Dr Christel Querton

• Qualifications:BA, MA, LLM, GDL, BPTC, Barrister (Middle Temple), PhD
• Position:Wallscourt Fellow in Law
• Department:FBL - Law
• Telephone:+4411732 87738
• Email:Christel.Querton@uwe.ac.uk
• Social media:

About me

Research:

My research focuses on international refugee law with a particular focus on the protection of persons fleeing contemporary armed conflicts and refugee women. My work is informed by comparative (mainly within Europe) and feminist methods. The research aims to enhance administrative and judicial decision makers' interpretation of the refugee definition, thereby improving the efficiency of asylum systems and ensuring refugees are granted access to the full set of rights associated with refugee status at the earliest opportunity.  

I was awarded my doctorate in September 2020 by Newcastle University for research funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (2016-2019). The research compared judicial interpretation of international refugee law in the appeals of Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian nationals determined in six jurisdictions (Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK).

Projects:

Vice-Chancellor's Early Career Award (2021-2022): The project aims to evaluate country guidance issued by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) to support national authorities in the European Union (EU) when determining asylum claims. 

I co-convene the Women in Refugee Law (WiRL) Network, comprised of refugee women, senior and early career scholars, practitioners, policymakers and activists working in this field around the globe. The aim of the initiative is to recentre the study of refugee women within refugee law and identify new challenges and opportunities for collaborative work. WiRL will be organising events and facilitate the exchange of information and resources of relevance to refugee women.

Affiliations/Responsibilities:

• Member of the Global Crime, Justice and Security Research Group (UWE)
• FBL Ethics Committee member (UWE)
• Research Affiliate at the Refugee Law Initiative (University of London)
• Editorial Board Member of the Refugee Law Initiative's Working Paper Series
• Immigration Law Practitioners' Association
• Bar European Group

Background:

Prior to entering academia, I was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2013 (Middle Temple Diplock Scholarship 2012) and practised as an asylum, immigration and human rights barrister from Lamb Building in London (now a door tenant).

In addition to experience in legal practice, I have strong ties to the charity sector. I was an Advisory Committee member of the Women's Project at Asylum Aid (2012-2019) and a founding Trustee of the Asylum Research Centre Foundation (2016-2020).

I previously worked at Asylum Aid (2010-2012) and Wilson Solicitors LLP (2009-2010).

Area of expertise

International Refugee Law, Human Rights Law, Public Law, UK Asylum Law, Judicial Review, Gender

Publications

Publications loading...