London

Belluzzo International Partners announces the appointment of Gary Ashford as Head of Tax, as part of the Firm’s international growth and expansion strategy centred on its London office. Gary Ashford’s appointment represents a key milestone in the Firm’s growth trajectory, further consolidating its positioning among the leading advisory practices serving private and corporate clients, with an increasingly strong focus on global capital flows and non-European markets. Having developed significant experience within leading international professional environments, Gary Ashford brings extensive expertise in cross-border taxation, international tax planning and the structuring of complex transactions, contributing to the Firm’s ability to provide integrated services and strategic solutions within an increasingly dynamic international landscape. His appointment also contributes to reinforcing the Firm’s multidisciplinary and multi-jurisdictional model, based on the integration of legal, tax and wealth planning expertise, with the objective of delivering tailor-made assistance to international clients, multinational groups, institutional investors and entrepreneurial families. “In this period of significant change for London,” comments Alessandro Belluzzo, Founding Global Partner, “we are witnessing a clear shift in our client base: a growing number of clients from the United States and Asia, alongside a reduction in European clients. At the same time, we are seeing an increase in domestic investments and large-scale transactions. In this context, Gary Ashford’s expertise as our Head of Tax is both highly relevant and strategically aligned with the Firm’s current and future needs.” “I am delighted to join Belluzzo International Partners,” says Gary Ashford. “I am truly excited about the opportunity to build something special together, further strengthening the Firm’s international presence and delivering value to our clients in a rapidly evolving and competitive market.” “With Gary, we continue to strengthen our international tax offering, which is becoming increasingly central to our clients’ growth and internationalisation strategies,” adds Luigi Belluzzo, Founding Global Partner. “His expertise and international approach represent a significant added value in supporting corporate clients and entrepreneurial families in addressing the challenges arising from globalisation, capital mobility and the ongoing evolution of tax systems.” With this appointment, Belluzzo International Partners reaffirms its commitment to continuing to invest in top-tier talent and to strengthening its presence across key international hubs, with London continuing to play a pivotal role in the development of new global opportunities. _______________________________ Belluzzo International Partners is a professional firm providing advisory services through its Wealth, Law, Tax, and Finance practices to businesses, entrepreneurial families, institutions, and corporate clients. International, independent, and multidisciplinary, with qualified professionals across multiple jurisdictions and offices in Milan, Verona, London, Singapore, Lugano, Rome, and Abu Dhabi, the firm operates under a “one-firm” model. With over 100 in-house qualified professionals and international correspondents in major financial and commercial centers worldwide, the firm is particularly active in Wealth Planning & Governance, Extraordinary Transactions & M&A, Legal Advisory, Tax Advisory & Litigation, Internationalization, and also delivers professional services in Business & Compliance, Accounting, and Assurance. Contacts: Belluzzo International Partners Eleonora Asnicar– Marketing – [email protected] Milan – Via Andegari 4 – Tel. +39 02 365 69657 www.belluzzo.net

June 25, 2026 – International law firm Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) today announced the arrival of one of the UK’s leading Emerging Companies and Venture Capital teams, significantly enhancing the firm's transatlantic capabilities and accelerating its strategic growth in London. The team, which was recently recognized as Growth Capital Team of the Year at the 2026 The Lawyer Awards in London, is led by partners James Shaw, Iain Cockburn and Ben Williams, who are joined by counsels Mary Harley, Tina Baker and Andrew Gay, and associates Yeji Lee, Francesca Salisbury, Fai Tai, and Alexandra Woodcock-West, and two dedicated business support professionals. Their arrival establishes a premier Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice in London, further advancing Sullivan’s strategy of building a fully integrated international platform serving innovative, high-growth businesses and the investors that back them. The team advises venture-backed companies, founders, and investors across the full business lifecycle, including venture financings, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property strategy, and complex strategic advisory matters. “This is a transformational addition to our already strong London office and a major milestone in the continued expansion of our international platform,” said David Nagle, Sullivan’s Managing Partner. “James, Iain, Ben, and their team are widely recognized as leaders in the emerging companies and venture capital market, with deep relationships across the innovation economy and a proven track record advising businesses from formation through to successful exits and access to U.S. capital markets. Their arrival significantly enhances our ability to serve founders, investors, and growth companies on both sides of the Atlantic. We are delighted to welcome them to the firm.” The group has developed a market-leading reputation across some of the world’s most dynamic sectors, including life sciences, climate technology, fintech, deeptech, and artificial intelligence. Shaw, who leads the team joining Sullivan, said, “We are excited to join a firm with such a powerful U.S. platform and deep international finance capabilities. As innovation-driven companies increasingly operate across borders and look to access U.S. markets and capital, the opportunity to combine our practice with Sullivan’s global reach creates a compelling proposition for founders, investors, and emerging businesses. We look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues and continuing to support clients through every stage of growth.” The team joins Sullivan’s highly regarded London office, which has experienced significant momentum in recent years. The firm's market-leading trade and export finance practice, led by Geoffrey Wynne, was further strengthened in 2025 with the additions of partners Robert Parson and Matthew Cox, enhancing Sullivan’s position as a leading advisor on complex cross-border transactions and financing matters. PARTNER BIOS James Shaw – James advises entrepreneurs, emerging growth companies and investors across all stages of the corporate lifecycle. With more than 20 years of experience, he is trusted counsel to founders and investors, and frequently serves as outside general counsel to science-based and innovative companies. Highly regarded for his work in the European life science and fintech sectors, he has extensive experience representing companies on complex corporate transactions, venture capital financings, strategic investments, acquisitions, and divestitures. Iain Cockburn – Iain advises founder and management-led high-growth companies, as well as venture capital funds and institutional investors, on significant venture and growth transactions. His work includes later-stage financings, pre-exit rounds, lead investor mandates, consortium investments, secondary transactions and cross-border matters. Iain also advises on the broader corporate issues that arise as companies scale and institutionalize, including governance arrangements, investor rights, founder and management equity structures, shareholder arrangements, strategic corporate matters, as well as issues relating to the UK’s National Security and Investment Act 2021. Ben Williams – Ben is a leading commercial technology lawyer advising innovative growth companies (including unicorns and decacorns) and their investors. He supports high-growth businesses and investors in developing, deploying and scaling technology products globally, leading complex cross-border commercial negotiations. With strong transatlantic expertise, he aligns technology, regulatory and tax frameworks across jurisdictions. Ben also advises on AI, data, national security and emerging regulation, delivering pragmatic, commercially focused solutions that enable innovation while managing risk. About Sullivan Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a premier, AmLaw 200 international law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors, real estate companies, and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the impeccable judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best-in-class client service. For further information please visit the firm’s website and LinkedIn. Contacts: Lucinda Ellison newPRos [email protected] +1 610-574-9035 Will Hulbert Hulbert & Co. [email protected] +44 (0)7774 108 699

The regulatory framework governing sponsor licences has become increasingly stringent. In 2025, the Home Office revoked more than 3,000 sponsor licences, the highest annual total recorded to date, and enforcement activity has continued to intensify throughout 2026. For UK employers wishing to recruit overseas workers, obtaining and maintaining a valid sponsor licence is essential. However, the licence now carries extensive and ongoing compliance obligations that extend far beyond the initial application process. What Is a Sponsor Licence? At the outset, it is important to distinguish a sponsor licence from a visa. A sponsor licence is granted to an employer rather than an individual worker and enables the organisation to assign Certificates of Sponsorship to eligible overseas nationals. Even where a business is financially stable and genuinely trading, an application may still be refused if its HR systems are inadequate, supporting documentation is incomplete, or the proposed roles do not meet sponsorship requirements. To qualify for a sponsor licence, an organisation must be actively and lawfully operating in the UK, have no relevant immigration or criminal compliance issues, and be offering genuine vacancies that meet the applicable skill and salary thresholds. Employers must also demonstrate that they have robust HR systems capable of monitoring immigration status, maintaining required records, and reporting relevant changes to the Home Office within prescribed deadlines. How to Apply for a Sponsor Licence The sponsor licence application process involves: Selecting the appropriate sponsorship route and licence category. Appointing key personnel, including an Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User, and registering them on the Sponsorship Management System (SMS). Preparing and collating supporting documentation, such as evidence of trading activity, details of a UK business bank account and VAT registration where applicable. Submitting the application, paying the relevant Home Office fee, and preparing for any potential pre-licence compliance inspection. Most applications are processed within eight weeks, although a priority service offering a decision within approximately ten working days may be available in certain circumstances. One of the most common reasons for refusal remains inadequate documentation and insufficiently developed HR systems. As a result, many organisations seek specialist immigration advice before submitting an application. Ongoing Compliance Obligations In practice, obtaining a sponsor licence is only the first stage of the process. Ongoing compliance has become increasingly demanding and now represents one of the most significant challenges for sponsors. The compliance landscape changed considerably during 2025, with record licence revocations accompanied by a substantial increase in enforcement activity. Revocations nearly tripled during the final quarter of the year, while compliance visits rose by approximately 51%. Three key developments currently shape the regulatory environment. First, from April 2026, the Home Office has been able to automatically cross-reference HMRC payroll data against information held on the Sponsorship Management System. This enables discrepancies between a worker's actual salary and the salary stated on their Certificate of Sponsorship to be identified without the need for an on-site inspection. Second, sponsored workers must now receive at least their required salary during every individual pay period. Employers can no longer compensate for an underpayment in one month through a bonus or increased payment at a later date. Third, updated Sponsor Guidance published in March 2026 grants UK Visas and Immigration greater authority to take enforcement action where there is a reasonable suspicion of non-compliance. The guidance also makes clear that even inadvertent breaches may result in serious consequences, including licence revocation. Home Office Inspections and Mock Audits Compliance inspections may be conducted either with prior notice or on an unannounced basis, with the latter becoming increasingly common. During these visits, officers assess whether the employer's systems and procedures operate in accordance with sponsor duties. This includes reviewing right-to-work checks, record-keeping practices, immigration status monitoring, compliance with reporting deadlines, the preparedness of key personnel, and the overall genuineness of the organisation's trading activities. One of the most effective ways to prepare for a Home Office inspection is to undertake a comprehensive mock audit that mirrors an actual compliance visit. This should include a detailed review of personnel records, HR processes and SMS activity, with any identified weaknesses addressed before an inspection occurs. Employers that treat compliance as an ongoing responsibility rather than a periodic exercise are significantly better positioned to withstand regulatory scrutiny and protect the immigration status of their sponsored workforce. Consequences of Non-Compliance Where sponsor duties are not fulfilled, UK Visas and Immigration may: Downgrade the licence to a B-rating; Suspend the licence, usually allowing the sponsor 20 working days to respond; or Revoke the licence entirely, resulting in the loss of sponsorship rights and potential curtailment of sponsored workers' visas. Conclusion The two elements of sponsorship: obtaining a licence and maintaining compliance, can no longer be viewed as separate obligations. With approval rates declining and licence revocations reaching unprecedented levels, obtaining specialist legal advice both before applying for a sponsor licence and throughout the life of the licence is increasingly becoming a prudent and valuable investment for UK employers.

(UK, April 2026) – Intellectual property law firm Appleyard Lees is pleased to announce the promotion of Amritjot Jethwa to Partner, recognising her significant contribution to the firm since joining as its first Head of Commercial IP Contracts in November 2023. Amrit has played a key role in formalising, expanding and leading the firm’s commercial IP contracts offering. Working across sectors and advising both new and long-standing clients, she has strengthened the firm’s transactional IP capability and helped shaped the continued growth of this specialist practice area. Her work spans a broad range of clients, from founder-led/early-stage start-ups and SMEs to universities, multinational pharmaceutical and technology businesses, and government departments, on commercially valuable IP transactions. With expertise in drafting and negotiating complex technology in-licensing and exclusive out-licensing agreements, as well as bespoke collaboration agreements, including those for AI-led platforms, she has built a reputation for successfully supporting clients with a reliable blend of technical and commercial advice. Commenting on the promotion, Adam Nabozny, CEO, said: “Amrit has brought a new specialism to the firm which has shown excellent growth since she joined in November 2023. She has shown continual commitment to supporting the development of her work area alongside creating and supporting exciting business development opportunities across sectors. The partnership is really excited about the energy and enthusiasm Amrit will bring to the role and to the firm.” Amrit’s appointment to Partner reflects the firm’s strategic investment in its expanding commercial contracts team, which also includes specialist IP solicitors Chris Hoole, Robert Cumming, Daniel Bailey, and Christopher Thomas. On her appointment, Amrit said: “My journey at Appleyard Lees began with a chance encounter at a local law society event before I joined the firm just over two years ago. From the outset, I was given the opportunity to develop and grow a practice area I care deeply about, supported by an excellent team and strong client relationships. “I’m very grateful for the support and trust I’ve received, and proud of what we’ve achieved together so far. I’m delighted to be joining the partnership; becoming a partner is a special moment and I look forward to contributing to the firm’s continued growth and success.” With her promotion, Amrit will continue to drive the development of the firm’s commercial IP transaction services and support clients navigating increasingly complex IP and technology landscapes. About Appleyard Lees Appleyard Lees is a leading intellectual property law firm with approximately eighty patent and trade mark attorneys, specialist solicitors and litigators. Who we are and what we do – but also, how we do it – makes us distinctive. We help our clients protect and monetise their intellectual property, and manage post-grant challenges, should they arise. We offer broad sector and industry knowledge, plus the ability to adapt our services to specific client requirements, in an agile way. With offices in UK innovation hotspots, we are positioned to give clients expert strategic IP advice in the UK and worldwide.   All media enquiries should be directed to [email protected].