United Kingdom > London > Human resources > Immigration
Index of tables
Immigration: business
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- Squire Sanders Hammonds
- Wright Hassall LLP Leamington Spa
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- DJ Webb & Co
- Gross & Co Bury St Edmunds
- Gülay Mehmet Solicitors
Immigration: human rights, appeals and overstay
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- DJ Webb & Co
- Duncan Lewis & Co
- Fisher Meredith LLP
- Gross & Co Bury St Edmunds
- Mishcon de Reya
- Stephens Scown LLP Exeter
- Wright Hassall LLP Leamington Spa
Leading individuals
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- Bernard Andonian Gulbenkian Andonian
- Sophie Barrett-Brown Laura Devine Solicitors
- Nichola Carter Penningtons Solicitors LLP
- Jonathan Chaimovic Clyde & Co LLP
- Laura Devine Laura Devine Solicitors
- Marian Dixon Wright Hassall LLP
- Shizuko Fujimoto Baker & McKenzie LLP
- Roger Gherson Gherson
- Wesley Gryk Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP
- Elspeth Guild Kingsley Napley LLP
- Tracy Evlogidis Speechly Bircham LLP
- Chris Magrath Magrath LLP
- Sharmila Mehta Magrath LLP
- Julia Onslow-Cole PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal LLP
- Alex Paterson Fragomen LLP
- Caron Pope CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
- Kamal Rahman Mishcon de Reya
- Christopher Randall Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP
- Nick Rollason Kingsley Napley LLP
- Ben Sheldrick Magrath LLP
- Alison Stanley Bindmans LLP
- Karen Sturtivant Sturtivant & Co
- Philip Trott Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP
- David Webb DJ Webb & Co
CMS Cameron McKenna LLP is commended for its ‘personalised and professional service’ in immigration matters. The team increased its roster of blue-chip financial institution, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, IT, engineering and retail clients, as well as high-net-worth individuals in 2010. It acted on over 250 Tier 1 applications over the course of the year, and advises on the Points Based System (PBS) and the licensing regime. Caron Pope, Nadine Barnole and Louise Carson are ‘highly responsive, proactive and professional’; and Siobhan Owers has ‘a pragmatic view and can anticipate the issues employers will encounter in the increasingly onerous immigration requirements’.
Kingsley Napley LLP has ‘enormous experience and great depth of practice ’, covering business and EU immigration law for clients ranging from small independent organisations to multinational corporations. Sector strengths include financial and legal services, IT, engineering, pharmaceuticals, media, fashion and construction. The group has expertise in the recent changes to the PBS, and made several creative and successful applications on behalf of individuals in 2010. Elspeth Guild is ‘top notch on EU law’; and Andrew Tingley is one to watch.
Laura Devine Solicitors is recognised as a leading player in the field, covering three areas of immigration: business; personal; and human rights. Clients include large US corporates, international and domestic fashion houses, and individuals and organisations from the music and entertainment industry. ‘Intellectual giant’ Laura Devine and ILPA chair Sophie Barrett-Brown are highly respected practitioners, attracting praise from peers and clients alike.
Magrath LLP has put in place innovative technological systems and training to ensure that clients can keep abreast of the changing immigration law environment. The team provides a bespoke service to corporate clients on sponsorship applications, and solicitor-led advice to high-net-worth individuals; it assisted a £10m investor with an application in 2010. Ben Sheldrick and Sharmila Mehta provide ‘commercial advice which is succinct and practical’.
At Penningtons Solicitors LLP, Nichola Carter is ‘very easy to work with’ and now heads the firm’s business team, focusing on the needs of corporate and education sector clients, while Philip Barth takes on high-level asylum cases. A particular highlight of 2010 was the judicial review of a decision made on a language teaching case which has had a decisive effect on the PBS.
PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal LLP is an immigration powerhouse; it added some 22 members to its team in 2010, and is now 55 strong, and won major clients to add to an already bursting roster of global names in the oil and gas, finance and corporate sectors. The ‘outstanding’ team ‘always strives for the right answer’, and attracts praise for its international connections and commercial and political understanding; clients are particularly impressed by ‘wholly respected expert’ Julia Onslow-Cole, who is ‘extremely well networked in the industry’; Anjali Greenwell; and Lindsey Barras, who is ‘extremely knowledgeable and provides excellent client service’.
Baker & McKenzie LLP provides a ‘superior’ service to a range of global corporate clients. It recently assisted engineering teams from Egypt, India and Kazahkstan to work in the UK. Senior associate Tony Haque is the key contact, and Shizuko Fujimoto is on hand for Japanese clients.
Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP advises corporates and individuals, and provides innovative and robust solutions to business immigration refusals. Clients include Agip and Atlantic Records; charitable foundations; and prominent sports and entertainment industry personalities such as Snoop Dogg. Barrister Shahram Taghavi challenged the legality of Tier 1 and Tier 2 caps in JCWI v SSHD; and won a landmark asylum law decision declaring that the practice of setting out immigration laws in policy documents in PBS cases was unlawful (SSHD v Pankina). Philip Trott and Christopher Randall are ‘outstanding practitioners’; Peter Moss has ‘a knack for spotting winning arguments’; and Ben Maitland is ‘a canny operator’.
Fragomen LLP fields a large team, including four partners, dedicated to facilitating the global movement of staff for over 500 corporate clients. Aside from UK law, the practice covers EMEA, Ireland and consular applications for the US, India and China. The firm plays an active role in lobbying, most recently on the PBS and caps to Tier 2 entry.
Niche firm Gherson is commended for its ‘commitment to going the extra mile to achieve a successful result’, including challenging the authorities. ‘Extraordinarily energetic adviser’ Roger Gherson heads a team ‘unafraid to try something new and to think laterally’ to solve issues, from the limit on Certificates of Sponsorship for FTSE 100 companies to personal immigration cases of great sensitivity. Kathryn Bradbury is ‘knowledgeable, approachable, supportive, and thorough, with very good interpersonal skills’.
Mishcon de Reya acts primarily for high-net-worth clients from emerging markets on business and personal immigration cases. The team deals primarily with exceptional cases, successfully presenting requests for reconsideration when entry clearance has been refused and lobbying to secure successful reversals of negative decisions in individual cases. Nationality cases are a key strength; the team is well connected within the nationality directorate, and has a 100% success record in fighting appeals on human rights and overstay cases, often based on the rights of individuals and families. Kamal Rahman provides an ‘excellent and consistent service’, and is ‘very good with international clients’.
Speechly Bircham LLP advises an extensive client base from sectors such as media, entertainment and financial services, as well as high-net-worth individuals. It has an excellent success rate in licence applications for employers, and also handles complex personal immigration matters. Tracy Evlogidis is recommended, and senior associate Nick Hobson is ‘a shining star who will undoubtedly go far’.
At Bindmans LLP, Alison Stanley is ‘in a league of her own’ for personal immigration applications with human rights (torture and private life) aspects, and is active in children cases. Liz Barratt specialises in Dublin II asylum cases, Turkish Association agreements, and trafficking matters. The team is also active on behalf of Tier 1 entrepreneurs and in Tier 2 enquiries.
Clyde & Co LLP has seen a recent increase in compliance and audit-related work for blue-chip clients wishing to retain A-rated sponsorship status. It also handles personal matters, including political asylum and entry clearance for inter-country adoptions. ‘Superlative professional’ Jonathan Chaimovic and his team deliver ‘commercially orientated solutions that achieve the outcomes the business desires’. Associate Tim Richards is one to watch.
Gulbenkian Andonian brings its strong background in human rights work to immigration cases. Dave Vasoodaven has a portfolio of successful Article 8 cases, and recently successfully prevented the deportation of an Iranian civil rights protester, and same-sex partners. Part-time immigration judge Bernard Andonian acted in over 40 cases concerning the trafficking and overstay of Vietnamese nationals. Teni Shahiean handles business immigration and sponsorship licence applications.
Since the arrival of Andrew Osborne, Lewis Silkin LLP has acted for a raft of new clients including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Carphone Warehouse and Jaguar Landrover. ‘Although a big organisation, it maintains relationships on a personal level’, providing solutions tailored to individual cases. Osbourne and George Koureas are both highly rated.
Taylor Wessing LLP is distinguished by the dedicated and expanding China and US groups within its immigration team. Client wins in 2010 included the Agricultural Bank of China, and the group also advised LinkedIn and China Union Pay. The ‘quick-to-respond’ Vikki Wiberg heads up the China team, and Charlie Pring is the key contact for US matters.
‘Very professional and trustworthy’ associate Jonathan Goldsworthy at Bird & Bird leads on matters from sponsorship licences under the Tier 2 and Tier 4 schemes to the changes to the PBS. Clients include major brands in the telecoms and IT industries, Hollywood celebrities, and sports personalities and governing bodies.
At Fox Williams LLP, key contact Matthew Davies assists US and other clients, in the financial, professional services and technology sectors.
SNR Denton advises multinational companies and small businesses on the procedures for obtaining work permits, Tier 1 and Tier 2 applications, and Home Office concessions.
Squire Sanders Hammonds has seen a recent increase in pre-audit compliance checks; and ‘fights for its clients’ before the UKBA exceptional cases panel. Clients include Gucci; Foster + Partners; and Michael Page Recruitment. The ‘highly professional’ Annabel Mace is now a partner.
Wright Hassall LLP’s team focuses on business immigration, advising clients ranging from SMEs to multinational blue-chips on PBS applications and corporate relocation issues. The firm also handles instructions from individuals. Marian Dixon has a City background and experience as a tribunal judge.
Niche firm DJ Webb & Co has a specialist team headed by the ‘very knowledgeable’ David Webb. It is instructed by businesses and individuals, and receives referrals from other law firms.
Duncan Lewis & Co has a substantial track record, at Court of Appeal level and above, on human rights cases, setting precedent in 2010 in ZO (Somalia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department. James Packer and Naim Rahman are recommended by clients and peers.
Graeme Kirk at Gross & Co has over 30 years’ experience in business and personal immigration.
Gülay Mehmet Solicitors is recommended for sports sector clients.
Stephens Scown LLP comes highly recommended for its ‘breadth of knowledge, standard of representation, and extremely creative approach to cases’. The ‘exceptionally thorough’ Judith Hockin is highly praised for her approachability.
Sturtivant & Co is recommended for the business sector. ‘Fantastic lawyer’ Karen Sturtivant is ‘a mover and shaker’.
The ‘first-class’ Wesley Gryk Solicitors LLP is a ‘brilliant firm’, and advises on Tier 1 applications and significant numbers of human rights and civil liberties cases.
Wilson Solicitors LLP is ‘exceptional’ for personal immigration and asylum matters. Michael Hanley and Matthew Davies are recommended.
Associate Robert Sparks now leads Fisher Meredith LLP’s practice, advising corporates and individuals. The firm has lost its legal aid franchise; that team has moved to Lawrence Lupin Solicitors.
Also notable for their work in the area of immigration are: Clifford Chance; Davenport Lyons; Dundas & Wilson LLP; Eversheds LLP; Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP; Macfarlanes LLP; Paragon Law; Pinsent Masons LLP; RadcliffesLeBrasseur; Russell-Cooke LLP; Simons Muirhead & Burton; Steeles Law LLP; Travers Smith LLP; and Watson, Farley & Williams LLP.