Our Team

Alison is Executive Director of Asylum Aid where she leads an expert team providing legal representation to asylum seekers and refugees. Asylum Aid is part of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group. Before joining Asylum Aid (in November 2021), Alison was the Legal Director of the Public Law Project. At PLP, Alison led its work on the access to justice issues in the New Plan for Immigration and on judicial review reform. In June 2020, Alison was awarded the Outstanding Employed Barrister in an NGO award by the Employed Barristers Committee of the Bar Council.  

I am the CEO of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group and I joined in May 2018. 

I started my career at the Refugee Legal Centre and as a trainee at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors. Having gained experience volunteering in several charities – including with Asylum Aid! After qualifying as a solicitor I moved into international humanitarian work, I was posted in Ethiopia and Columbia for the International Committee of the Red Cross before returning to work as a Gender Adviser at Amnesty International UK focusing on trafficking.

This is when I first came across the work of the Helen Bamber Foundation. I then moved to work on children in conflict at Save the Children before joining Plan International UK as Head of Girls Rights and Youth and developing a new area of work on girls rights in the UK. 
 

I am a Senior Caseworker with over 15 years’ experience in representing clients in a wide range of immigration, asylum and human rights matters. I have developed particular expertise in cases involving children, survivors of torture or gender-based, those with mental health issues, and those facing exclusion from refugee status or deportation. I am a passionate advocate and have conducted appeals at both the First-tier and the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). 

I joined Asylum Aid in January 2021. Prior to that, I worked at Migrant Legal Action, Duncan Lewis and Refugee Legal Centre. I have also done medico-legal report reviews for Freedom from Torture and facilitated Tribunal visits for their newly appointed clinicians. 

I am delighted to be part of Asylum Aid’s legal team, working together to uphold our clients’ human rights and secure international protection or other relevant type of leave to remain for them. 

I head a fantastic team of professional fundraisers who the impressive growth of the Helen Bamber Foundation Group to the dedication and generosity of our incredible supporters. 

I have held several Director positions within the charity sector over the past two decades as well as offering support as a trustee and with pro bono fundraising consultancy. In my role as Director at the HBF Group, my work extends to shaping the strategic and programme development of both the Helen Bamber Foundation and Asylum Aid, so that we can maximise the impact of the services delivered by our amazing solicitors and caseworkers. 

What I love most about being part of Asylum Aid is showing our amazing supporters what a huge difference each one of them can make. 

I joined Asylum Aid as Head of Fundraising and Communications in March 2021, and I am delighted to be a part of an organisation that delivers fantastic impact and is rooted in such inspiring values. I got my first introduction to the charity sector working for an American organisation supporting sustainable development in Haiti, and I then continued my education with an MSc in Development Studies at the LSE. After working in the disability sector, I progressed my career in the international development space by working at Christian Aid, and then became Philanthropy Manager at the International Rescue Committee, a global charity that supports refugees and displaced people in over 40 countries. As Head of Fundraising at the Asylum Aid, I work closely with our valuable supporters, making sure they're connected to the tremendous impact they help us achieve. 

I joined Asylum Aid as a Solicitor in November 2020, having worked in immigration and asylum law since 2015. I started my legal career at Bindmans LLP before working at a boutique human rights and immigration law firm as a private client immigration solicitor.  I am accredited as a Senior Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Law scheme. 

I have experience in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law. This includes matters relating deportation, entry clearance, family-based applications, applications to work and study in the UK, appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, EEA law and citizenship.

I have always focussed my work on human rights and asylum matters, so it’s pleasure to be working at Asylum Aid alongside some of the most experienced and passionate people in this field.

I joined the Asylum Aid team in 2020 as an experienced generalist advisor/project supervisor. Since joining, I have been assisting clients with issues related to welfare benefits, housing, employment, consumer, etc. I provide advice in English, Russian, Romanian and French and also often raise social policy issues.

I hold a Licentiate of Law degree from Moldova State University and an LLM degree from Saint Louis University (USA). I completed an SJD programme at Central European University. Previously I worked as a university lecturer, legal consultant at Moldova Ministry of Justice, disability advisor and advice supervisor at a local Citizens Advice. 

I joined Asylum Aid in January 2022. I am a Justice First Fellow having trained at Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Islington Law Centre. I have been a practising solicitor specialising in immigration and asylum law, managing a varied caseload since April 2017, excluding seven months when I took a sabbatical to travel and cycle South America. I specialise in representing children and young people and have a background in community care and family law, and teaching. I advocate for children’s rights, access to justice and delivering trauma informed and client-centred services. Our clients inspire me daily.

I am a solicitor specializing in representing asylum seekers who are survivors of torture and trafficking, and those with significant health needs. I have successfully represented clients in a range of public law cases including unlawful detention, asylum delays, inadmissibility, fresh claims, NRM decisions, asylum and MSVCC support.  I also represent clients in complex asylum and human rights appeals.

I joined the wonderful team at Asylum Aid in July 2022 with over 10 years’ experience. Previously I worked at one of the biggest legal aid providers. I am committed to the protection of human rights and upholding access to justice. I am accredited as a Senior Caseworker under the IAAS.

I joined Asylum Aid in October 2022. My role is to work on the statelessness project dealing with cases in partnership with the City Law Group who give their time pro bono. This is a complex area of law and clients are often waiting many years in limbo before they get any sort of decision on their case. There are very few places they can turn to for the kind of specialist advice this project can provide.

I am a solicitor and have been an IAAS accredited Senior Caseworker for 15 years, originally working at the Refugee legal Centre. I have delivered a project providing immigration and asylum advice through Citizens Advice offices across North Yorkshire and was previously part of the Expert Advice Team at National Citizens Advice. I also sit on the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal in the North East.

I am very glad to be part of the team at Asylum Aid who are carrying out such important work. Clients who show such resilience and courage deserve representation with the same qualities.

I am a Solicitor in the Public Law team, focusing on challenging decisions and policies which are harmful to victims of trafficking in the UK. I also represent clients in asylum, human rights and trafficking cases as well as appeals. I am committed to providing legal support to the most vulnerable in our society, and am proud to be doing so alongside the excellent legal team at Asylum Aid.

I am a Solicitor and Senior Caseworker at Asylum Aid.  I joined this wonderful team in October 2022 as the Legal Administrator and had the genuine pleasure of supporting them in the challenging and crucial work that they carry out. In April 2023, I was lucky enough to secure a training contract under the Justice First Fellowship programme, and begin casework myself. Since then, I have qualified as a solicitor and taken on a varied caseload, representing asylum seekers and survivors of torture and trafficking, and supporting them in their immigration matters. I am truly passionate about immigration and human rights, and I am committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable people are afforded equal access to justice.

I previously worked as a paralegal in a boutique, private law firm, working on a wide range of immigration applications, including complex asylum cases. I love working in a client-facing role, and it is the regular contact with such inspiring individuals that makes this work so rewarding.

I am the Billing Coordinator and Casework Assistant at Asylum Aid, where I support the team by managing case billing and assisting with casework to ensure our clients receive the help they need. I first joined the organisation as a Legal Administrator Volunteer while completing my LLB, and I’m grateful to now be part of the team that is so dedicated and passionate about protecting the rights of those seeking asylum. I find it incredibly rewarding to contribute to this important work alongside such inspiring colleagues.

I came to UK in 1977 as a refugee and since 1980 I have worked as a Community Worker and Coordinator for different   projects within the Latin American Community.  I have also worked as interpreter for Law Firms, NHS Advocacy Health Worker and Coordinator of the Interpreters Services.   As a Manager, Coordinator and Legal Adviser on Benefits, Housing, Debt, Tax and Immigration I was employed by Multilingual Community Rights Shop, Migrants Resource Centre, Central London Advice Centre and Consonant.

I am now the Coordinator for the WASP project, a partnership with Citizen Advice Westminster, Age UK and Deaf PLUS, offering Legal Advice to Westminster Residents