2025/10/06 by Mathis Schnell, Jonathan Miaz · 1 voice
Health Professions · Social Sciences · #European Union Policy and Governance #Healthcare Systems and Practices #Migration, Refugees, and Integration
paper · doi:10.1332/25151088y2025d000000108
openalex publication_date 2025/10/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/14 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
This article concerns the interplay of legal representation with credibility and how it affects LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers’ appeal cases in court. We argue that (quality) legal representation increases the likelihood of a positive decision and that these effects are even more pronounced for sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI)-related claims. Using a data set of 44,406 Swiss appeal case files from 2007 to 2023, we run regressions and confirm these hypotheses. We then assess the expected heightened role of credibility in SOGI-related cases. We show how legal representation and SOGI positively correlate with the presence of credibility-related terms in the case files. This study shows that legal representation with specific expertise in SOGI-related cases increases the probability of a positive decision at the appeal level. Specialised legal representatives are key intermediaries in shaping access to protection. These results raise political questions about justice in the asylum system.