Antonia Benfield

Antonia works across the fields of asylum, immigration, and public law, with specialisms in refugee, asylum law, and children’s rights. Before joining the Bar, she worked for NGOs, including the Refugee Council, and has more than 20 years’ experience working in support of refugee and migrant rights.

Antonia is deputy head of Chambers’ Community Care and Health team.

Antonia is regularly instructed in the First-Tier and Upper Tribunals, High Court, and Court of Appeal on asylum and public law claims, with a particular focus on complex claims and those involving victims of torture and sexual violence. She is highly regarded for her ability to engage with particularly vulnerable clients and her detailed knowledge of country conditions and asylum policy. She is especially well placed to undertake cross-cutting work in the fields of immigration, children’s rights, and public law and works on complex country guidance cases and claims involving cessation/revocation of international protection.

Antonia is regularly instructed in public law challenges on behalf of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children whose age is disputed by the Home Office or local authorities; on the unlawful detention of putative children; and on asylum support challenges under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. In addition, she acts on behalf of adults and unaccompanied minors in challenges to trafficking decisions and unlawful detention claims. Antonia acts in criminal deportation, human rights claims, and EU law challenges and has extensive expertise in out-of-hours and urgent claims.

Antonia frequently speaks at public events on refugee and broader human rights issues. She regularly delivers training both for and in partnership with NGOs and community organisations, with a focus on the asylum system and issues affecting asylum-seeking and refugee clients. She is an advocacy trainer for the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.

From 2018 to 2022, Antonia was appointed as counsel in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), led by Henrietta Hill KC, acting in the children outside the UK (Phase 2) and child sexual exploitation by organised networks investigations.

Antonia was a finalist for Legal Aid Barrister of the Year in the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards in 2023.

Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC)

Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)

Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA)

European Society of International Law (ESIL)

BA History of Art and Archaeology (Asia and Africa), SOAS, 2004

MA Social Anthropology of International Development, SOAS, 2006

Graduate Diploma in Law, University of Law, 2012

BPTC, University of Law, 2013

The Levitt Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn, 2013

Lord Denning Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn, 2012

Lord Bowen Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn, 2011

Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln’s Inn 2011