Immigration Summit 2025 - Leigh Day

The Leigh Day Immigration Summit is a full day event bringing together leading lawyers, experts, organisations, legislators, journalists, researchers and policy makers, in the UK and internationally, to discuss some of the current issues in immigration law, policy and practice.

The Summit will provide a crucial forum for legal experts and advocates to examine the real-world impact of immigration policies, voice challenges to injustices, and propose pathways toward a fairer, more humane immigration system.

Price
Tickets for the Summit cost £239.99 + VAT which includes a conference bag and brochure, lunch and refreshments and an evening reception.

Key topics and discussions
Throughout the day attendees will hear from keynote speaker Simon Israel and expert panels exploring the realities of immigration control, offshore policies, and whether the 1951 Refugee Convention remains fit for purpose. Guests will be invited to tailor their Summit experience by choosing the panel breakout sessions that interest them the most.

Panel sessions will explore issues including:
• UK riots and discontent: Does anti-migrant discourse play a role?
• Safe legal routes: How do we choose which conflicts generate safe havens?
• Deportation: Are mandatory laws harmful and discriminatory?
• The right to belong: How do citizenship laws shape identity and belonging?
• The rule of law: How do legal aid and other funding cuts undermine access to justice?
• Immigration detention: Are there viable alternatives to detaining migrants?
• Modern slavery: Are restrictive immigration policies driving people trafficking?
• The right to family life: Do immigration laws curtail the right to family life?
• Asylum claims: What role should the state play in determining credibility?
• Migration and climate justice: What legal frameworks can we develop to protect climate vulnerable migrants?

Esteemed speakers and organisations

Panellists include: Jacqueline McKenzie and her team at Leigh Day, Keynote speaker Simon Israel and, in alphabetical order: Adam Jones, Aderonke Apata, Adrian Berry KC, Lord Alf Dubs, Dr David Bell, Debbie Ariyo OBE, Diane Taylor, Emily Rowe, Frances Webber, Geoffrey Mboya, Grace Brown, Harj Narulla, Irungu Houghton, Isaac Shaffer, James Wilson, Dr Juanita Cox, Karen Doyle, Kate Roberts, Professor Katharine Charsley, Kathryn Cronin, Kerry Smith, Larry Bottinick, Laurie Fransman, Lee Jasper, Luke De Noronha, Miranda Butler, Nadine Finch, Naga Kandiah, Dr Nick Armstrong KC, Oliver Oldman, Paola Uccellari, Professor Parosha Chandran, Peter Herbert, Phil Haywood, Pierre Makhlouf, Rachel Karp HHJ, Raquel Dos Santos, Ravishaan Rahel Muthiah, Dr S Chelvan, Shu Shin Luh, Somaya Ouazzani, Sonali Naik KC, Sonia Lenegan, Dr Stephanie Motz, Toufique Hossain, Victoria Marks, Yasmine Ahmed, Yumna Kamel, Zoe Bantleman and Zoe Gardner.

Organisations include: Leigh Day and 33 Bedford Row, African Rainbow Family, AFRUCA, Amnesty International, ATLEU, BID, Detention Action, Doughty Street, Duncan Lewis, Focus on Labour Exploitation, Free Movement, Garden Court, Helen Bamber Foundation, ILPA, Institute of Race Relations, JCWI, Kingsley Napley, Landmark Chambers, Medical Justice, Migrants Organise, One Pump Court, Public Law Project, Oxford University, Refugee Legal Support, UCL, UNHCR, University of Bristol, Wilsons and Young Roots.

CPD

This event is CPD accredited. CPD points will be available to all Summit attendees and it will count towards all professional development.