Ranked in 3 Practice Areas
3

Band 3

Community Care

London (Bar)

2 Years Ranked

3

Band 3

Immigration

London (Bar)

4 Years Ranked

4

Band 4

Administrative & Public Law

London (Bar)

2 Years Ranked

About

Provided by Antonia Benfield

UK Bar

Practice Areas

Antonia is an established practitioner in the fields of immigration, public law and community care. She specialises in asylum law and children’s rights and has extensive expertise in age assessment and asylum support challenges, and unlawful detention claims. She is well-placed to undertake cross-cutting work in the fields of asylum and children’s rights.

Antonia acted in country guidance cases in respect of Eritrea (MST and Others (national service – risk categories) Eritrea CG [2016] UKUT 443 (IAC)) and Sri Lanka (KK & RS (Sur place activities: risk) Sri Lanka CG [2021] UKUT 130 (IAC)). She has extensive experience in strategic litigation and policy challenges including:

• Protection proceedings brought by Tamil refugees on Diego Garcia against the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

• R (ECPAT UK) v Kent CC & SSHD [2023] EWHC 1953 (Admin) – challenge to cap on UAS children taken into care and instead placed in Home Office commissioned hotels.

• R (MA & HT) v SSHD [2022] EWHC 98 (Admin) – challenge to lawfulness of policy governing age assessment of UAS children at Kent Intake Unit.

• R (NB & Ors) v SSHD [2021] EWHC 1489 (Admin) – challenge to adequacy of Napier Barracks as asylum support accommodation.

Career

Antonia regularly designs and delivers training for solicitors, law centres and charities. She is a trustee of West London Welcome and legal advisor to Counterpoints Arts. She was a finalist in the LALY Awards for Barrister of the Year in 2023.

Professional Memberships

ILPA

ALBA

HRLA

BHRC

Discover other Barristers at
Doughty Street Chambers

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

All Circuits

Court of Protection: Health & Welfare

2
Aswini Weereratne KC
2
Band 2
Defamation/Privacy

2
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC
2
Band 2
Jude Bunting KC
3
Jude Bunting KC
3
Band 3
POCA Work & Asset Forfeiture

Richard Fisher KC
2
Richard Fisher KC
2
Band 2
Jonathan Lennon KC
New Silks
Police Law: Mainly Claimant

1
Adam Straw KC
1
Band 1
1
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC
1
Band 1
1
Stephen Cragg KC
1
Band 1
2
Jamie Burton KC
2
Band 2
Jude Bunting KC
2
Jude Bunting KC
2
Band 2
2
Maya Sikand KC
2
Band 2
2
Nicholas Bowen KC
2
Band 2
Fiona Murphy KC
New Silks
Protest Law

Kirsty Brimelow KC
1
Kirsty Brimelow KC
1
Band 1
1
Tim Moloney KC
1
Band 1
Jude Bunting KC
2
Jude Bunting KC
2
Band 2

London (Bar)

Administrative & Public Law

1
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC
1
Band 1
1
Edward Fitzgerald KC
1
Band 1
1
Martin Westgate KC
1
Band 1
3
Adam Straw KC
3
Band 3
20 of 215 results