Melanie Plimmer

"Her 'knowledge of the law is phenomenal'..." (Chambers and Partners 2007)

"...strong legal mind and court presence" (Legal 500 2007)

Practice

Immigration

All aspects of Asylum, Immigration and Nationality law. European and Human Rights law. Extensive experience before Immigration Judges, Appellate Courts and the Administrative Court. Bar Council Immigration Accredited Practitioner. Particular interest and experience (10 years) in appellate, review and judicial review and complicated asylum cases.

Employment and Discrimination

Representation and advisory work on behalf of employees and trade unions in all areas. Particular interest and experience in discrimination work.

Prison law

Undertakes a full range of prison law including lifer and parole board hearings, challenges to categorization and violations of prisoners’ human rights. Featured in the BBC2 parole board documentary “Lock them up or let them out” (October 2006) > news story

Public Law (Judicial Review)

Particular interest and experience in a wide cross-section of judicial review applications on behalf of Claimants particularly in the fields of prison law, education law, mental health law and public law matters with an immigration overlap.

Notable Cases

Secretary of State for Justice v David Walker and Brett James [2008] EWCA Civ 30; The Times 6/2/08 (Minister of Justice acted "unlawfully" - IPP sentences - parole course access) news story and judgment

(1) IA (Syria) (2) SA (Syria) v SSHD (13/11/07) (CA Civ Div) [2007] All ER (D) 211 (Nov) (expert evidence)

Harris v NKL Automotive Ltd and another [2007] All ER (D) 68 (Nov) (religious discrimination - Rastafarian beliefs) news story , judgment

Oyarce v Cheshire County Council [2007] All ER (D) 101 (Aug) (appeal and cross-appeal; discrimination and victimisation; reverse burden of proof applies in discrimination on grounds of race but not on grounds of victimisation)

SSHD v K; Fornah v SSHD [2006] UKHL 46, The Times 19/10/06 (asylum; particular social group) news story , judgment

SHD v JJ; KK; GG; HH; NN; LL [2006] EWCA Civ 1141, The Times 18/08/06 (control orders - Court of Appeal upholds High Court decision to quash) judgment , news story

SSHD v JJ; KK; GG; HH; NN; LL [2006] EWHC 1623 (Admin) (control orders quashed) judgment

Oyarce v Cheshire County Council [2006] EOR No. 159 - December (employee overlooked for promotion in favour of white colleague - discrimination)

RG (Ethiopia) v SSHD [2006] EWCA Civ 339 (persecution due to "particular social group") judgment

Hatungimana v SSHD [2006] All ER (D) 281 (Feb) (clarification of Court of Appeal's jurisdiction to remit case to AIT) news article

RAMTT v SSHD [2005] EWCA Civ 982

Liu v SSHD [2005] 1 WLR 2858 (persecution may serve to create or identify a particular social group) judgment

K v SSHD [2004] EWCA Civ 986, CA (petition to appeal to the HL granted)

Adam Nasreldin Mohammed v SSHD [2003] EWCA Civ 265, CA as applied in AM (Sudan Draft evader) Sudan [2004] UKAIT 00335

Askhosravi v SSHD [2002] INLR 71, CA

Recommendations

Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Public law (2007) "Melanie Plimmer, who brings a ‘strong legal mind and court presence’ appeared on the winning side as junior counsel in the precedent House of Lords case SSHD v K, Fornah v SSHD..." UK Legal 500 2007 edition

The Times Lawyer of the Week 28/11/06 read story

Leading Junior in Immigration : Northern (2007) "...Market sources were as one in describing Melanie Plimmer as the leading barrister for immigration within the North. Her “knowledge of the law is phenomenal,” enthused one source, while others extolled her for her commitment to her clients and her strength in advocacy. She regularly undertakes complex appellate, review and judicial review asylum cases." Chambers & Partners 2007 more

Regional Bar - Northern Circuit - Public Law(2006) "...Melanie Plimmer brings her 'strong legal mind and court presence' to immigration, asylum and human rights issues." UK Legal 500 2006 edition.

Leading Junior in Immigration : Northern (2006): "Solicitors see Melanie Plimmer as a 'great resource' and have the utmost faith in her. She recently appeared in Liu v SSHD, a Court of Appeal case where it was held that persecution may serve to create or identify a particular social group." Chambers & Partners 2006.

Leading Junior in Immigration: Northern (2005): "Melanie Plimmer was singled out for her integrity and detailed preparation. Solicitors believed that tribunals trusted her judgment." Chambers & Partners 2005, p1629.

Other Activities

Regularly provides seminars in human rights, judicial review, immigration, employment, discrimination law and prison law.

Conducts external training on behalf of ILPA, the LSC and for leading Trade Union solicitors firms.

Previously lectured in law p/t for the Open University.

Publications

Contributor to Macdonald & Webber Immigration Law & Practice (5th Edition and upcoming 6th Edition) published by Butterworths.

" Standing in Someone Else's Shoes " (first published in New Law Journal July 1998)

Professional Associations

Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA)
Discrimination Law Association (DLA)
Member of the Northern Circuit Free Representation and Advice Service

Background and Personal profile

Triathlon.