Adam Cochrane

Expertise

• UK Family Visa
• Spouse Visa
• Fiance Visa
• British Naturalisation
• Appeals
• Judicial Review

Experience

• Admitted by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

Education

• Degree in Bachelors of Law (LLB)

More About Adam Cochrane

Adam is an immigration advisor with a wide variety of experience. Adam has conducted advocacy before the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal including bail, deportation and asylum hearings. He has also advised and represented clients with regards to judicial review and unlawful detention claims including urgent removal cases.

Adam’s unique style can best be described as a paradoxical balance. On one hand he prides himself on being transparent with his clients when advising them on the merits of their cases. If the client’s desired outcome is unlikely, Adam will never shy away from making this clear. However, if there is a potential avenue to seek redress, no matter how novel or complex Adam will pursue this with his trademark tenacity.

This approach has seen Adam involved in high profile and ground breaking cases. One of his family reunion cases actually featured in a House of Commons Westminster Hall session in 2015. “Not so straightforward: the need for qualified legal support in refugee family reunion.”

On one occasion Adam was able to successfully change the law rather than having to negotiate it. By a policy implemented in 2008, Detention Centres were to require legal representatives to show an identity card issued by their firm in order to gain entry. Certain representatives were being refused entry even on production of a driving licence or passport. A number of firms, did not have photographic ID cards at the time. This was a huge problem especially when representatives were trying to meet clients who had imminent removal directions. Adam sent a Letter Before Action to the Secretary of State threatening Judicial Review. The policy was duly changed without the need for litigation.

Adam also has a number of reported cases including:

• R (on the Application of MCFARLANE) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 3081 (Admin) QBD. This was an unlawful detention case concerning a foreign national prisoner who was being detained at a prison long after his prison sentence had finished.
• R on the Application of D v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 2110 (Admin). Adam obtained an order requiring the government (via the Home Office) to return his client who had been unlawfully deported to Jamaica.
• MM (Zimbabwe) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] EWCA Civ 135. This was a successful appeal before the Court of Appeal who remitted the case to the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal.

Adam’s expertise has often been sought by different charities and organisations including refugee and domestic violence support centres. Adam has offered consultancy for their staff and on occasion provided training courses for the whole team to enable them to better assist their service users.

Adam also has extensive experience in applying for leave to remain on the basis of family and private life including applications both in country and out of country. This includes cases in which the client's circumstances were such that they did not strictly meet the Home Office requirements.