Miriam Ballard

Background and Experience

Miriam is a key member of the legal aid team at IAS. Her experience working with the Red Cross in refugee support and family tracing means she is well-placed to work with vulnerable clients.

She is passionate about making a difference in the lives of those who face destitution because of their immigration status, having witnessed it first-hand when working and volunteering with homeless people. Becoming aware that people who had fled war or other difficulties were often only offered short-term solutions and that using the principles of legal aid is the key to ensuring they have a better future.

Many of Miriam’s cases involve children or vulnerable adults and can be complex. For example, a notable case concerned someone who had been trafficked for the purposes of organ harvesting. They had previously claimed asylum, but their case had been refused by the Home Office and then by the tribunal due to them not having access to legal representation in their first claim. This decision was overturned through careful hard work and obtaining relevant medical evidence, and the client gained refugee status.

Another example of Miriam’s work includes representing a client who was trafficked as a child by an Iraqi militia. The Home Office initially refused his asylum application, but through providing relevant evidence, the negative decision was overturned in court.

Miriam often likes to prepare for court with one of her pet cockatiels sleeping on her shoulder!