Migrants Organise x UCL CAJ Annual Lecture: Mental Capacity in Immigration

This is the second annual immigration seminar organised by Migrants Organise and UCL Centre for Access to Justice. 

Mental capacity refers to the ability to make a specific decision, which can be adversely affected when a person suffers from mental illness or other disturbances of the mind. Complex problems often arise in securing access to justice and fair representations for migrants who lack capacity to instruct a representative and to conduct their immigration affairs. Unfortunately, there is currenlty a severe lack of provisions and safeguards necessary to guarantee the rights of these migrants. 

In this seminar, the panel will discuss the intersection between immigration and mental capacity law, highlihgting some of the present issues and challenges as well as the way forward. 

The Hon Mr Justice Bernard McCloskey is a High Court Judge in Northern Ireland since 2008. He is also former president of the UK Upper Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber, stepping down only at the end of last year. 

Professor Cornelius Katona is Medical Director of the Helen Bamber Foundation - a human rights charity working with asylum seekers and refugees. He is also Hon Professor in the Division of Psychiatry at UCL and Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Kent. 

Nageena Khalique QC is the Head of Public Law at No5 Chambers and is a leading practitioner specialising in health and community care law, mental health, education, Court of Protection and Inquests. She is considered to be a leader in the field of mental capacity and was appointed as Vice Chair of the NICE guideline committee.

The event will be opened by the Director of the UCL Centre for Access to Justice, Dame Hazel Genn QC. 

Panel event and Q&A    18.00 - 20.00

Reception                       20.00 - 21.00