Penningtons helps London Metropolitan University win reprieve

Posted: 28/09/2012

Penningtons has helped secure a reprieve for the foreign students of London Metropolitan University (LMU), after the university was granted permission in the High Court on Friday 21 September to apply for a judicial review of the ban on its right to recruit international students.

Immigration partner Pat Saini and commercial dispute resolution partner Noel McMichael, who were instrumental in advising LMU, instructed Richard Gordon QC and Maya Lester of Brick Court Chambers, to challenge the decision of the UK Border Agency to revoke the university’s Highly Trusted Sponsor status. As a result of the UKBA’s decision, nearly 2,000 students from outside the EU were threatened with removal if they failed to find another place of study. Other members of Penningtons’ immigration and commercial dispute resolution groups including Hazar El-Chamaa, Penny Salmon, Ros Martin, Alicia Suarez-Neves and Nicole da Silva, also played key roles in the case.

Mr Justice Irwin granted LMU the right to apply for a full judicial review and also confirmed that existing students and those due to start courses this term would be able to attend the university until the end of the current academic year or the end of their courses, if sooner, providing they are already in the country and have full immigration status. Practical details relating to future study at LMU remain to be worked out.

The case was the first of its kind relating to the revocation of a university’s sponsor licence. 

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