U.K. Refugee Lawyers: Pushing the Boundaries of Domestic Court Acceptance of International Human Rights Law

26 Pages Posted: 11 Jun 2013

See all articles by Stephen Meili

Stephen Meili

University of Minnesota Law School; University of Oxford - Border Criminologies

Date Written: May 2013

Abstract

This Article analyzes how refugee lawyers in the United Kingdom navigate the tension between state power and international norms. Based on interviews with lawyers representing persons seeking asylum and other forms of refugee protection in the United Kingdom, the Article reveals how these lawyers successfully utilize international human rights treaties on behalf of their clients despite domestic policies making it more difficult for refugees to assert their rights. The Article argues that U.K. refugee lawyers play a critical role in the globalization struggle by encouraging state actors (in this case, the judiciary) to adhere to international norms that might otherwise go ignored in an anti-immigrant political climate. In so doing, these lawyers have helped to broaden the sources on which state power over immigration is based. The Article thus contributes to the literature on the devolution of state power in an era of globalization, as well as cause lawyering.

Suggested Citation

Meili, Stephen, U.K. Refugee Lawyers: Pushing the Boundaries of Domestic Court Acceptance of International Human Rights Law (May 2013). Boston College Law Review, Vol. 54, 2013, Criminal Justice, Borders and Citizenship Research Paper No. 2274854, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2274854

Stephen Meili (Contact Author)

University of Minnesota Law School ( email )

Mondale Hall
229-19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55104
United States

University of Oxford - Border Criminologies ( email )

Manor Road Building
Manor Rd
Oxford, OX1 3UQ
United Kingdom

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