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Katy Robinson

Supervising Solicitor, Legal Advice Centre

Email: k.m.robinson@qmul.ac.uk

Profile

Katy is the Legal Advice Centre’s Supervising Solicitor. Under the guidance of the Centre’s Director, Katy provides supervision for many aspects of students’ legal work within the LAC, supporting the development of key skills and knowledge for their future careers.

Katy qualified as a solicitor in 2013 and has over 18 years of legal casework experience, predominantly in public law, civil liberties and human rights, including asylum and asylum support, immigration detention, community care and migrant rights. Before moving to QMUL in January 2025, Katy was a partner at leading legal aid law firm Wilson Solicitors LLP, where she was joint head of the Public Law and Human Rights department. 

While in full-time practice, Katy’s legal work included challenging dangerous conditions in asylum accommodation, including at Napier Barracks and on board the Bibby Stockholm barge. Katy was frequently instructed in complex Judicial Review matters and damages claims arising from immigration detention. She acted for the charity Migrants Organise, successfully ensuring that appellants who lack mental capacity are able to pursue their appeals in the immigration tribunals with the support of the Official Solicitor if needed.

Katy recruited, supervised and trained caseworkers, apprentices and trainees, as well as qualified solicitors. She was the firm’s Deputy Training Principal, and led the introduction of solicitor and paralegal apprenticeship schemes, for which the firm won an award in the Legal and Professional Services category of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards in 2022. Katy also led on the firm’s work experience and internship partnerships, including with the 10,000 Black Interns programme. Katy is a mentor for Lawyers Who Care, supporting care-experienced aspiring lawyers.

Before qualifying as a solicitor, Katy worked for three years as an appeals caseworker at the Refugee Legal Centre (later Refugee and Migrant Justice), preparing and presenting asylum appeals and bail applications in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). She previously volunteered at Bail for Immigration Detainees and worked for the International Rescue Committee on a programme to promote the rule of law in Darfur, Sudan.

Katy holds a BA (Hons) in French and Japanese (First Class) from the University of Wales, Cardiff, and an MA in Understanding and Securing Human Rights (Merit) from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Studies, University of London. She then converted to law and completed a Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction) at the College of Law (2009) and the Legal Practice Course (Distinction) with the University of the West of England (2012).

Research

Publications

Notable Cases

Public Engagement

Legal Directories and Awards

Memberships

  • Clore Fellow (‘Leading Beyond Borders’ programme, 2022).
  • Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme, Supervising Senior Caseworker (since 2008)

Academic conferences and workshops

Other external training and conferences

  • ‘Preparing Judicial Review Challenges and Evidence Building’, Migrants’ Mental Capacity Advocacy (MMCA) Project Training Series on Immigration & Complex Mental Health Cases, Migrants Organise, 2021 (presenter)
  • ‘Women in the Hostile Environment: Women in Detention’, International Women's Day Conference, Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), 2020 (co-presenter)
  • ‘Community Care Law for Immigration Practitioners – Migrant Support for Adults’, Immigration Law Practitioners Association, 2020 (presenter)
  • ‘‘NRPF’ Adults with Care and  Support Needs:  The Care Act 2014’, community-based training with Northumberland Park Partnership Board project, 2018 (presenter)
  • ‘Adult Care’, Migrant Support Conference, Legal Aid Practitioners’ Group/Garden Court Chambers, 2018 (presenter)
  • ‘Community Care Law and Support for People in Detention’, Bail for Immigration Detainees, 2018 (presenter)
  • ‘Community Care Law and Support for People in Detention’, Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees Coordinators’ Conference, 2018 (presenter)
  • ‘‘No Recourse to Public Funds and the Hostile Environment’, community-based training with Northumberland Park Partnership Board project, 2017 (presenter)

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