Carmen Kearney

Experience

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  Croydon Money Advice Unit

  Mar 1996 - Jun 1997

  Money Advice Specialist

  Provision of specialist money advice and representation in complex cases of multiple debt, particularly mortgage arrears and bankruptcy matters.

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  London East Aids Network

  Jun 1997 - Sept 1999

  Money Adviser

  Providing financial advice and advocacy for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Completing welfare benefits applications/negotiating with creditors and representing at the country court in mortgage/rent arrears hearings.

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  Asylum Aid

  Sept 1999 - Mar 2014

  Supervising Caseworker

  -Working under a legal aid contract preparing initial and subsequent applications for protection based on Refugee and Human Rights law. Preparing and presenting appeals at the Immigration Asylum Chamber. -Preparing Judicial Review cases on a range of areas (e.g unlawful immigration detention, fresh claim challenges), and working closely with Counsel in running the appeals.-Participating in an advice line open to the public on asylum and human rights.-Conducting outreach legal advice sessions for destitute failed asylum seekers, in partnership between Asylum Aid and other organisations working with this client group. -Contributing articles for the Legal Update section of Women's Asylum News, a monthly online and paper newsletter focusing on developments on gender and asylum. -Identifying broader policy issues arising from direct casework and feeding into the work of the Policy Team. Supervising caseworkers/mentoring volunteers.-Delivering internal training to cascade information to colleagues from training courses attended.-Delivering talks to community groups as and when requested e.g In October this year I gave a talk to service users of London HIV support charity, updating them on current case law relating to health based claims for leave to remain in the UK. Show less

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  BAIL FOR IMMIGRATION DETAINEES

  Mar 2014 - now

  Legal Manager Article 8 Advice and Deportation Project

  This project was set up in 2014 with two key aims. The first is to provide legal advice and representation to individuals challenging deportation based on length of residence and family life in the UK who cannot access legal aid and cannot afford to pay for a private lawyer. The second is to gather policy data on the impact of the absence of legal aid for Article 8 cases on access to justice. As Legal Manager I was tasked with setting up and running the project in partnership with University of Law. I carry my own caseload. Casework ranges from drafting legal representations prior to the Notice of Decision to deport, drafting applications to revoke Deportation Orders, preparing deportation appeals to be represented by Counsel pro bono and making referrals for Judicial Review in the High Court. I also deliver legal advice surgeries at prisons.I prepare Exceptional Funding applications and manage a small project supervising lawyers from commercial firms to prepare Exceptional Legal Aid Funding Application. This project won the best new Pro Bono Activity Award in the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards 2019. I prepare self-help materials to assist individuals facing deportation to understand the complexities of the law and to navigate the deportation process. I work closely with the Policy Managers to gather data for use in research and reports. I also supervise two volunteers who assist in the project.Currently, I am also involved in volunteer recruitment and in managing the bail rota arranging pro bono Counsel for bail hearings. Show less

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  Tait's Immigration Services

  Jan 2015 - Jan 2018

  Immigration Consultant

  Part-time immigration consultant. I work on a wide range of immigration casework such as Entry Clearance application, applications for leave to remain based on family life, EU residence applications and British Citizenship applications.