Zoe Bantleman

Zoe Bantleman is the Legal Director of JUSTICE. She is also the former Legal Director of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), a barrister, a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law, an expert panel member for the Strategic Legal Fund, and a trustee of Safe Passage International.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Durham University, a Master of Laws from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and has a research project at the University of Oxford funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

As a barrister in England and Wales, her practice has covered a wide spectrum of advisory work, drafting, and advocacy across immigration, asylum, nationality, human rights, and public law. Over the years, she has given evidence to numerous parliamentary committees and all-party parliamentary groups and drafted countless briefings and responses to consultations. In 2025, she participated in the COVID-19 Inquiry round tables, regarding the effect of the pandemic on the justice system. From 2024 to 2026, she was a Member of the Immigration Law Committee of the Law Society of England and Wales.

Zoe has frequently delivered seminars and presented in conferences and panels, nationally and internationally, including for Amnesty International UK, Asser Institute Centre for International & European Law, Greater London Authority, the Human Rights Lawyers Association, Human Trafficking Foundation Advisory Forum, ILPA, Justice Together Initiative, LSE, London Legal Support Trust, Public Law Project, Queen Mary University of London, Refugee Law Initiative, School of Oriental and African Studies, Society of Legal Scholars, Universities of Oxford, Sheffield and York, Westminster Legal Policy Forum, and Young Legal Aid Lawyers. She regularly publishes about changes to the migration, justice, and human rights frameworks and provides commentary on case law developments.

Before qualifying as a barrister, Zoe volunteered at Notre Dame Refugee Centre, conducted pro bono research for LSE Centre for Women, Peace, and Security and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, co-founded the LSE Law Review, and co-edited the LSE Amnesty International Journal.