• Postgraduate Diploma in Bar Professional Studies (Outstanding), University of Law (awarded the Provost’s Award for Excellence and Lincoln’s Inn Buchanan Prize)
• LL.M (Distinction) in Public International Law, London School of Economics
• LL.B (Hons) in Law, University of Durham (Letter of Commendation for Academic Excellence)

Zoe has a busy practice involving all aspects of UK immigration law under the Rules, family migration, free movement, nationality, asylum and human rights law. Zoe assists migrants and their family members relocate to the United Kingdom, extend their stay, settle and naturalise or register as British. 

Zoe is particularly experienced in all aspects of immigration for businesses and skilled individuals including start-ups, entrepreneurs, exceptionally talented and promising persons and representatives of overseas businesses. A large component of Zoe’s practice is assisting organisations to obtain sponsor licences and comply with their duties. She also advises skilled workers on complex Tier 2 matters, including redundancy, curtailment of leave, and changes of employment.

Zoe has successfully challenged decisions of the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Entry Clearance Officers by preparing appeals for human rights and asylum claims and applications for administrative and judicial review, with specific interest and experience in challenging deception allegations against migrants and prospective visitors, sponsor licence revocations and claims deemed to be repeats or certified as clearly unfounded. Zoe regularly appears in both the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal.

Zoe writes about changes to the UK’s immigration law system and provides commentary on key cases. She is a contributing author to Practical Law (Thomson Reuters), and an editorial board member of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Law (Bloomsbury Professional). Zoe is also a trainer for the Immigration Law Practitioner’s Association (ILPA) and has recently delivered a seminar on fresh asylum and human rights claims.  

Although originally from the United States of America, Zoe grew up transnationally in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Canada, until she moved to Great Britain to read law at Durham University and the London School of Economics.

Before joining Richmond Chambers, Zoe was involved in the third sector, having volunteered at the Notre Dame Refugee Centre. This experience spurred her to co-author a legal brief pertaining to the Issues Facing Women in the Calais Camp for Christine Chinkin at the Centre for Women, Peace and Security and to conduct pro bono research for the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

Pursuing her interest in editing and writing in the areas of human rights and public law, Zoe became Co-founder and Editor of the LSE Law Review and Amnesty International Journal. Additionally, she was involved in the inaugural Rebellious Lawyers’ UK Conference, sister to Yale Law School’s, during which Zoe chaired a panel on ‘Countering hate and prejudice towards refugees and migrants’.

In her spare time, Zoe voluntarily works with Evolve – Foundation for International Legal Assistance, seeking to improve access to, fairness of and capacity within the justice system of Uganda.

“Thank you to the immigration Barrister Zoe Bantleman and Legal Associate Marianne Schonle, superheroes. They make miracles happen. After struggling with previous lawyers and refusals. They filled all the gaps and won the case.”

A. Alolaqi – visit visa refusal and ban overturned following judicial review 

“Our new start-up was looking to hire international workers, and Zoe Bantleman carefully and confidently took us through the entire sponsorship process. We were successful in obtaining our sponsorship licence and in our latest hiring round were able to hire a US citizen. Despite substantial time pressure from our end, all the pieces fell into place, and I would not hesitate in recommending Zoe and Richmond Chambers to any kind of business looking to hire international workers. Zoe’s responsiveness via email and proactive attitude were very helpful and reassuring throughout a complicated process.”

Rebecca Cotton-Barratt, Lantern Ventures – Tier 2 (General) Sponsor Licence and Visa

“We hired Zoe Bantleman at relatively short notice to appear at the Upper Tribunal. Apart from achieving the desired result, Zoe demonstrated the finest combination of marshalling information and advocacy which we have ever witnessed. The opposing advocate clearly had no riposte to her. We would recommend Zoe fulsomely and without hesitation to any Instructing Solicitor”.

Stephen Hirsch of S Hirsch & Co Solicitors, Deportation Error of Law Appeal Hearing

“Zoe Bantleman was amazing at my last hearing and I was really impressed by her skills how she presented my case in front of judge and the judge was also convinced the way she explained step by step all aspects.  Zoe well done you are star of Richmond Chambers.”

Ehsan Yasin – human rights appeal involving TOEIC allowed

“Zoe is really friendly, respectable and easy to communicate to, she made us all feel really comfortable on the days of hearing and also gave us confident. Most importantly she was really punctual on both days gave us more than enough time to squeeze in any last minute preparation. She also spent reasonable time after the hearing and gave constructive feedback. We all as a family felt really privileged and appreciated for Richmond Chambers to send Zoe Bantleman to represent my Father in the court. Thank you Zoe Bantleman for the hard work, time and effort.”

Mohsin Tanveer – human rights appeal allowed

“My barrister at Richmond Chambers,  Zoe Bantleman, has been really impressive, as a barrister  for my husband’s T1 migrant visa. I would say she is definitely a brilliant barrister who has saved us from going through any trouble at all on our road of migration.”

Emily Lee – Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) application granted

“Zoe Bantleman and Marianne Schonle were so fantastic and helpful. I honestly couldn’t have gotten my Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa without them. Anything that they weren’t familiar with in my speciality, they researched meticulously and in the end knew my case almost better than myself. Their cover letter was incredible, arguing on my behalf in such an intricate, dedicated way, that gave me the reassurance that there was nothing else I could’ve done to make my case for the Visa. Additionally, they were very fast in responding to any questions, even when I was in a different time zone. Couldn’t recommend highly enough.”

Mari Funabashi – successful application for Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) endorsement