by on George Mavrantonis
George Mavrantonis was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 2016. He specialises in public and administrative law through the sphere of immigration, asylum and nationality law.
George has appeared in an excess of 2,500 such trials, for both private clients and the Secretary of State. He was previously on the Attorney-General’s ‘Junior Junior’ Panel. He has been involved in a number of high profile, public interest and intelligence cases. He maintains a heavy immigration caseload and comes highly recommended for matters concerning deception, EEA and domestic criminal deportation, Article 4 ECHR / modern slavery, Appendix FM and the Hague Convention, equally for drafting and representation. He is particularly involved in UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, Ukraine Scheme, and British citizenship affairs.
In asylum law alone, he has had conduct of claims from more than 74 nationalities worldwide which amongst others have included witches, royalty, publishers, victims of modern slavery, children, draft evaders, migrant smugglers, rapists and politicians. His caseload includes Article 1D and Article 1F exclusion cases. George specialises in matters concerning the LGBTQIA community and Victims of Trafficking (VOT).
He is regularly instructed to draft grounds for judicial review and specialises in challenges against imminent removal (interim relief).
He can accept instructions by members of the public where appropriate, as well as solicitors.
European Court of Human Rights
George can be instructed for Rule 39 (interim relief) applications, pre-application review of Rule 47 procedure compliance as well as drafting grounds to the ECtHR.
During his second traineeship in Strasbourg, George was involved in a number of noteworthy Strasbourg cases. Amongst others, he has gained expertise specifically on the applicability and merit of Articles 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 and Article 1 (Protocol no. 7) of the Convention in cases brought against Iceland, Romania, Cyprus and the United Kingdom.
Recent Cases
- Andrey Gnyot v. the Republic of Serbia (App no. 17715/2024) ECHR
The matter concerned the detention and proposed extradition from Serbia to Belarus of a prominent journalist and filmmaker under false charges by the Lukashenko regime. George was part of an international legal team working on the Applicant’s Rule 39 interim relief application to the ECtHR. Extradition failed and the Applicant was successfully released to a safe European country.
- Al-Azad v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWCA Civ 407
The case concerned the interpretation of rule 322(1A) of the Immigration Rules and fraudulent misrepresentations. The Court of Appeal found that an application for leave to remain which contained fraudulent representations should be automatically refused even though it may had been varied before it was decided. George appeared for the Appellant, led by Zane Malik KC.
- Guerrero (s104(4A); statutory abandonment; right of appeal) [2025] UKUT 00276 (IAC)
Proceedings that surround novel legal matters including the abandonment of a statutory appeal pursuant to s104(4A) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, excluded decisions as encompassed by Article 3(m) of the Appeals (Excluded Decisions) Order 2009, and the legal validity of a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) in the event the Secretary of State alleges that its issuance was in error. George appeared for Guerrero, led by Zane Malik KC. On appeal, the Court of Appeal will hear oral arguments in 2026.
- Xhavit Dautaj v Secretary of State for the Home Department (IA/15694/2021) FTTIAC
In 2025 these deportation proceedings involved a seropositive male convicted of rape, theft and GBH. George appeared for the successful Secretary of State where deportation to Albania was found to be lawful.
- AHR v Secretary of State for the Home Department (PA/00310/2023) FTTIAC
A Hague Convention and asylum appeal surrounding allegations made by the Appellant of sexual assault by the father against their children. The Panel found the Appellant not credible and removal to the United States was deemed lawful. George was instructed by the Secretary of State for both oral and written advocacy.
- Elizabeta Szekely v. Secretary of State for the Home Department (EA/50070/2024) FTTIAC
An appeal considering the relationship between the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, a ‘dependant parent’ and a ‘relevant naturalised British citizen’ pursuant to Lounes v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Case C-165/16) and Appendix EU. In allowing the appeal, the Judge noted that George’s skeleton argument “contained a detailed and thorough analysis of Appendix EU and the steps the Appellant asserts will enable Appendix EU to apply to her and the Sponsor; the rules are complex, but the argument is helpfully clear”.
- AL v Secretary of State for the Home Department (DA/00040/2021) FTTIAC
The Panel in this appeal considered the EEA Regulations 2016 and the proposed deportation through a Transfer Agreement of a mother to Slovakia in light of her imprisonment in the UK for 22 years for multiple child sex offences against her children. George appeared for the successful Respondent for both written and oral submissions.
- FV v Secretary of State for the Home Department (HU/00167/2022) FTTIAC
This matter concerned an appeal brought by an Albanian national against his proposed deportation to Albania. The Appellant, covered widely by the media, was convicted to 8 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully facilitating small boats across the English Channel. The appeal was dismissed on all grounds. George appeared for the Secretary of State for the Home Department for both oral and written representations.
- MF v Secretary of State for the Home Department (LH/04105/2024) FTTIAC
A statutory appeal that concerned family life under Article 8 ECHR for a Tunisian man and his British partner who is HIV+. In allowing the appeal, the Judge stated that he is “particularly grateful to Mr Mavrantonis for the clarity and precision of his advocacy, both oral and written. His skeleton argument was of considerable assistance in identifying the determinative legal issues and relevant authorities across the available routes of appeal. He engaged with the Tribunal respectfully and knowledgeably throughout and presented his client’s case with skill and care.” George appeared for the Appellant.
- Toshihide Nukui v Secretary of State for the Home Department (HU/01748/2023) FTTIAC
The matter concerned a widely publicised masseur who was convicted of sexually assaulting five women at a spa centre in Reading. He appealed against his proposed deportation from the UK. Following prolonged litigation, the Panel found that deportation to Japan is lawful and dismissed the appeal. George appeared for the Respondent.
Professional memberships
- The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
- Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
Publications
- ‘‘Deport now, Appeal later?” (Counsel Magazine, January 2019, co-authored with Jonathan Trussler)
- ‘‘Can Kiarie and Byndloss threaten certification under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002?” (Westlaw Thomson Reuters, August 2018)
- ‘‘Law and Practice following the Lord Falconer Bill: Should England and Wales reform the law on Assisted Suicide?” (Cambridge Law Review, October 2017)
- ‘‘Jury System in Modern Rational Law: Is the jury system an absurd institution whose only claim to legitimacy is its archaic root?’’ (Gray’s Inn Law Journal, July 2016)
Qualifications
- Public access qualified
- Accredited civil and commercial mediator
- MHFA
Education
- 2014 – University of Surrey, LLB Bachelor of Laws (Hons)
- 2015 – University College London, LLM Master of Laws
- 2016 – BPP University London, BPTC
Languages
- Greek
- French
Personal interests
In his free time, George is an amateur photographer and a keen philatelist. He has travelled to 65 countries across 5 continents. He was also a former sergeant in the Army for two years.
