Leigh Day is praised as ‘a pioneering firm doing cutting edge work in immigration and human rights law’ and has a well-established practice, set up by Jacqueline McKenzie, in a broad range of immigration, asylum and nationality work. The group handles cases from first instance all the way to appeals and judicial reviews, as well as cases before the European Court of Human Rights, and has particular expertise in applications of victims of the 2018 Windrush scandal. ‘Excellent lawyer’ Nath Gbikpi and Frances Swaine are also notable practitioners in immigration and asylum work.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The immigration team have started to mould a strong market presence in the field - from Windrush to Rwanda - Leigh Day are in the room.’

  • ‘Jackie McKenzie is an honour and delight to work with.’

  • ‘Leigh Day is a pioneering firm doing cutting edge work in immigration and human rights law and at the same time offers superb high quality representation to individual clients ensuring the best possible outcome is achieved.’

  • ‘Nath Gbikpi is everything one needs in an immigration lawyer. She is super smart, knowledgeable, tenacious, dedicated, hardworking and is always a pleasure to work with.’

  • ‘The team are diverse, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.’

  • ‘The team have expert expertise in often little known or niche, nuanced areas.’

  • ‘Nath Gbikpi is an excellent lawyer and I really enjoy working with her.'

Key clients

  • Stonewall and African Rainbow Family
  • Roy Harrison
  • Anthony Williams
  • Sossa Starshine

Work highlights

  • Acted for a professional man who had become a victim of the Windrush Scandal and submitted an application for compensation due to being unable to obtain work for several years after wrongfully being deemed to be unlawfully in the UK.
  • Acted for a vulnerable Jamaican national, who suffered from uncontrolled hypertension, who was being detained by the Home Office and issued with removal directions for a charter flight to Jamaica in November 2021.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Jacqueline McKenzie

Other key lawyers

Nath Gbikpi, Frances Swaine