Tommaso Poli
Caseworker
Contact Information
- Caseworker
- Public Law
- City of London
- 02079238461
- @Send Email
Profile / Experience
As a Senior Immigration and Asylum Caseworker, I work under the directory of Bahar Ata within the Immigration department in the City of London office. I deal with private and publicly funded international protection and human rights claims. I regularly represent clients in appeal and judicial review proceedings.
I have managed to secure a positive outcome in extremely complex/low-chance cases in many occasions recurring to either judicial review proceedings or further submissions.
In one occasion, a human trafficking case, the victim (from Albania) turned to me following a certified refusal of further submissions related to an asylum claim as a victim of human trafficking. Prior to the certified refusal of further submissions, the victim had a negative conclusive grounds assessment, a refusal of asylum claim, and a First-tier Tribunal determination dismissing her appeal.
First, I applied for brining judicial review against the Home Office’s certification as ‘clearly unfounded’ claim; that was refused on papers, but oral hearing was allowed. Following the oral hearing, the Upper Tribunal Judge directed the Home Office to reconsider their decision. The Home Office confirmed their refusal but lifted the certification and granted right to appeal. Then, I appealed against the refusal of further submissions. Meanwhile, I instructed a Human Trafficking expert to produce a report on the Competent Authority’s conclusive grounds assessment which underpinned all the other negative decisions. I drafted compelling grounds of appeal and prepared a hearing bundle containing both a Human Trafficking expert’s report and Country Expert’ report; and thanks to the invaluable help of my counsel from Garden Court Chambers at the hearing, the appeal was allowed on asylum and human rights grounds. Few weeks later I received the Home Office’s letter granting her refugee status.
I have managed to secure a positive outcome in extremely complex/low-chance cases in many occasions recurring to either judicial review proceedings or further submissions.
In one occasion, a human trafficking case, the victim (from Albania) turned to me following a certified refusal of further submissions related to an asylum claim as a victim of human trafficking. Prior to the certified refusal of further submissions, the victim had a negative conclusive grounds assessment, a refusal of asylum claim, and a First-tier Tribunal determination dismissing her appeal.
First, I applied for brining judicial review against the Home Office’s certification as ‘clearly unfounded’ claim; that was refused on papers, but oral hearing was allowed. Following the oral hearing, the Upper Tribunal Judge directed the Home Office to reconsider their decision. The Home Office confirmed their refusal but lifted the certification and granted right to appeal. Then, I appealed against the refusal of further submissions. Meanwhile, I instructed a Human Trafficking expert to produce a report on the Competent Authority’s conclusive grounds assessment which underpinned all the other negative decisions. I drafted compelling grounds of appeal and prepared a hearing bundle containing both a Human Trafficking expert’s report and Country Expert’ report; and thanks to the invaluable help of my counsel from Garden Court Chambers at the hearing, the appeal was allowed on asylum and human rights grounds. Few weeks later I received the Home Office’s letter granting her refugee status.
Education
- University of Law - GDL, ongoing
- Univerisity of Essex - LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, 2017
- Univerisity of Pisa - Master's Degree in Law (5 years), curriculum in Internation and European Law, 2015
Career
- Duncan Lewis Solicitors: September 2021 - present
- HS Legal Solicitors: January 2018 - August 2021
Testimonials
- The Chair of the Universal Rights Group, Dr Ahmed Shaheed, and former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran and on Freedom of Thoughts, Conscience and Religion, in May 2021 made the following comments on my work: “Having had the pleasure of teaching Mr Tommaso Poli at the Essex Human Rights Centre in 2017, I was delighted to know that Tommaso is now an expert immigration lawyer and I recommended him to an individual who was fleeing persecution and well-founded fear of threat to life on account of their exercise of freedom of thought, conscience and religion. I am extremely impressed by his expertise and the quality of advice offered by Mr Poli to this asylum seeker and his handling of the case which resulted in a remarkably smooth, swift, and successful application.”
Membership & Accreditations
- Law Society, Immigration and Asylum Accreditation, Senior Caseworker, June 2018
Interests
- Meditation
- Travelling