Memberships

Housing Law Practitioners Association Young Legal Aid Lawyers Association of London Welsh Lawyers Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association Anti-trafficking Legal Project Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales

Education

Bar Professional Training Course:  University of Law LLB (Hons) Law: Cardiff University