Able to access legal aid funding, the 'knowledgeable and professional' team at Duncan Lewis Solicitors is particularly adept at representing often extremely vulnerable claimants in asylum, judicial review and human rights. 'Driven and focused' team head Vinita Templeton 'works tirelessly to ensure a favourable outcome' and has regularly achieved success for clients in judicial review cases where appeal rights had previously been exhausted. Associate Samuel Bass 'builds up relationships of trust and empathy with even the most vulnerable of clients', and as well as his fee-earning work also handles a significant amount of pro bono advice, including his weekly volunteering role for a Welsh charitable organisation that provides free advice and representation to asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants. Bass also regularly conducts advocacy at the First-tier and Upper Tribunal, as does consultant Vanessa Delgado .
Immigration in Wales
Duncan Lewis Solicitors
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Testimonials
‘The team is knowledgeable and professional. The lawyers want the best for their clients.’
‘The team provides strong attention to detail and to securing as much relevant objective evidence as possible to ensure the client has the best possible chance of success.’
‘They are committed to doing the best for their clients and keeping in touch with them throughout their case.’
‘Vinita Templeton never gives up and keeps fighting for her clients.’
‘Vinita Templeton is driven and focused; she helps her clients over and above the normal call of duty.’
‘Vinita Templeton is very experienced and works tirelessly, leaving no stone unturned to ensure a favourable outcome for her clients.’
‘Samuel Bass pays close attention to both the personal circumstances of each individual client and to the objective material needed to support that claim. His preparation is never less than exceptionally thorough and he clearly builds up relationships of trust and empathy with even the most vulnerable of clients.’
Work highlights
- Acting for a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugee recognised refugee from Lebanon who fears a real risk of article 3 ECHR harm on return to the camp, and where it has been accepted by UNRWA in evidence before the UK domestic Tribunals (First-tierTribunal and Upper Tribunal (IAC)) that UNRWA is unable to afford him effective protection.
- Instructed by a Palestinian client, previously resident in Lebanon, to represent him in his asylum claim and subsequent appeal.
- Acting for an Egyptian and a Muslim Brotherhood member whose asylum claim was refused at appeal, but was granted permission to appeal and his case was remitted to the First-tier Tribunal. Consequently the firm successfully secured asylum for the client.
Newfields
Benefiting from a ‘great depth of experience and knowledge’, immigration boutique Newfields has rapidly gained prominence in the market since its foundation in 2018, and now with four fee-earners that are focused across a range of topics, it has the strength-in-depth to handle a tremendous range and volume of work for businesses, individuals, sporting entities and higher education providers. Founding partner Glyn Lloyd is ‘terrific‘ particularly in the sports arena, and this context he has successfully broadened the scope of the offering to include an increasing number of football clubs, a swimming governing body and a basketball franchise, in addition to the firm’s core roster of UK-wide rugby league and union clubs.
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‘Newfields offer us a truly fantastic and personal service.’
‘The extremely knowledgeable and friendly team provides very efficient and reliable advice.’
‘Very responsive and service-oriented. Has great depth of experience and knowledge. They keep advice succinct and action oriented.’
Key clients
Welsh Government
Tennis Scotland
Rugby Football Union
Warrington Wolves
Swansea City FC
Swim Ulster
Rahul Welde
EUI Limited (Admiral)
Harlequins
Exeter Chiefs
Martin Bakole
Leeds Rhinos
Welsh Netball
Rockley Photonics Ltd
Consilium Insurance Brokers Ltd
Hainan Airlines Holding Co Ltd
Sayenko Kharenko
Plural Strategy Group Ltd
Wilfried Bony
Timothy Sheens
Scarlets
Work highlights
- Funded by the Welsh Government to provide free advice and representation to Welsh residents inrelation to the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Instructed by the Rugby Football Union to advise and secure immigration permissions for key coaching staff at England.
- Advising Admiral Insurance on skilled worker applications.
Capital Law Limited
Housed within the broader employment offering which is headed by Richard Thomas , Capital Law Limited provides 'legally and commercially sound advice' to both local and multinational companies on their business immigration concerns. The scope of this work is broad, running the gamut from compliance advice (including right to work audits), assisting companies become licensed sponsors, through to immigration due diligence on corporate transactions. Senior associate Alex Christen 'goes the extra mile and provides solutions-oriented advice' to clients including on the implications of Brexit with regard to UK-bound migration of EU workers, and on issues arising during the pandemic, including advice on the permissibility of furloughing sponsored workers.
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‘The responsive team provides legally and commercially sound advice.’
‘Alex Christen goes the extra mile and provides solutions-oriented advice.’
Key clients
Sigma Systems (UK) Limited
PCI Pharma Services
Voltalia UK Limited
Johnsons Hotel Linen
Howard Tenens Limited
Verisure Services UK Limited
Mewa UK Textile Services Limited
APEM Limited
Work highlights
- Supporting Howard Tenens with a right to work audit across all of its sites. This has involved training managers on how to conduct right to work checks in accordance with the latest government guidance, preparing template right to work check lists and FAQ documents and supporting them with questions or action points that have arisen as a result of the audit.
- Providing day-to-day advice to Sigma Systems Limited (holding parent company of Hansen Technologies) on immigration queries which arise from sponsoring workers.
- Provide advice to Verisure as a licence sponsor holder but also on immigration issues as a whole. Including the visa options for EU nationals to come to work in the UK under short assignments or internships under the new immigration system, use of the new graduate visa route and switching to a skilled worker visa.
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP
Despite the departure of dedicated immigration lawyer Nerys Ireland to Mishcon de Reya LLP, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP‘s broader market-leading employment team retains a number of practitioners who devote considerable time to immigration matters. One of these is senior associate Francesca Clarke, who regularly handles work on her own, as well as alongside the firm’s Birmingham office on business immigration matters, as well as work for higher education providers.
Key clients
Leeds Trinity University
Work highlights
- Providing a dedicated immigration helpline service to Leeds Trinity University covering all aspects of student immigration to enhance compliance and reduce risk.
NLS Solicitors
With offices in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, specialist immigration firm NLS Solicitors is well-positioned to advise South Wales-based individuals and business across a wide range of matters, from advice on family visas and asylum claims to sponsor licence applications and skilled worker visas. Co-heads Louise Fenney and Shahnaz Nowaparast both have expertise handling advocacy before the First tier and Upper tribunal, with the latter also noted for her 'outstanding' work for clients from abusive backgrounds.
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‘NLS are very approachable and caring. They respond very quickly and have our clients’ interests at the centre of all they do.’
‘The team works closely with third sector organisations to offer a holistic approach to support. They consider the person as a whole rather than their immigration matter.’
‘Shahnaz Nowaparast always goes the extra mile for clients and is very approachable and a great communicator. Her work with clients from abusive backgrounds is outstanding and importantly she always makes herself available unlike some solicitor who keep themselves at arms length.’